Creating a home design involves many considerations for every aspect of the house, including the front entrance, which makes a big impact on homeowners. This is the first impression of the home to buyers, and the level of detail in the design can make a sale that much easier.
One important design element in the front entrance are transom windows. Transom windows help create interest in the door style and layout of the entryway, and bring about many benefits that homeowners love like extra light, a luxurious atmosphere and unique architectural detail. Let’s take a look at what makes a transom window and how you can add them into your next home design.
What Are Transom Windows?
A transom is the horizontal beam over a door that separates it from the rest of the wall. Transom windows are the windows that go above the transom and add interest and style to the front entrance design. There are virtually no limits to the shape, size, and style of transoms, but they all are in the same place above the door.
Transom windows were first added to houses centuries ago. They helped create air flow and ventilate houses that had no other sources for cooling off without having to open the door. This allowed homeowners to still have privacy and safety while enjoying the breeze. Today’s transom windows rarely open, but instead add light, unique design elements and aesthetics to a house.
Why Add Transom Windows?
You may be asking why adding transom windows to a design is necessary as they don’t serve the same practical purpose they once did. However, they still provide a wide number of benefits to architects, designers, and ultimately homeowners.
- Create Interest: Transom windows create much more interest than entryways without any additional decorative features. They make the space feel bigger and the glass design can tie in different architectural styles and features, making a great first impression.
- Facilitate a Luxurious Feel: Transoms also make houses feel more luxurious. The extra windows around the door feel very expensive and the level of design, like decorative glass and pane arrangements, add to the feel. Homes with transom windows look more stately and high-end than houses without them.
- Let in Light: One of the main practical features of modern day transom windows is the light that they let in. If the doorway faces east or west, but the door doesn’t have much glass, the home can lose out on a lot of natural light. Transom windows let that light in while still allowing homeowners to maintain privacy during the day.
- Delight Homeowners: All of the above benefits combined make for very happy homeowners. They feel like the home has unique features, lots of natural light, and luxury all before stepping in the front door. That makes them much more interested in purchasing the home.
Picking Transom Windows for Your Next Design
While there are many reasons for adding transom windows to your designs, there are considerations that need to be considered before you add them to the next home build. Transom windows have many different styles, shapes, and designs. In addition, the type of glass you install has a major impact on the overall home design.
Transom Window Styles
Transom windows come in a wide variety of styles and designs. While they typically are the length of the transom itself, with a few rare exceptions, the shape of the window changes. There are square transom windows, arched transom windows, and even custom angled transom windows to fit particular spaces.
There’s no right or wrong answer for which style of transom window will make the most sense in a front entryway. It largely depends on the architectural style of the home. For example, a house with minimalistic design would benefit from a rectangular transom window to emphasize the importance of lines and angles. Conversely, an eclectic style home might benefit from the curves of an arched transom window.
Glass for Transom Windows
One of the most important considerations for transom windows is the type of glass that you install. While you certainly can install clear, plain glass to let the most light in, it’s often a good idea to add even more style and design with decorative glass or decorative privacy glass.
Transom windows provide an opportunity to have different glass designs that still match the glass in the door or sidelights but offer something more unique. When you match the glass to the architectural style of the house or find similar patterns to other glass in the front entryway, you can add additional interest and create a truly one-of-a-kind space. Even a divided light look to match the windows or doorglass in a home can pull together the whole entryway. That allows you to ultimately design a front entryway that delights homeowners and gives new purpose to transom windows.
To learn more about transom window glass options, check out the ODL catalog and see what kinds of transom glass you can add to your designs today. You can also call your ODL salesperson and get more information on how to match your transom glass patterns to door glass and sidelight glass options.
