A very common question that most homeowners have while building a new home or renovating is about the positioning of windows on the wall. In some home homes, the windows are centered on the wall while in others the widows are at sides. So what’s the correct position for windows? Let’s see the answer below.
If the wall is load-bearing then the window on it should be at the side. This will help to keep most part of the wall intact for bearing the load. On the other hand, if the wall is not bearing any wall then a window can definitely be placed at the center.
Where to place the window horizontally: At side or at the center?
1. For getting natural light
While designing an interior, designers try to get as much natural light as possible inside. When a window is at the center of wall, the natural light enters inside in such a way that it lights the entire indoor evenly.
While a window placed at the side, even though can also provide natural light but one side of the room ends up getting more light compared to the other.
Thus to get good natural light in the room, a window should be placed at the center of wall.
2. For better coordination with furniture
In a living room, if the back of the sofa is facing the wall on which the window is to be installed then it is a good practice to install the window at the sides. The wall just behind the sofa can be utilized to hang pictures, artwork as well as some light sources.
If the sofa is perpendicular to the wall on which the window is going to be installed then the window should always be placed at the center of that wall.
In a bedroom, if there is no TV on the wall, then the window should be placed at the center directly in front of the bed.
If the wall has a Tv and the bedroom is of big size, then also the window on the other wall should be at the center. Only if the bedroom is compact, the window should be placed at the side of the wall.
3.For feng shui
Windows whether placed at the side of wall or at the center, both placements provides similar flow to “chi” energy inside the room. Thus, window placement on the same wall has no affect on the feng shui of the room. However,
Most often widow at the sides are of smaller size compared to windows that are at the center of wall. The bigger the size of window the more “chi” entry flows inside the room.
Where to place the window vertically: At the bottom, at top or at the center?
Ideally, the window should be placed such that the middle part of window is at the eye level of a person. For this an average size window 24″ x 48″, should be placed at a height of 3ft from the floor both to get good natural light as well as to get a view of the outside easily.
Window installation at higher heights should be avoided as the light falls inside the room at an angle that only illuminates the area just in front of the window.
Should windows be centered on all walls in a room?
From a design standpoint, all those walls that have a window on them look geometrically balanced when the windows are centered at a similar position on the walls.
If one of the walls has a window on the side then avoid placing the window on other wall on the same side. In such a case the window on the other walls should be centered to balance the off-centered window look.
Size of window for side and center placement on wall
As already discussed the window at the sides of wall are smaller in size compared to windows at the center
Size of window at the side of wall:
| Bedroom | living room | kitchen |
|---|---|---|
| 14″ x 28″ | 28″x 42″ | 36″x 36″ |
| 18″ x 28″ | 28″x 60″ | 24″ x 48″ |
| 26″x 32″ | 40″x 60″ | 36″x 72″ |
Size of window at the center of wall:
60″ width x 72″ height is a good size for the window which is going to be centered on the wall. If the wall is wide enough, the width of the window can be even more.
Now to decide exactly what size window to install on the wall will depend upon the furniture arrangement and level of activities performed in the room. For instance in kitchens having a big size window is better compared to a compact size.
On the other hand, in store room, laundry room, attics, having a small size window is enough.
How to deal with an off-centered window?
The best way to make an off-centered window on wall to coordinate with the room is by cleverly arranging particular piece of furniture around it,
For example, if there is an offcentered window in the bedroom, a study table or a dresser with mirror can be put around the window to get the most natural light while making the windows look in harmony with the rest of the bedroom.
In a living room, if there is an offcentred window the put a sofa against the wall on which the window is present keeping the floor front of window free. In this free area, decorative plants that goes well with sofa can be placed to maximize the functionality of the window.
Lastly, if there is an offcenred window that one does not want to keep then cover it with big piece of furniture like a wardrobe. Before covering the window make sure that the window is properly sealed for blocking light.
