You need to check your local building code. Generally speaking, windows whose bottom is less than 24" from the floor have to be tempered glass. Tempered glass is much more expensive.

Strangely, in my area, there is code to *prevent* too much glass. What did your architect say?

Design the windows in a room in conjunction with the windows in the entire house. Consider it a symphony not just a few notes.

You need to check your local building code. Generally speaking, windows whose bottom is less than 24" from the floor have to be tempered glass.

Very good advice, although not quite correct.

Per IRC 308.4:

5. Glazing in doors and enclosures for hot tubs, whirlpools, saunas, steam rooms, and showers. Glazing in any part of a building wall enclosing these compartments where the bottom exposed edge of the glazing is less than 60" measured vertically above any standing or walking surface.

6. Glazing, in an individual fixed or operable panel adjacent to a door where the nearest vertical edge is within a 24" arc of the door in a closed position and whose bottom edge is less than 60" above the floor or walking surface.

7. Glazing in an individual fixed or operable panel, other than those locations described in items 5 and 6 above, that meets all the following conditions:

7.1. Exposed area of an individual pane is greater than 9 square feet.

7.2. Bottom edge is less than 18" above the floor.

7.3. Top edge greater than 36" above the floor.

7.4. One or more walking surfaces within 36" horizontally of the glazing.

Virgil, I’ve checked our code and what it states won’t be an issue for us. Thanks for that thought.
Mark, the entire house has a good flow of windows but this is the only room with the picture window so it sort of has to be its own note.

I love your inspiration picture. I think it's lovely. We have large windows on both sides of our main living space. They are one foot from the floor. They did have to be tempered glass but are well worth it IMO.

We have three windows in our living room and they aren’t tempered glass and are two feet above the ground and it’s a great height. Perfect dog face height if you see my profile picture

Thanks all! Love the photos, Kim and A S. I think we’re going to go with a 6x7 with 6x4 on each side of the larger one

Exactly what Mark said. This is my gathering room. Combined dining and sitting area off my kitchen. I might have liked another combo of windows just as well but my architect did exactly as Mark described...designed in conjunction with the windows in the rest of the house. someone mentioned the windows coming down too low..mine are not that low. I can’t remember if they are safety glass but I think they were the tallest windows we could get...set at 8’ header height. I did not want transoms. Not sure I would want them any lower...then you have to worry about grandkids, etc.

Red, I love those windows. What does header height mean?

I’m sure one of the architects can give you a better technical explanation but basically (in my house) all of the tops of the doors and windows line up 8’ from the floor. With 10’ ceilings that leaves 2’ from the top of the windows/doors to the ceiling. About a ft of wall space between window/door trim and crown molding.