We’ve talked many times about the benefits that window walls provide: natural daylight, views, and a connection to the outdoors, in essence blurring the lines between interior and exterior.

They highlight those perfect views that you love so much and bring those views into your home, framing them to become permanent artwork for your spaces.

When creating a window wall strategy for your home, window placement should first and foremost consist of reviewing the surrounding site to see what exterior views you’d like to actually look at (and avoid!).

Are there particular landscape features like meadows, mountains, or vegetation on or beyond your property that you’d like to showcase? Do you have children that will be playing in the backyard that you’d like to keep an eye on from inside?

Take inventory of the best views. Determine which of them you’d like to showcase. Then, see if your floor plan allows for windows in those specific walls. If not, see if you can rearrange your layout to take advantage of those views.

[Mountain Modern Residence by Pearson Design Group. Photo courtesy Pearson Design Group.]

2. Be Mindful of Your Climate & Site Orientation

Another window wall planning tip is to be mindful of your climate and the orientation of each window wall in relation to the sun. Depending on the direction your window walls face and your specific geographical location, you’ll need to consider solar heat gain and glare.

Solar heat gain can be mitigated by vegetation, roof overhangs, adjusting your home’s orientation on the site, adjusting the size of your windows, louvers, window coverings, and selecting a high performing glass that blocks out harmful UV light.

Just remember that solar gain can be beneficial in the cold winter months so accounting for varying conditions is a plus in areas that see seasonal changes.

[Walmer Duplex by Mehdi Marzyari Architects. Photo courtesy Mehdi Marzyari Architects.]

3. Consider Your Home’s Architectural Design & Layout 

Just as the views outside dictate window wall placement, your home’s architectural style should help dictate the look of your window walls. Because window walls can be customized in a variety of ways from material (wood, aluminum, steel, vinyl) to type (casement, fixed, sliders, multi-unit) to frame profile, it’s best to think about what would look best in your home design.

Many modern homes typically have floor to ceiling glazing with as many unobstructed views to the exterior as possible. So thin frame profiles and a layout with very few mullions are not uncommon. Traditional homes, on the other hand, tend to have thicker frames and smaller lites of glass, often with glass dividers. What kind of home are you designing and what is the overall aesthetic style you’re trying to achieve? Are you going for a sleek minimalist look with small window frames?

In addition to your home’s architectural style, the function of each room will also play a part in your window wall design.

Many public spaces, like kitchens and living rooms, benefit from a lot of natural daylight because you spend a lot of time in those spaces. Support spaces, like bathrooms, storage rooms, and laundry areas, aren’t always the best spaces for so much exposure. Think about the type of activities you do in each room and determine if you’d prefer a lot of natural daylight or not.

Let’s also consider volume – as in rooms with tall ceilings. Spaces with high ceilings could benefit from multi-story windows or clerestory windows. And don’t forget the 5th wall of the room, the ceiling. The ceiling is a great place to introduce glazing to lighten up spaces without sacrificing privacy or wall space.

4. Think About Your Privacy, Security & Lifestyle Needs

With any window wall design, you’ll need to be mindful of your specific level of privacy and security needs. Just as you can see out to that beautiful landscape, everyone else can usually also see in. Living in a rural setting away from direct neighbors and other homes is a lot different than having an urban home with close neighbors.

As you think about window wall planning, just remember to consider who can see into your space through those windows and how you might design ways of providing more privacy. Ideas to consider might be strategically locating vegetation, using window shades, and considering translucent glass, to name a few.

Similarly, you’ll want to consider your security concerns. Glass window walls are sometimes seen as a weak link in evaluating a home’s security. It’s easier to break glass than it is to break down a door. So depending on your specific security situation, you may want to consider having additional security measures in place such as glass break sensors or other security system devices to monitor various types of activities in and around your home.

[Arboretum Residence Remodel by  Skylab Architects. Photo courtesy Skylab Architecture.]

And lastly, it’s always good to consider your lifestyle when designing large window walls. Some people find it challenging to have floor to ceiling glass with small children or pets running around. And instead of repeatedly cleaning the glass, they opt to raise their windows off of the ground a few feet to avoid all the smudge marks. Or, depending on how you intend to use the space, you may find that raised window sill heights work better for your furniture and lifestyle needs. You don’t want the back of your furniture to back up against a floor to ceiling glass wall, do you?

Designing with large window walls is no joke. It’s serious business getting just the right location and design. But if you plan ahead to be mindful of your environment, both inside and out, you’ll be well on your way to a more successful layout. The key is to remember to take advantage of the benefits (natural daylight, views, connection) while countering the downfalls (privacy, security, solar gain, energy performance). Balance these and you’ll win.

Follow along in our Window Wall Design Series where we explore inspiring projects, benefits, types, glazing, durability, quality, performance, and installation.