How to Create Custom Decorative Windows

Art is everywhere you look—from the beauty of nature to an exquisite painting to the architecture of an old building. Because art is an extension of one’s own creative expression, you can use your home as a canvas and the glass windows as your medium of choice. With this in mind, you can create a beautiful and artistic decorative window that is as unique as you are.

How to Create Custom Decorative Windows

1. Pick Window Type
2. Choose Window Material
3. Determine Window Color/Finish
4. Select Glass Type
5. Pick Glass Finish
6. Design Window Grille

When purchasing a new window or replacement windows, many people don’t realize how creative they can be when customizing them. With Rustica’s extensive personalization options, you can create stunning decorative windows that add style and taste to your home or commercial space.

How to Create Custom Decorative Windows

1. Pick Window Type

There are several types of windows to choose from for your home or commercial building. The type of window you choose is an important step in designing custom windows because the type you choose will determine how the window opens, the amount of ventilation it allows, and its appearance. Here’s a list of popular window types on the market today:

Single-Hung Windows—This is the most common and widely used window style in homes today, along with double-hung windows. The bottom sash, the moveable part of the window, can slide up or down to open the window and allow fresh air into the space. The top half of the window is stationary, so it cannot open. Single-hung windows can come in a variety of sizes and materials. They are highly affordable and energy efficient, making them a great window style to consider. 

Double-Hung Window—Double-hung windows are very similar to single-hung windows, but both the bottom and top window sashes can move up and down. In single-hung windows, the top half of the window is stationary, whereas double-hung windows feature a moveable top portion and a moveable bottom portion. This allows for versatile airflow, and they are a popular choice on the market today.

Casement Windows—Casement windows are ideal for maximum ventilation and unobstructed views of the outdoors. Unlike single and double-hung windows, a casement window opens outward, away from the building, via a hand crank. This allows you to control how much airflow comes into the space; allowing you to maximize ventilation by opening the window to its full capacity. Because a casement window does not have a top or bottom sash—making it one large glass surface—these windows are ideal for great landscape views. This means they let in abundant natural light, which is ideal for house plants.

Picture Windows—Have you ever been in a home with large windows overlooking a stunning view? If so, you were probably looking through a picture window. Picture windows are specifically designed to capture and highlight natural scenery. They are inoperable (cannot be opened), and sealed into the window frame. Because of this, they are highly energy efficient as there are no minuscule cracks for air to leak through. Picture windows are quite popular, and are usually placed in an area with a beautiful view. 

Garden Window—A garden window is a unique window type that is an excellent style to consider if you’re looking for a decorative glass window with space for plants and decorative items. It resembles a “window box,” and has glass on all sides. Garden windows serve as miniature greenhouses, and are great options for decorative glass, stained glass, or even decorative window film.

These are just a few examples of common window types to consider when designing a decorative window. Other decorative window options include transom windows and sidelights, which are decorative window pieces that typically frame a door or other windows.
To choose the best window for your space, you’ll want to consider the purpose of the window, how much light you would like it to capture, if you want it to open or not, and whether you want to highlight any outdoor views.

2. Choose Window Material

The next important step in designing your custom window is to decide on the material of the window frame. When choosing a material for your window frame, you’ll want to consider several factors, including budget, energy efficiency, aesthetics, longevity, durability, and upkeep.

You can choose between vinyl, wood, or metal. Each of these has its own advantages and disadvantages. For example, metal windows are highly durable and low maintenance, but may not be the style you want. On the other hand, wood windows are aesthetically pleasing and provide great insulation, but require a bit more upkeep to maintain their longevity. Vinyl is the most affordable and popular option, but may not be the material you would like for your windows for aesthetic and environmental reasons.

The window frame material will greatly impact the decorative style of your window, so you’ll want to consider this when choosing between vinyl, wood, or metal. When it comes to artistic expression, you’ll want to decide which material works best with your vision and if you would like to add a paint color or stain finish to that material.

3. Determine Window Color/Finish

The color of the window frame is one of the most important aspects of creating a beautiful and artistic custom window. You’ll want to choose a color that blends well with your overall interior and exterior design styles, as well as the interior and exterior paint colors of your home. For example, black windows are stunning and elegant against a light color, such as white or pale green.

You can be as creative as you wish with the window color, but remember that the window frame material you choose will determine the type of finish or paint you use. For example, if you want to highlight natural wood grains, you can choose a custom wood stain, such as glaze, walnut, or red mahogany. For metal windows, you can choose from a variety of finishes, such as flat black, modern gold, and clear coated raw steel.

Of course, you can always choose a custom paint color for your window, no matter the material. However, it is more difficult to paint metal, which is why it’s preferred to choose a custom metal finish rather than painting it yourself. Wood is much easier to paint, and painting it will increase the lifespan of the wooden window frame.
 
No matter the material you choose, with Rustica’s extensive customization options, you’ll be sure to find the finish that complements your decorative windows beautifully.

4. Select Glass Type

Selecting the type of glass, or glazing, for your window is less about the decorative appearance of the window and more about your window’s energy efficiency. Picking a glass type includes deciding how many panes of glass you would like for your window, and if you would like to add any coating to enhance its energy efficiency.

The standard for modern windows is to choose a double or triple glaze, meaning the window has two or three glass panes. It isn’t recommended to purchase a single pane window, as they are the least energy efficient and will end up costing more in the long run with higher energy bills. Double and triple-pane windows are much more energy efficient because the space between the glass panes is filled with an insulating gas that stabilizes the home’s internal temperature.

Next, you can decide on the type of glass for your windows, which includes low E glass, tempered glass, annealed glass, and more. Annealed glass is the ordinary glass found on most residential windows, whereas tempered glass is termed a “safety glass” and is much stronger and shatter resistant. Low E glass is glazing created to enhance a window’s insulating performance. A special coating is applied to the smooth glass surface to minimize the amount of infrared and ultraviolet light that comes through without minimizing the amount of natural light coming into the space.

As you can see, you can customize your window glass to fit the needs of your space and maximize its energy efficiency. Even though you’re designing a decorative window, it should still be a fully functioning window with optimal insulating performance.

Pick Glass Finish

When researching how to design a custom decorative window, you’ll find a lot of information about window film, specifically specialty decorative window films. While decorative film is an option for a DIY project, it’s still a film that lays on top of your window glass, which isn’t for everyone. You can create the real deal without artificial decorative window film by designing a custom decorative window with specialty glass

Rustica offers a wide range of glass styles to fit your needs and preferences. For example, if you’d like window tinting for more privacy or to diffuse harsh light, you can choose a glass style such as a frosted glass or retro-style glass. Choose between our glass styles like palm, fluted, or crested for a textured glass surface.

These unique glass styles are perfect for designing an artistic decorative window, as they add character subtly and beautifully. Plus, a textured or tinted glass style can be functional and increase the home’s energy efficiency with its ability to diffuse harsh light. Customizing the window’s glass finish offers the privacy you need without sacrificing natural light.

Design Window Grille

One of the beautiful aspects of old windows found in castles and historic cathedrals is the decorative grilles, or metalwork, on the window. When designing a custom decorative window, you can add metal grilles to facilitate the same effect.

The shape and design of the metal window grilles are customizable, and Rustica offers horizontal grilles, vertical grilles, diagonal grilles, diamond grilles, and more! Mix and match different grilles, such as vertical and horizontal, to create the classic square grid pattern—or try diagonal grilles for a modern and artistic design. Feel free to draw up different patterns and play around with the grille orientation, as it will truly be a staple piece of the decorative window.

Rustica’s customizable metal grilles can be finished to match the color of your window frame, such as black, white, gold, or satin chrome. To make things interesting, you can choose a different color for your window grilles than the color of your frame. For example, a black metal window frame can be paired with grilles in our modern gold finish, which would create an elegant and show-stopping look. The options are endless, and you can create a wonderfully unique and artistic decorative window with custom window grilles.

Design Your Dream Decorative Window With Rustica Today!

Crafting a decorative window is a fun and creative process that allows you to express your unique design style. By customizing each part of your window, including the frame material, color, glass, and glass finish, you can create the exact window you’ve been dreaming of.

When purchasing a new window, it’s helpful to touch up on the many parts of a window so you feel confident and prepared throughout the window-buying process. Once you’re ready to begin, contact Rustica’s design team to create your custom decorative window today! We can’t wait to help you bring your dream window to life.