New Home Communities | Few features of your home are as crucial to potential buyers—or, heck, to your mom, your former college roomie, and any random houseguest—as your doors and windows. They’re the first thing people see, long before they even set foot inside your place. They’re the last thing that they interact with. And there’s way more to them than you might think.
So,
as unlikely as it might have once seemed, it’s high time to become a
door and window expert! To get up to speed on all the variations,
features, and terminology, look no further than our Learning the Lingo series.
Read
on to know your casements from your transoms, your grilles from your
speak-easies, and to find door and window styles that fit your home
like, well, perfectly fitting doors and windows.
French doors
These classic doors are essentially floor-to-ceiling transparent or glazed windows thatopen—and who
wouldn’t want that? Considering that they work beautifully into most
home styles, come in both single or double variations, and are used for
both interior rooms and exterior doors, it’s small wonder they’re so popular.
To
some, the sweet french doors of a Southampton beach home were the star
attraction of 2003’s “Something’s Gotta Give,” far outshining supporting
players Diane Keaton and Jack Nicholson. Go figure.
Storm door
Depending on where you lived growing up, watching your parents switch out your screen door with your storm door as
the temperature dropped was a seasonal rite of passage. They
traditionally have interchangeable glass panels and/or mesh window
screen panels, all the better to guard against the elements, whatever
they may be.
These
days, the storm door is a bit less essential since most current
exterior options come with heavy weatherstripping and rubber seals to
keep cold air out. Nonetheless, it’s still a great option should you
want to protect a glass or decorative door. Or add a nice nostalgic
touch.
Speak-easy
Unless
you’re running a black-market gambling operation out of your kitchen,
this is likely not the most practical design element you’ll encounter.
But the iconic peephole with its own little door (often with a
decorative metal grid in front) is a charming throwback showing up in
more and more homes.
According to History.com,
Prohibition-era patrons looking for a drink had to whisper—or “speak
easy”—through the tiny opening to gain access into a slew of different
types of illegal establishments (and, yes, provide the name of the
person who “sent you”). Today, this design is mostly found on rustic or
Mediterranean-style doors,
Sidelight
You’ve
probably never thought that the side windows that flank a front door
have a name. It turns out they do! Sidelights brighten and decorate
a doorway, and, as with french doors, have some serious pop culture
cachet—in particular the sidelights in the “Home Alone” house seem to
have garnered their own fan base over the years.
Deadbolt
These
locks consist of either single- or double-steel cylinders that slide
back and forth, and can’t be moved to the open position without a key.
They’re considered preferable to a doorknob pin-and-tumbler lock,
because they’re significantly tougher to crack.
There
are plenty of variations, including the vertical deadbolt which keeps
bad guys further at bay by guarding against “jimmying” (attempting to
gain entry through a pry bar between the door and jamb).
Fun fact: The word “deadbolt” cropped up in 1902 to describe a bolt that was “dead,” rather than “live,” meaning it was less susceptible to tampering. Duh.
Multipoint lock
If
you’re looking for extra security, consider the multipoint’s triple
threat of top, middle, and bottom deadbolts along the length of the door
that engage with a single turn of the locking mechanism on the door
handle. Yes, it’ll take a bit longer to get in and out of the house. It
is worth it for peace of mind.
Grille
Geometric
panes or scrolling metalwork on a front door all go by the same name: a
grille. Consider it a bit of additional security with decorative flair.
To view a luxe example, check out the grille on the Bel Air
mansion belonging to Kim Kardashian and Kanye West. Or don’t, we’re fine either way.
Casement window
This
window style, hinged to the side of the window frame, operates via a
crank handle and opens outward (although in its initial design in the
1600s, they opened inward to protect the glass.
Bonus: It tends to seal better against drafts and the elements in comparison to single- or double-hung windows, which slide open.
Stationary/fixed window
As
indicated by its moniker, the stationary window doesn’t open at all—its
role is purely to look pretty, add light, and offer a
picturesque view. While large squares and rectangles are the most common
shapes, they can also be ovals, semicircles, triangles, octagons, or
pretty much any shape you can dream up.
Picture window
While
this popular style doesn’t open either, its hallmark is its
pretty-as-a-picture size—often floor to ceiling—all the better to let in
optimal light and terrific views that can make the indoors feel
outdoors, and vice versa.
Transom
If you have rooms that don’t receive much (or any) natural light, meet your new best friend. Use this narrow window above an interior door to
let in more light, or use a hinged version to help with air flow. In
the U.K. they’re sometimes called “fanlights,” “overflights,” or even
“hoppers.” Those crazy Brits.
Bay window
A
bay window juts out from the house, with a center pane plus windows on
each side—great for giving the illusion of more space and letting in
additional light. It’s a particularly popular style in Victorian-style
homes and was considered signposts of the homes of lords and ladies.
According to Britannica,
it was traditionally built into the end of a great hall, opposite the
entrance and behind the raised area where the elite were served.
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