New ways to look at the window to your world
Cobus Lourens from Swartland, one of South Africa’s leading window and door manufacturers, believes that whether you are wanting to add value to your home, get the most light, or simply create a seamless transition between the indoor and outdoor aspects of your home, windows might be just the ticket. Replacing windows as part of an upgrade, or even a renovation allows you to keep up with trends. He shared some of the latest trends in the use of windows.




Transitional living
A major drive in architectural design today is bringing the indoor and outdoor spaces together. This trend is redefining home design with many homeowners looking to fenestration solutions to incorporate transitional living into their homes. Here, the general rule of thumb is that the bigger the window, the better, and in this regard, aluminium windows provide the perfect frame. “Arguably, one of the main benefits of aluminium windows and doors, from an aesthetic point of view, is that they boast really slim sightlines. This means that more of the window or door can be made up of glass. Due to the inherent strength of aluminium as a material, you need less of it to securely hold the glass and hardware. For this reason, you can fit a lot less frame and include a higher proportion of glass, which in turn, affords you the best and most unhindered aspect or views to the outdoors,” said Lourens.
Windows into doors
Replacing a pair of boring double pane windows with sliding doors or a pair of French doors can add vitality to any indoor space as well as adding to the “flow” and letting in lots more natural light.
“We have such lovely weather in South Africa and most homes have access to beautiful outdoor spaces – by replacing a window with a door, you can really take advantage of these aspects by creating a seamless flow between your home’s indoor and outdoor spaces,” said Lourens.
He added that replacing old-fashioned windows with large format sliding windows can also help if space is an issue in the design of your home.
Window walling
The trend of having a wall of windows shows little sign of abating any time soon. “In keeping with the move towards transitional living spaces, a major trend is to replace entire walls with a curtain of windows or large window panels,” said Lourens.
While he agreed that it can mean a costly renovation, he explained that it has the capacity to totally transform a dated design into a brand new architectural marvel. “A wall of windows adds height, light and that ‘Wow!’ factor to any indoor space – letting in impressive views of nature,” he said. “This not only looks good, but the high-end look and feel will also add great resale value to your home.”
Custom is key
While everyone is more than familiar with standard window designs, the option to create a feature by using an accent window is often understated and underutilised.
“Why not create a unique feature by adding an accent window in an otherwise unexciting space?” he said, explaining that there are many parts of the home environment which lends themselves to great feature installations. “Picture windows are a great addition to any landing or double volume space. Bay windows are also very popular – they not only let in lots of added light, but they also create a sense of cosiness, making an otherwise uninteresting space very inviting,” he said.
Speak to your home designer, builder, or even home building supply store staff for advice about what types of windows would best suit you.