Looking Out the Window, Act II
Boxers via flickr /Artwork: designslinger]
If you caught yesterday's post, you know this is the next segment of a two-part window
episode. Today, I'm going to write about window styles and some of the common terms used in describing window elements. For those of you who wrote and asked about the kind of window you have, the panel above includes images of three of the most common windows: the casement, double-hung and French. A casement window opens in or out from a corner pivot point. You can see that in the far left photo, the windows swing out from one side of the opening. Most of us have had an encounter with a double-hung window at some point in our lives. It's the window that opens and closes by sliding the lower half up or down. How many of us have struggled with an old double-hung window that has too much paint on it and won't open no matter how much we pull, push or swear. The French window is long, sometimes reaching from floor to ceiling, and opens in two halves. It's pretty apparent that they are called French windows because they originated in France, but I've learned not to make assumptions about things that seem obvious.
or muntins, artfulblogger via flickr /Artwork: designslinger]
Every window has a sash. It is the frame that holds the glass in place, and can be made of
wood, metal or plastic. In the double-hung window for instance, both the upper and lower portions have sash frames. The dividing bars inside the sash that create smaller panes of glass are called mullions or muntins - depending on whom you're talking to. There is a debate about the correct term to use; you can't even get a straight answer from architectural dictionaries. One will describe the dividing pieces as muntins and another as mullions. If you call them mullions, most people will know exactly what you mean; if you call them muntins you'll have to go into a big long explanation, but you'll sound very architecturally sophisticated.
Brick bay window in Manchester, England, hugovk via flickr /Artwork: designslinger]
The bay window is no stranger to architecture, especially in cities like San Francisco. By
definition, a bay extends from the roof line to the ground like the brick building in the far right photo. A bay can be angular or curved and projects out from the building's facade. The curved bay is often referred to as a bow window. However, if the bay only projects out from an upper floor, it is called an oriel, or oriel window. We've put some examples in the panel below.
bill barber via flickr; Oriel window at Lacock Abbey, FlickrDelusions via flickr; Oriel window supported by an engaged
column, bill barber via flickr /Artwork: designslinger]
So, you thought that small box sticking out from the 2nd floor of your building was a bay
window, well not necessarily. An oriel window is like a bay, but unlike a bay window the oriel projects out from just an upper story, is suspended over the ground, and sometimes supported by a bracket or column. The images in our picture panel give you an idea of a variety of oriel windows in different applications. If you're a crossword puzzle fan (like me) "oriel" shows up as the answer to many puzzle clue.
Hope you enjoyed our window tutorial. I could go on for several days, but I thought that
between these two postings you would get some basic information along with a few zingers thrown in.
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