Those may be cottage style or what is also referred to as oriel style windows.

The lower sash is usually 60% of the opening.

Michael

Would it be accurate to say, that once you establish a sight pattern, in this case the "grids", it should be used in all windows of that horizintal plane for the home?

I realize that is quite open and subjective to ones taste, but from a general design medium. Playing around with some sketches, things seem more organized when a pattern exist as oposed to "breaking it".

An example would be the side of a home with a couple BR's a laundry room, a bath room, etc. My eye seem to think that a repeating pattern is more pleasing. Just curious how others feel about that, I do not profess to have any design talent. I find myself being stumped on what to do with sliding doors, entry doors, garage doors, etc., when trying to draw some options for a visualization.

I posted a link to a slide show in the Remodel forum under a "design and floorplan discussion" thread. It shows some of the sketches I have played with. Thanks for any feedback.

Oriel windows are usually a front view feature, lower level only.

Michael

Please forgive my lack of knowledge on the subject.

Could it be said from a general architectual view, that unequal length sash windows would only be spec'd on a cottage or French style build? generally...and never on a ranch home?

No. I have changed out many ranch houses with exact duplicates of the original oriel windows. Most common are the ranches with full wrap around porch, oriel windows in front, lower level.

Cape Cods are a favorite around here and all of the lower windows are oriel style.

You also have to be careful of historic dating. Oriel windows can also be considered bays, bows, porches, etc., besides the common double hung oriel we see today.

Are you considering building a ranch with oriel style windows?

Michael

Thanks brushworks, I did a search and see that the term "oriel" is used widely.

I have a 50's ranch that is undergoing extensive structural mods and a remodel. The home was brick with aluminum windows originally. Before I purchased it very cheap white vinyl windows were istalled, badly. I am hoping to add some integrity and character back into the home with a full new face lift of windows to accomadate the complete re-build.

I have waffled from going with a full assortment of casements/lites to a design using single hungs, awnings and transoms. Seems the more sketches I draw, the more confused I become. Actually, I am finding I have no talent for this and both architects I used were of little help. Code dictates that I use a 1/4",1/2",3/16" build (stc38).

Here is a link, feel free to comment!

Here is a link that might be useful: Ranch home plans

After looking your plans over I see your having issues on how you want the West side to look. I see that your changes on #5 remove the visibility of the entry door when viewing from straight on. By doing this you can put any type of window you want. Any issues created by the door would really be nothing by facing it North. If your were to keep the door facing the West side flanked with windows you could break the pattern up by adding an oval glass to the door. This was done on many Ranch houses here in MN during the 40's & 50's. The oval glass tends to soften the grid work on the upper sash of the Oriel units. Otherwise many of the other homes had a Half-Glass window with grids to match the windows.

One thing you may need to consider is Fire Code issues with Egress windows in bedrooms. Code requires 5.7sqft of exposed glass space for egress. Most areas won't require any pre-code homes to comply unless you are altering the opening. They do how ever require you to keep the new glass space equal to or slightly smaller than the existing unit, example being, the removal of a Casement unit and replacing it with a single hung. By doing this you alter the glass space dramatically and could cause issues with the inspector. If this is the case then you may want to stay with the design that has casement windows all around instead of single hung units. I use a computer program called Vectorworks for my designing. It gives me a nice 3D view of whatever I draft. In any case it's in the eye of the beholder just like anything else Your view may be completely different than ours. Good Luck!!!

guy exterior man, Thank you for your time.

In my poor attempt to communicate with a few drawings, the first drawing showing the home with a picture window and front facing door is the current design. Drawing's 1-5 are just different window styles drawn on a "proposed plan" with changes to the front of the home which faces the entry north and gives an actual entry area (8x10) inside the home along with another 6' feet in floorplan length to accomadate a inside laundry room between the main bath and front facing BR.

I was hoping that a change to the front, such as I have proposed by bringing the full width hip out and adding some sense of depth, would also enhance the homes aesthetics along with needed interior space. I even went so far as to stagger the front wall plane by recessing the corner BR back 2' and minimizing the BR's horizontal dimension by allowing the entry wall to cover part of the BR that became a closet niche. I believe the window theme can really enhance this, or hurt it. I'm capeable of the building process, but have no faith in my design talents for pulling it together.

I do have to bring the structure to code because of the invasiveness of the remodel. I can use the south side wall of the BR's for egress windows should a front facing design on the front BR window not meet code. I can actually use a 5.0 cu.ft. window if I'm under 44 inches from exterior grade. I have done the math, and actually have a list of many combos that will meet egress. One combo I like is a 30"x54" with a 31.5" casement in the bottom and the top 21.5"'s an awning with grids. That makes a 28" sill heigth in my 92.5" wall, and allows grids up high on the wall to tie other windows in the home together ie; transoms, BR combo's, garage door, front door, etc. Photo below shows the window pattern I'm refering to along with the front structural changes earlier mentioned.

What I'm not confident in, is my propensity to have things strategically aligned. Seems one runs the risk, especially with grids of creating something to "busy". I like the element of detail it can add, especially to a basic home when there are few options to do so, so it seems worthy of the effort and expense for the return it may ultimately offer.

{{!gwi}}