Odie, my windows are 2'4" x 3'6" each. There are two great threads on this subject. Show me your windows: http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/kitchbath/msg081723333442.html counter height windows: http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/kitchbath/msg0217570926165.html One word of caution: if you choose double hung, be careful where the the two meet- you don't want to be looking at the middle where the lock is. And, I had an interesting problem. I bought standard height (3'6"). We didn't feel it was worth it to to go custom for just 2 or 3 inches more. I told the installer I wanted them to sit on the granite like the first picture. He did as told. The top was lower than the other windows in the house. Plus, you didn't as good a view because it was too low. It looked weird. Hope that makes sense! Wish I had taken a picture of it. So, he raised it up to the header, and now I will have a small backsplash or sill area over the granite, like the second picture. Raising it just 3 inches made a big difference. I love love love the bump out!!! Do it if you can. You'll notice several of the ones in the thread are bumped out. Keep us posted! Joan mamadadapaige Not sure whose kitchen this is: shanghaimom erikanh

You have an interesting house. Some time ago another person posted their mansard roof house. They ended up painting the second floor windows that same color as the roof. It made a big difference. I think you should paint the windows are dark gray. Paint the area around the first floor windows the same color as the garage. Paint the front door an interesting color. Prune or remove the bushes hiding the windows on the right.

Here are some possibilities to pull the entire visible space together since it opens onto the kitchen as well. The whole space is a mix of informal (kitchen, living room in distance with slipcovered sofa) and formal (dining room panelling and ornate pendant.) If you're only interested in making one change, skip my Comment. All my suggestions below take into account the kitchen and living room, all visible from the dining room to create harmony in all three areas: --Repaint kitchen and dining room white to match your visible living area on the other side of the kitchen. As mentioned, your dining room and kitchen are dark--dark countertops, dark wall paint, dark floor, dark dining room furniture. Lighter wall paint throughout the entire visible space would give you a sense of flow and airiness. --Remove that decor clock and replace with a beautiful, light colored horizontal landscape art work that will echo the outdoor view of your dining room window. A long, wide art work will give the feeling of another window. Art work can be abstract trees, skyscape, in greens, reds of falls, or whites as below. The creams and whites below echo your dining pendant. You could also do a pairing of two art works on that wall. --Your pendant, though beautiful, seems far too formal for a dining area open to the kitchen and in a mountain house. But if you love it, then pair the ivory color with an art work and nubby linen ivory panels ceiling to at the window per Diana Bier. Also consider a new overhead light in the kitchen to upgrade that space since it's totally opening to the dining area. --Consider adding ivory half slipcovers to dining chairs as shown below since you don't want a rug This will lighten the dining room and, again, echo your pendant and slipcovers at the other end of the space in the living room. (You could also paint the chairs ivory and your counter stools.)

I designed a Prairie Style home with Prairie grills in all the windows for a client. The client decided on his own to save money and only have grills in the windows on the front elevation only. Now that the windows are installed, he realized how his attempt at cost saving has destroyed the character of his home. The front and right side elevations are both highly visible where character of each elevation can be compared. His ounce of money saving cost a ton of architectural character.