Exterior back image featuring Picture Windows in Bronze exterior finish

29 October 2024

Best Windows for Natural Light

With increasing evidence about the benefits of natural light, replacing your windows offers a great opportunity to think differently about window styles to increase your home’s natural light.

Double Hung/Single Hung

Double hung and single hung windows make great candidates for replacement options because of their tall profile and ability to be arranged in an assembly of multiple windows or as part of a bay window. Marvin Replacement’s Double and Single Hung windows are built with Ultrex® fiberglass, so you’ll enjoy looking out a narrower profile for bigger views.

Casement

Casement windows have one sash for an uninterrupted view.

Bay

Marvin Replacement Bay windows provide ample natural light with either casement or double hung windows arranged in 30° or 45° configurations. Opt for an operating center window to increase airflow into your home, too. Enjoy abundant natural light in your new cozy reading nook with insulated head and seat boards.

Bow

Bow windows use a combination of four, five, or six casement windows to allow a beam of natural light into your home. The flanking casement windows can open to capture a refreshing breeze.

Only the casement windows at each end of the bow window are operable.

Round Top

Round top and Marvin Replacemen t Arch windows can utilize untapped space to increase natural light. Round top and arch windows can rest above windows and add curved lines to your home’s architecture. Round top windows include full circle windows, which can add light in homes with vaulted ceilings.

Special Shapes

Special shape windows can do special things for homes by creating more opportunities for natural light. Special Shape windows have strong geometric lines and can come in trapezoid, pentagon, triangle, octagon, rectangle, and hexagon form. Special shape windows have versatility because they don’t have to fit directly above a window. There can often be a space between the windows.

Window showing natural light coming through.

Best Window Placement Ideas for Natural Light

You can amplify the impact of natural light by carefully choosing the right types of windows for different parts of your home. You want to pay particular attention to the direction a room faces. The amount of daylight a south-facing room brings differs than a north-facing room. A room that faces the west encounters more sunlight in the afternoon than one that points to the east.

South-facing windows: South-facing windows experience the most sunlight in the northern hemisphere. Large living room windows that face south can maximize natural light, which brings the benefit of not needing as much artificial light to illuminate the space. You can also enjoy the vitalization of warm sunlight to help energize you.
East and west windows: East-facing windows capture sunrises and makes them great for bedrooms or morning dining spaces. West-facing windows face a setting sun. Windows that face the west can bring natural light. West-facing windows can also bring increased solar heat. In rooms that face the west, window treatments can help with solar heat. West windows aren’t as ideal in spaces like a kitchen if you cook often.
North-facing windows: Windows that face the north receive the least amount of sunlight. They do provide softer light since it’s not direct like rooms that face the south or west. North-facing windows suit home offices and bathrooms.

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