Window Aesthetics
Choosing the Right Look

Picture Windows

Picture windows are all about bold, uninterrupted beauty. These large, fixed panes act like a living portrait of the outdoors, allowing natural light to flood in while creating a striking visual centrepiece. Whether in a stairwell, a living room, or a vaulted space, they deliver a sense of openness and calm.

Casement Windows

With their sleek, uninterrupted panes and outward-opening design, casement windows deliver a crisp, contemporary look. Their vertical orientation and minimal framing help create a sense of height and openness, a perfect match for modern or transitional spaces that favour clean lines and expansive views.

Awning Windows

Awning windows offer a distinctive horizontal look with a top-hinged design that opens outward. Their compact shape makes them visually appealing above sinks, in bathrooms, or paired with larger fixed windows. They bring a clean, modern edge to any space while maintaining a low-profile charm that suits both contemporary and transitional home styles.

Double-Hung Windows

Rooted in tradition, double-hung windows bring symmetry and a classic charm that feels right at home in Ottawa’s heritage districts. Their balanced, vertical design complements older brick façades and adds timeless elegance to interior spaces, especially where historical authenticity matters.

Sliding Windows

Defined by their horizontal proportions and minimalist frame, sliding windows create a streamlined, modern aesthetic. They’re ideal for contemporary designs that emphasise long sightlines, low profiles, and understated elegance, perfect for open-concept layouts and lower-storey spaces.

Bay and Bow Windows

Architecturally striking, bay and bow windows add dramatic visual interest to any home. Their curved or angled projection from the wall draws the eye and creates a sense of grandeur, inside and out. These windows are ideal for front-facing rooms, where they can serve as focal points and frame picturesque views.

Grilles-between-glass (GBGs)

These decorative bars are sealed between two panes of insulated glass. They offer a clean, low-maintenance solution for achieving a traditional look without interfering with the window’s surface.

Simulated Divided Lites (SDLs)

SDLs use surface-applied bars on the outside (and sometimes inside) of the glass to mimic the look of older, true divided-lite windows. They’re often paired with a spacer between the panes to create the illusion of depth. SDLs are a modern answer to traditional mullioned windows, giving the same visual structure without sacrificing energy efficiency.

Mullions

Mullions are structural elements that physically separate individual window units installed side-by-side. In older window construction, mullions were often a hallmark of traditional multi-pane windows, forming the framework for true divided lights. Today, they’re used more sparingly but still provide architectural strength and visual rhythm in multi-unit installations.

A little-known window aesthetic insight

While only mullions divide separate window units, grilles and SDLs can replicate the same visual effect, adding character, rhythm, and balance. Even the thickness and layout of these elements can influence how a room feels, making windows appear larger, more elegant, or more structured depending on the design. Designers often use grille patterns to subtly guide the eye, balance proportions, and make windows feel like part of the architecture, even if most homeowners don’t consciously notice.

Privacy glass

Frosted or textured glass options are ideal for bathrooms, basements, or side windows, letting light in and protecting your privacy.

Tinted or Low-E Glass

Adds style and improves energy efficiency, especially in sun-exposed rooms.

Decorative Inserts

Perfect for transoms, sidelites, or entryway windows, giving a touch of personality or elegance.

Triple-glazed windows

Offer unmatched energy savings, but their slightly thicker frames need to be considered for design consistency.

Professional installation

Ensures that beauty doesn’t come at the cost of air or water leaks, or long-term performance.