Image of a home with big picture windows with a pool in the foreground.

11 September 2024

What is a Picture Window? A Guide to Picture Windows

Q: Do picture windows open?

Picture windows do not open. They are a fixed window, also known as a stationary window. Picture windows can come in a variety of shapes.

Q: Are picture windows out of style?

Picture windows are always in style. The expansive views and additional natural light they bring to a home makes them popular. Plus, picture windows have the versatility to combine with functional windows to give you the best of both worlds.

A picture window is a window that’s directly built into the frame. It can’t open and close, but it can increase natural light in a room and add curb appeal to your home. Discover the pros and cons, along with some ideas for your home.

What is a Picture Window?

They often get called fixed or stationary windows because they don’t open and close like other windows. Instead, they remained fixed into the window frame. They pair with other styles of windows to expand views and add natural light. They often get flanked by other types of windows to allow ventilation into a room.

Picture Window Pros and Cons

They have several advantages and few disadvantages, which makes them an easy choice to add style to a home. Adding one requires some planning and design work but it can produce breathtaking views. They can come in a variety of shapes and sizes to fit nearly any space in your home.

Pros

Add natural light.
They create beautiful views of nature through the seasons and outdoor scenes, like trees, sunsets, or a flower-filled garden.
Remain closed and have better resistance to air leakage.
Add curb appeal: One in the front of your home adds to its appeal and design elements, like grids, can make your home stylish.

Cons

They don’t provide ventilation like other windows. A solution to that is pairing one with double hung windows or casement windows on each side to allow breezes to pass through.

Picture Window Styles for Any Home

They can transform nearly any room in a house, but they appear in a living room appear most often. Depending on the direction your living room faces, one can open lovely backyard views, lakeside scenes, or ocean vistas. If your living room faces the front of your house, you can enjoy the view of your landscaping while enjoying the additional curb appeal of a symmetrical picture window with side windows.

A casement picture window can feature casement windows at each end to take advantage of high ceilings with the taller height casement windows can provide. The combination also provides clear, unobstructed views of your favorite outdoor scenery.

Bay windows can use casement windows or double hung windows on each end to expand a view. Our bay windows can have casement or double hung windows at 30° or 45° angles for a more dynamic appearance.

Depending on your home style, you can add one with grids to match your home’s existing style. Window grids have a traditional appeal but also appear in many contemporary style homes.

They also come in different shapes. Our special shape windows, which are fixed windows, have a range of geometric shapes to fit different home styles and spaces. The sharp angles of special shape windows create dynamic looks. Our arch and round top windows also serve as picture windows and create a softer look with curved lines. Both types provide versatility to fit in different rooms.

Exterior view of a brick home with casement windows and a casement picture window.

Windows that Pair with Picture Windows

We offer several window combinations with picture windows.

Our slider triple sash window provides panoramic views with the benefits of operating slider windows at each end for ventilation.
Casement windows offer versatile views by either flanking a picture window or joining one for a bay window.
You can also pair our single and double hung windows with one.
An awning window with a one above it can create large, uninterrupted views while still allowing fresh air to circulate.

Picture Windows Replacement Ideas

Though they most frequently appear in living rooms, they fit well in several other areas of a home. Some of the best places for them include an entry way above a front door. The abundant natural light creates a welcoming feeling when people enter your home. Arch windows can make an entry way feel grander.

Kitchens and bedrooms with great views make sense for them. You can enjoy watching birds at the feeder in the morning with a panoramic view. A bedroom with one can capture brilliant sunrises or sunsets.

Picture Window Wall

You can create floor-to-ceiling window looks with picture windows and build a window wall to better connect to the outdoors. The large glass area picture windows offer the opportunity for sunlight to flood the spaces you spend the most time in your home. The floor-to-ceiling window wall look also creates a stunning look that others will envy.

Picture Window with Transom Windows

Pairing a transom window above picture windows provide additional avenues for natural light to enter a space. Transom windows tend to have smaller dimensions but can have a big impact to add warm daylight to a room.

FAQs

Do picture windows open?

No, they do not open. They are a fixed window, also known as a stationary window. They can come in a variety of shapes.

Are picture windows out of style?

They are always in style. The expansive views and additional natural light they bring to a home makes them popular. Plus, they have the versatility to combine with functional windows to give you the best of both worlds.

Why do they call it a picture window?

They are called picture windows because they frame outdoor scenes like a picture frame. They’re designed to capture scenic views because they have unobstructed viewing areas. Picture windows can make it seem like you’re looking at an outdoors painting or art.

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