ᐅ Minimum Window Sizes / Widths for Viewing Out

Hello,

we are quite advanced in our building planning. However, I am still unsure about some of the planned windows.

In the attic, we have three bedrooms and one bathroom. Two of the bedrooms have a dormer, each with one floor-to-ceiling window (so two floor-to-ceiling windows in total in the dormer). Otherwise, all four rooms have windows with sills.

In the architect’s original design, the rough opening of the windows is 1 meter (3 feet 3 inches). That leaves a glass area (the visible part you look through) of about 80 cm (31 inches), as far as I understand.

I feel this might be too small, too narrow, like a loophole. But just because I feel that way, it doesn’t mean it has to be true.

The architect says that should be enough and that making the windows bigger would probably only cost a few hundred euros per window (he wasn’t sure off the top of his head). We will discuss this again together. But before that, I want to get your opinions and, if possible, see some real-life examples from the inside.

The architect also says that from a brightness perspective, this size is perfectly sufficient.

We have no roof windows and do not want any. The building regulations and standards regarding daylight are met at minimum and are irrelevant to me in this question. Nor do I want to focus on the exterior appearance; I understand it needs to fit the overall design, but that can still be discussed with the architect.

My question is solely about the feeling when you are inside the room looking out through such a window. If I ever feel the window could have been bigger, then I would have made a mistake. So, looking out must not feel too small.

I would appreciate your subjective opinions about your windows:
- How large is your window (for example, near the kitchen table or preferably at the desk in your office)?
- Is it single- or double-leaf?
- Is it double- or triple-glazed?
- Are you satisfied with the view through the window, or could it be bigger?

Well, our cabin is still under construction, so I can’t share any daily living experiences yet. We have a single standard window (1.1m x 1.5m; width x height) in our house. Lots of window area usually means lots of visibility both ways. In the kitchen/living room, we have two double patio doors measuring 2.2m x 2.3m and a fixed glass panel of 2.2m x 1.85m, plus an almost standard window positioned above the sink faucet with a sill height (1.4m x 1.15m). That amounts to about 15m² (160 sq ft) of window area for a 42m² (452 sq ft) room. The bedrooms/kids’ rooms have double windows measuring 1.5m x 1.85m. The bathrooms/laundry room have horizontal window formats with a sill height of 1.3m and dimensions of 1.8m x 0.8m.

Overall, all windows are wider than 1m and tend to be significantly wider. In my view, a bit more width can’t hurt, but it’s certainly not necessary for daylight purposes.

Counter-question: In which situation do you consciously look outside? Where exactly are you at that moment—the room, at the window, or inside the room?
Maybe you can answer your own question then.

Regards

Kaspatoo schrieb:

Single-leaf at 1.30m (4 ft 3 in) or double-leaf at 1.50m (4 ft 11 in) or even wider?

I believe windows are so heavy nowadays that single-leaf designs are hardly feasible anymore, except for windows like those often found in guest bathrooms.

With double-leaf windows, there is also the question of whether to have a French window style (no central post) or a fixed central mullion.

For example, we have a wide single-leaf window that is only tilt-and-turn because of its size.

I’m not a big fan of these narrow, tall windows, but that’s a matter of personal taste. Our windows on the upper floor have a sill height of 50cm (20 inches) and are double casement, so they are quite wide.

I would recommend visiting a model home park and paying close attention to the windows. You can get a really good impression there!