5 Window Trends for 2021
Big windows, outdoor connections, and black frames are all on the rise.
2021 is here, so we checked in with Pella, whose Impervia fiberglass windows were used on the Model Remodel project, to find out what window trends they’re tracking.
Here are a few highlights:
• Surging interest: As most in the industry already know, stay-at-home orders during the pandemic have driven homeowners to refurbish their homes and tackle projects they’ve been putting off. Windows represent an ideal investment, an opportunity to freshen up the look, improve energy efficiency and comfort, block exterior noise, and improve ventilation. For more on this trend, see our blog post “How Windows Can Enhance Today’s Stay-at-Home Lifestyle.”
• Large windows: The trend toward taller, wider windows and broader expanses of glass is not abating. “Size and scale continue to be large,” says Pella’s Nicole Willis. With the Impervia line, for example, fixed awning and casement windows are available in sizes up to 71-1/2” x 79-1/2”.
• Indoor-outdoor living: Another trend that’s here to stay is the desire to have more seamless connections from indoors to out. In fact, it’s been amplified during the pandemic as homeowners have made improvements to their outdoor areas to create a sense of sanctuary and provide a safe gathering space. For remodelers, there may be opportunities to replace a dated bank of windows with a large slider. For homes where this isn’t a possibility, consider pass-through windows as an alternative.
• Accessibility: Aging in place has been at the forefront of conversation more and more as Baby Boomers have grown older but desire to stay in their homes—and many designers are quick to recognize that such accommodations make homes more livable for all inhabitants. Pella is embracing that trend with the introduction of the Easy Slide Operator, available in early 2021. The ESO replaces the clunky, often stiff levers or cranks on awning and casement windows with a slide mechanism that requires just finger-based movement to open and close.
Pella’s Easy Slide Operator
• Black window frames: Darker window colors continue to be popular. In fact, Willis says Pella has seen demand for black frames on its fiberglass Impervia line increase about 200% in just the past few years. Black is taking the most share from white, Willis says, and its popularity is partially driven by its ability to go well with the “modern traditional” home styles that are in demand.
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