the second one or the eclectic one would be my preference.

the first design with uniform windows lacks character and the lack of diversity in windows and materials make this large house appear even larger and more like a hotel.

you might want to consider more diversity in finishes and paint colors to enhance the design with a wider variety of windows.

in any respect, I would still go with the plan with the more eclectic window selection.

another consideration is how the windows affect your use of the interior space.

Thanks Kelley. The more eclectic design aligns better with the different use of the interior spaces, e.g. the great room shown on the right has the best views of the house and basically wall-to-wall windows gives a panoramic view. We were going for a look similar to below, although not having the windows go all the way to the floor.

cool.

I'd personally start over.

The prairie/ arts and crafts window style demands a rhytm missing in the second. The varying heights, and too much glazing , in the first also bothers me.

Are you tied to this window style? The massive vertical lines are limiting.

Olivia, your comment makes me concerned about my project, but that's exactly why I posted here. We are looking to style the exterior and use materials as shown in this photo. We're open to reconsidering / starting over, but we'd need a little more direction to do so. I'd need to understand better what you mean about a missing rhythm.

I love your example home. See how the window style is different from yours? Notice the big picture window on the right, flanked by windows with the same muntin pattern and same size? I don't know if rhythm is a correct technical term, but its what I see and feel.

Granted, your example home has more complicated roof lines, and fewer second story windows than you do, but I dont think you need to resort to the total colonial symmetry of the first drawing, nor the more odd and nagged spacing of the second.

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Windows are really difficult, because they have to work from both i side and outside.

If I wers working with your original (2nd) design, I think I would pull the upper windows together to line up with a portion of the windows below. And organize the lower windows with same sized windows with muntins (grills) on the outside, and picture windows in the center. See how you did that instictively on the bottom floor windows in the first illustration?

You could do full on same size in a few areas upstairs, but they're bedrooms, and don't need all that glazing. Use the full repetition in the two places where the house pushes out, and smaller windows centered above the center sections of the second drawing, with or without muntins, not sure.

When you have a beautiful view, like a lake, I would go for the largest, most clear windows possible. Even in the bedrooms, it is nice to have great views. The only exception is the windows you have on the second story that are open to below. Depending on the direction of the sun, you may want the three smaller decorative windows rather than one large one, so you don't have to deal with window treatments. Also think about how the windows open, and how that may affect your choices. It also looks like only one plan has direct access to the lake. I would want that incorporated for sure.

The windows on the right of the second picture look great in my opinion, the left needs work, neither option is quite right.

ate you working with an architect?

the style of your inspiration home could easily be replicated by an architect. it really does not match either of the layouts that you have included.

the walls of windows in the inspiration home will most likely require more structural support than either window layout.

calidesign, this faces north (or you might say 'north by east' as it's 8° east of true north. So we don't have to worry about direct sun and deal with window treatments on those second story windows open to below. Also, we have been thinking about how the windows open as the existing home that is being demolished has almost no windows that open (just a lot of sliding doors) and is far from ideal. The point about the bottom design having a door to access the lake is correct. From a flow inside the house, it is that middle section where the door should be and it would not make sense to not have a door at all. Thanks for your comments.

Kelley Dockrey, we were working with an architect and we were in fine tuning mode. We got a set of plans on July 13 for our builder to take to our county building department, and our architect unexpectedly died on July 18. He was a sole practitioner, so no colleague to transition to working with. Our builder is great and has the plans needed to build the house, but we're missing the architect for the ability to do fine tuning. That's partly why we turned to Houzz. Engaging a new architect might be the necessary next step.

I know your question is about windows. The first difference I notice is the long roof ridge on the left side of your design. It needs to be broken to look more like the example picture.

oliviag55, I think the starting point is the second design, and I see what you're saying about full repetition in the two places where the house pushes out. However that's where the balance between inside and outside comes in. The push out on the right is where the master bedroom and is okay (though some would argue less than ideal) to have the 1st and 2nd floor windows repeat. The push out on the left is a kids bedroom and also doesn't have the same vertical height as on the right or the floor below, so replicating the windows below doesn't make sense. Catherine Reimer mentioned that the windows on the left need some work, and maybe it is just the ones on the left that need help. The photo below shows a minor change with the push out on the left trying to better mirror the windows below it, but without the center window. I'm not sure that it's any better.

jpsx3, I hear what you are saying, but the inspiration house doesn't have any second story space aside from the section all the way to the right. I don't think we can get closer to their roof design without eliminating living space.

I think I do like that change a bit better.

Could you try putting the long narrow window of the very first picture in this mix? I think the three little windows fight with the window and door below. Try to line up the muntins with the windows below. In other words, one long window, divided into four equal spaces. Is this a clerestory window?

I hope one of the pros will also take a look here. Thank you for all the explanations. It makes it a bit easier to think through your issues.

did they issue permits based on either of these window plans?

I would say that the window plans are similar enough that they would be OK with either plan.

if your to change the layout so that the come more closely to replicate aspects of your inspiration home, I suspect that the local building and safety office will require approval from a structural engineer.

one noticeable difference is
the divided pane windows wrap around the corner of the inspiration home, which does not happen in either of your window layouts. this type of change may require structural changes and supporting documentation from a structural engineer. I assume that your architect worked with a structural engineer for the current plans.

Kelley Dockrey, where the great room is on the right hand side of the image, the windows do wrap around the corner In the dining room (in the tallest section of the house), there is a single window on the east and west sides of the bump out, though they are not wrap around windows.

Our plans are currently submitted for permits, based on the drawings in the lower image. I'd rather deal with any delay now rather than regret a decision on window choices later.

oliviag55, Kelley Dockrey, jpsx3, calidesign, any thoughts on the various options in this photo

# 6 for me because I like more window panes and transoms and the lower right window being narrower to match the window above.

If I'm looking at it correctly, it seems that #1 has more of the windows that can't be opened, so I would bypass that one even though I like the symmetry better. Of the remaining options, I like #2, because it has the largest clear open window views. I would think about using double hung windows without the vertical grid though, because you already have so many broken lines with the transoms. I'm glad to see a door in all your options!

I was not picturing these as double hung. I prefer casements myself except for the large panes which would be fixed.

We are planning casements, not double hung.

If you are doing casement windows I wouldn't use any grids on the windows themselves. In that case, I would go with plan #1 , assuming you can open those lower room windows, except I would make the window on the far upper left into a triple window to match all the others.

calidesign, could you tell me the rationale behind not using grids on casement windows? Below is the style we are inspired by and they look to be casements with grids. Thank you!

Yes, those are casements with grids/ muntins. And entirely appropriate for the ops style.

oliviag55, what do you mean by "ops" style?

I think we're narrowed down to this option. I'm wondering in the tallest section of the house if the picture window on the first floor should be slightly wider, making the group of windows wider than the group of windows above. The first floor is the dining area so it makes sense (the view of the lake from the kitchen looks through the dining area), while above is the master bedroom. In the other section with the picture window the first floor windows are slightly wider than the windows above on the second floor.

I like number 5.

I really like divided lights. the lower bank of windows to the right of the door appears to be wider than it does in some of the images.

while we are talking about window layout, have you thought about the windows themselves. I'm somewhat of a purist when it comes to divided window lights. they need to look realistic like Pella's Architectural line.
I know that the true divided lights create more work and maintenance, but they look so much better than any of the windows with snap on grids or grids that are only between the glazings.

I think all of the options you are looking at are aesthetically pleasing enough. I would make my final decision based on the function of the room and how the window will affect the house on the interior. After all, that's where you'll be spending the most time with your new house.

Grids are fine if you like them. I think it's just personal preference - I just like a clear view.

Michael Boyle, op meant original poster, aka you. I hope you've found a design you love.

For those who were following the post, below is what our final design looks like.

thanks for sharing the final design. very nice!

Looks good!

Hope you will share final construction photos. Looks great.

I wanted to share for those who commented on this post last year. The process has been slow, but we are now underway and here's what a final rendering looks like as we begin construction.

Sharing a photo of what the house looks like after framing and window installation. We're quite excited with how it's coming along.