I would take my cues from the existing historic homes. How are their windows laid out? Our previous home, built in 1917 had 9 over 1—there are lots of possibilities.

I love that house. I think the architects are talented and I would use the windows on the plan as shown. I remember looking at their plans and admiring them, so I hope you will stay on this forum and share your progress.

the only thing I'm not sold on is that dormer on the front.

Ha ha! We are omitting the dormer on the front and on the back. Maybe it would look different on the real thing but it seems to just stick out. Plus it's a false dormer.

And here is a photo of the house. What style of house would you call this?

I just accidentally noticed that your entire OP was a link to the plans. I agree with @ILoveRed on the windows. That style is often called Carolina Lowcountry and those windows are appropriate and I personally like them FWTW. Though not seen often on originals I think you could do 4 or 4 or something.

The dormer is historically accurate. Personally I'd keep it.

I find it interesting that the roof on the drawing appears to be far higher than the photos of the actual house. In the drawing, a dormer appears "right" - this would be an unfinished 3rd floor attic and the widow has a purpose. The ceiling would be high enough to walk up there.

Yet, in the photo, the roof angle is far more shallow - one would have to crawl on ones hands and knees in that space. In this instance, the dormer appears to have been just "plopped" up on the roof and looks ridiculous. ARG, is "plopped" a fancy architect term? Ha!

2/2 is just fine for that style of architecture. The smaller panes such as 6/6 were built at a time when glass manufacture was primitive and glass sizes were small.

My builder says he doesn't like the dormer either. Experienced custom home builder. I agree that it does look much better in the drawing, but on both photos it looks weird!

my house is 1870, we have 2 over 2. it feels very clean / unfussy.

It looks different in the pictures because of the camera angle. It would only look like the drawing if you were 18 feet tall.

The drawing is an elevation. Everything looks slightly taller and the roof will look quite a bit taller because you are seeing the full height flattened. There's no perspective.

It's funny that you ask "what windows do I want?". MY preference would be to stick with the 2 over 2. What I would change are the skinny dormers front and back. In front maybe a lower shed dormer the width of the tri-partite window below.

We are getting rid of the dormers entirely, and we are also making the tri-partite window a regular window. There's a neighboring house that has some original glass that's 9/9 in part of it, then replacements of other configurations. The old houses in the area seem to be mostly of the rambling added on kind, which I love. That's not what we have, of course.

We are on a country road in South Carolina and have 28 acres of land. We've cleared about an acre of scrubby pines but left the beautiful big trees that are in the surrounding woods. Need room for pool, chickens, and garden ;)

The 2 over 2 as drawn are probably most appropriate. I think the dormer needs to be the width of and in the style of the triple window immediately below it.

I think the attic needs the dormers because historically that's how the attic was lighted and ventilated in a house like this unless it had a belvedere. It doesn't matter if it's not a stand up attic. I would still have been used for storage most likely.

My recommendation is to not do plant on dormers. They are popular in some developments where I live, and you can usually tell as the house ages that there is no access to the window. Or you can tell right away if the locked window is planted on without removing the stickers or film from inside the window so they remain sealed in there forever. Classy.

The windows are too small for more than 2/2.

Another vote for 2 over 2. Appropriate for the period and style this house echoes, AND! easier to clean :)

We have decided to go with two over two. Thanks for the advice!

Looks like a lovely build!!!