I'm not going to lie. I think they look fine. What a pleasant setting! So peaceful.

We are in the process of deciding what size transoms to go with. I was lucky in that I realized that the 12" transoms wouldn't have the glass height that I'd like, but 24" would be too high. Unfortunately, the 18" transoms will be a special order. I am getting them quoted both ways. It will come down to cost - while the 18" transoms would look better, I think the 12" transoms look good.

I'm not sure what to tell you about the triples. They look fine to me, and you would have had a divider anyways. They're a little thicker than you would have liked, but I think that overall they look nice.

Okay, I looked at your pictures and cannot find anything wrong. I think your windows look great! Honestly!!! Please don't worry. I have gone through the same thing while building. I can't tell you how many times I've doubted our choices when I've seen something for the first time in our house. Trust yourself that you knew what you were doing at the time you picked everything out! I think your house looks really good!

By the way, you have a lovely view!! :-)

I think they look very nice. I'm no good at telling lies, either. Beautiful view by the way!

Amy

here's how to get an image to show up here-- its different from most sites:
[img src=url of photo]
but replace the [] brackets with brackets.
So your first photo would be:
img src=http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s229/lindabcoulson/may2300010.jpg

Now I'll add the brackets:

To the actual question at hand: I'm sorry you are dissapointed, but I don't think you need to be. The windows look great, and with the wide overhangs, you aren't loosing any veiws at all. unless your overhangs are very small and/or very high above a transom window, the transoms are about light, not veiw.

This will be one of those issues you forget about, once you are all moved in. Your home will be lovely, and the transoms are a nice touch. Worrying about their size is like a super model wishing she were five pounds thinner: it would seriously seem odd to me if they were any closer to the porch roof than they are.

Honestly? The first thing my eye went to was the ill-proportioned slitty little transoms. Proportions of the overall window glazing and trim are just wrong. If it were me, I'd be looking for an exterior coverup, if only for the front window. (On the inside you can always use a valance, etc.) If nothing else, I'd use big hanging baskets of ferns or something at the edge of the porch overhang to screen them from street view. "Landscaping" can do a lot.

I'll agree with the others (not the OTHERS from LOST).

They look fine - I know it will not change YOUR mind but I see no problem.

Here is a link that might be useful: Rod & DJs House Building Adventure

It looks great! You really are worrying over nothing. Don't get hung up on the thought that every single thing has to be same size and match perfectly. The smaller windows add dimension to your front elevation which "truly" makes it look custom.

I think you made the right choice, I don't think the bigger windows would look as good as these. They would look square and out of proportion compared to the transoms over the doors. What I'm trying to say is the scale looks right to me.

I know it is not giving you the look you were after, but I don't think it looks bad at all. Looks kind of like you did a divided light thing instead and have a different type window.

I only saw the photo posted by oruboris. They look OK. But...I'd be seriously sad about the additional cost for so little return. I, too, don't see how you could have had taller transoms on those windows. It's more of a proportion thing between these windows and these transoms.

Looks fine, besides, what's done is done so enjoy!

I think they look good too but I know how much it sucks for something to look differently than you expected. Sorry.

I think that the windows look fine. I actually LIKE the thickness of the molding where the windows and the windows/transoms are mulled together. I think it is an attractive look and adds dimension to the windows. I have never liked the really high transoms though...I would prefer to have a larger window and a shorter transom than an average window with a tall transom...my personal opinion.
As to the doors and windows not matching...don't worry about it. A door is a door and a window is a window...they don't have to be matchy-matchy. Honestly, I think that your windows and transoms look nicer than your doors + transoms. The doors still look nice, but I really do like the thicker moldings of the windows!
Sorry that it wasn't what you pictured but have some reassurance that no one besides you would think that it didn't look good!

I like them too! I agree with another poster who said if you had windows any bigger it would be too close to the porch roofline. I have transoms of the same size in our tv room and it's amazing the amount of light we get from them.

So cheer up - it looks GREAT!

Thanks for the cheering up!

Things are better today. The exterior windows and doors have plain white 8 inch wide trim on all four sides, as well as a 12 inch wide trim board between the brick and the siding all around the house - so I think that will make the substantial joined sections in the windows look more balanced. In the interior, the trim is simple 4 inch wide up sides, and I think I will try to use photoshop to see if a 6 inch across the top or a 4 inch will help with the proportions. Any thoughts on that?

Oruboris - thanks for the update on how to correctly post pictures.

Again, thanks for the kind words. I was really low (Still am a bit, but this probably won't be the last time that reality doesn't exactly match the mental image.)

My take is very different than others. If you don't like it - undertake the expense to change it out to something you like. It isn't like anything can't be fixed to what you want - its just an equation of time and money.

If you learn to like it - great. But please don't like it because of what other people think. What you like and feel is acceptable should not be reflective of what others like but what you like.

I know exactly what you're experiencing. I had similar windows installed just yesterday. I was prepared for the 12" transoms (which had to be pared down from original 18" due to big architect goof, don't get me started), but mine were supposed to be operable. Turns out they are fixed. I was counting on these for ventilation.
I also realized the 18" would have looked, as well as functioned, much better. Your transoms are over windows narrower than mine making them appear more proportionate to my eye. This isn't my department, but it doesn't look like you'd have enough header for an 18" transom anyway.
Yep, really irksome business especially when you've agonized over it for months and spent the big bucks. You don't have a lot of verticle space to work with here. At least the moulding at the bottom of the transom aligns with the top of your doors and the other windows of the house. Had you dropped that line (or just made taller windows) the result would have been a lot less pleasing. Seems to me your way of making those windows taller and more special really was the best way. JMHO

By the way, your house is looking very sweet, and your roof is gorgeous!

1bcbuilding:

I have to agree that you are sick, sick, sick, albeit in a different form than you may mean.

You have kids, a beautiful new house (I hope you see it as a home.), a wonderful neighborhood, friends, a spouse (A loving one I hope.), and all you can do is sit in your home and fixate on windows that did not come out cosmetically as you had thought they would.

Yeah, people like you should have the gene that causes that sort of behavior removed or you should be locked away so you don't infect your children and others with your kind of thinking.

Fairyprincess

(PS--Print this post out and hang it where you will see it every day for the rest of your life.)

Hmmm.... the Fairy princess seems to be a troll.

Claire

Well, "fairy princess" registered four years ago.

Apparently she is superior to everyone on this forum who has posted questions and concerns about their homes. I feel blessed that she graced us with her presence.

Dear Claire and Deee:

If you read a little more patiently, you would realize that I am trying to make 1bcbuilding appreciate the large amount of good fortune she/he has instead of sitting in the house obsessing about something so meaningless in the overall scheme of things.

I don't do the "There There you poor thing" routine.

Fairyprincess

By the way, I'm a straight "HE" who doesn't need a masculine handle.

I have long shoulder length naturally curly hair which gets me a lot of ribbing from my friends and angry looks from women who have to pay to have their hair set to get my kind of curls.

Any time I sense long haired women looking at my hair, I just shake my head a little and let the shimmering curls tic them off even more.

Fairyprincess

Fairyprincess - Wow. You have a unique style of trying to help, but yes, life is good and it is always worthwhile to keep things in perspective.

I think the windows are fine because of the low porch overhang and there is no reason for the doors to match them.

As the name of the forum implies, this is where homeowners are expected to ask about "building a home". Perhaps fairyprincess should start a forum for presumptuous personal advice or narcissistic ramblings.

Hey Mighty Anvil (Strong macho masculine name):

How come you don't spend more time in the Heating and Air Conditioning forum.

I always enjoy your professional detailed presentations when you do answer some of the question askers.

Presumptuous?; Yep, I learned about the donkey, the 2 x 4 and the carrot at the end of the stick a long time ago and have always preferred the 2 x 4 for direct application, attention getting abilities and the memory retaining abilities a 2 x 4 instills.

Narcissistic????, Ah ha, nothing narcissistic about signing off as "Mighty Anvil" all the time.

I may be getting a Simplicity Yeoman 627 fairly soon, catch you on the Tractors forum maybe?

Fairyprincess

I am so perplexed by the turn this thread took...
"Long shoulder length naturally curly hair, shimmering curls" Are you for real???

You know, we had a very similar problem. We put a 6-8 door with transom in an area that really needed an 8 foot door and we both hated it. I swore I was going to tear it out and do it over but never did. That was about 2 years ago. Doesn't bother me at all now.

I think your windows look fine. If replacing them is not an option, then don't worry about it. Give it time and you'll get over it.

What dixiedoodle said....lol

Is that you ruddman? You always liked the toughlove approach to advice.

Avjohnson:

Your post got me to searching Ruddmans post history.

He doesn't seem to leave any indication of being as handsome as me, and he does seem a little rougher around the edges.

At least I took the time to explain my tactics to Claire and Deee which he never seemed to do.

Dixiedoodle:

I bet, I just bet you have short hair.

Fairyprincess

Just because you took the time to "explain" your tactics doesn't change the fact that your response was boorish and bizarre.

Have fun shaking your curls at all your fictitious admirers.

And yes, I do have long, naturally curly hair.

Nope, long blonde hair here. But, point to you anyway- even if it was unintentional on your part, you made both me and my husband laugh this morning!

Deee:

YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT!

In addition to being boorish and bizarre, it is lacking in compassion, inconsiderate, distasteful, seems mean spirited, crass, unsolicited, politically incorrect, possibly unwarranted, and definitely not what a professional counselor would say.

But the next time Ibcbuilding finds herself obsessing about some little cosmetic problem in her life, she will remember my post and my forum handle when she realizes she really has a lot more good things in her life that warrant more attention and have more value than the size of windows and their trim.

Dee; you and those like you who wish to appear more considerate will just be part of the "There, there, you poor thing" masses to which I will never belong.

Ibcbuilding may hate me and herself for remembering my vile post and forum name so long, but if it helps her refocus on the good things in her life, I can stand being hated for that.

Dixiedoodle:

Laughing is always good and the fact that your husband got a bang out of it also makes it even better.

I'm glad to hear you have kept your hair long and I hope your husband appreciates the hard work it takes to keep it looking nice.

I don't know about you, but I wish I could use hair spray to keep it out of my eyes and mouth, but you know how that ruins the wonderful bounce when you toss your head around.

Take care and enjoy life!

Fairyprincess