Window dilemma continued

9 years ago

last modified: 9 years ago

I though I had decided on rosewood upvc for replacement windows, I know its old fashioned but I know it will work BUT I am now wondering whether black would look better??? I'd love an expert just to tell me what to do because I cannot make up my mind!! Here's are photos of the house. The windows are timber painted very dark brown.

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PRO

Studio Laree

9 years ago

I presume you are changing the windows because they were single glazed or in poor condition? If not, why are you changing wooden windows to plastic fake wood ones that look worse?

I totally agree with S and 'Man about The House'. Your house could look lovely. Currently, it's a modern house with fake leaded strips (which block a lot of internal light), designed to look older than it is. The problem is in the detailing as the brick doesn't look right for the era it's supposed to be from. It's like someone trying to paint the Mona Lisa with a spraycan.

Painting and rendering the lower level (especially if it's insulated) would transform it and it would look good for years with little if no maintenance. It would feel more Arts and Crafts with the lighter windows and shades of warm natural, muted colours. The Oak door idea of M.A.T.H. is nice too. It will make such a difference and fit in better with it's environment and neighbors.

Fake plastic rosewood windows are horrible. They wouldn't suit the house at all (I think Plastic windows should be banned, the previous owner of my house replaced the original sash windows with clunky plastic once and they don't fit properly and look awful but I can't afford to change them). The black plastic ones are slightly better, but these days there are great systems with aluminum cladding and timber insides that look fantastic and are extremely thermally efficient and are now very cost effective.

It's worth walking around areas with genuine houses with original features from the era your house aspires to. All houses (and high streets and shops) looked better when they were first built with the features from the era they were designed in (or to look like).

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Comments (14)

PRO
Croydon Window Company Ltd
9 years ago
Hi Poppy,

I think either black or rosewood colour frames in uPVC and white internal frames would work with the style of your house, but perhaps take the diamond leaded away would modernise your home if that is the direction you want to go with modern? If so you could also change the style of your front door to a modern composite which could make a huge difference to the overall look. Here are some different examples of our work...
S
9 years ago
Am I the only person thinking render the brickwork? Unless the frames are rotten keep them and paint them in a heritage shade, grey or green and replace the glass (no lead). Would really transform this house imo :)
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PRO
User
9 years ago
Agree with 'S', render the bottom and paint in a lovely rich sandstone, either paint the windows in a Ral Green / beige or taupe, or dark grey??

Green / beige above

Taupe with an oak door

Grey with Grey front door.
Bev Robson
9 years ago
Hi, in my opinion you are making yourself a lot of future maintenance if you render the brickwork and opt to paint the window frames. We opted for upvc frames and also replaced all the decorative boards, soffits and fascias with upvc after 20 years of regular maintenance. My husband is something of a perfectionist and would remove all the opening sections and paint them flat in the garage. This meant an extended period every year when the house could not be left as it was not secure. He used to do downstairs one year and upstairs the next; upvc has freed us from that tyranny. Now it is just a wash and wipe to remove cobwebs. We chose wood effect to stay in keeping with our neighbours, but I love the white interior. I apologise in advance, but it was hard to take the rear photos because of the angle of the sun (should not complain!)
G Arnold
9 years ago
If I were you I wouldn't do UPVC, horrible fat framed windows. Try aluminium or crittal steel (big budget though) to get thinner frames and a more premium feel.

Also, I wouldn't do rosewood, to me nothing says 80-90's more than Windows of that colour... And let's face it, houses built then are generally bland (note that I live in an ex-local authority 50s house which is probably even more bland so I mean no offence to people in houses from the 80-90's, just a fact of life :) ). Pale green or a light/mid grey would look awesome.
headers13
9 years ago
I definitely would not do rosewood upvc as I personally think it's shouts out cheap & nasty. Sorry !
Taz
9 years ago
Agree with Gary, avoid rosewood, VERY dated!

I'd also avoid the diamonds. Think black metal frames would look good on your property because your brickwork is relatively light. Have you considered French grey (it's quite light)?
PRO
H M Building Services www.hmbuilding.co.uk
9 years ago
Regardless of your colour choice I would avoid any dark colours in UPVC. If you want to go dark colours, go with powder coated aluminium, good thermal efficiency, last forever, look much better, can be different colours inside and out with a huge almost endless range of colours and minimal expansion and contraction. I'm not a fan of UPVC, but sometimes needs must. If you have UPVC in any dark colours they will rattle in the winter and become tight in the warmer months and the tolerances for fitting and setting up are much greater than standard white. Some look good but you can hear them moving when the sun gets on them.
jenniimatthews
9 years ago
Why are people so snobbish about UPVC windows? ok if you don't like don't have them.
PRO
Studio Laree
9 years ago
Why do you think it's snobbish to dislike fake things made out of plastic? Or extra thick frames on windows that block out light?

There is a reason why people group or line things up. It's neat, it's pleasing. order looks nice. There is a reason streets looked nicer in the past. Rows of shops and housing matched in style. We feel good when or homes look tidy. Do you feel good when it's messy? It's the same thing with streets. I wouldn't be happy going into a garden and finding most of the plants are made out of plastic. My house has plastic windows and I hate them, but I can't afford to change them. Someone has spent a lot of money in the past to make my house look worse and devalued it.

I don't think anyone will ever look back at plastic window or fake wood and say they want to revisit that style again.
obobble
9 years ago
Have a look at Evolution windows. I'm not sure what material they are made of exactly but it isn't wood or metal and they are really stylish. Look just like proper real wood frames but aren't.
PRO
Studio Laree
9 years ago
Thanks for sharing that Obobble. They certainly look good on their website. I'd like to see one close up. It's strange that they don't way what they are made of, although it is UPVC! Worryingly they have pretty poor reviews on their Facebook page, but their Twitter feed is pretty positive. www.evolutionwindows.com
obobble
9 years ago
I know someone who has just ordered some for a cottage. I think Evolution work via local retailers who measure up, specify and install so it makes sense to check out your local installers reputation too.