Been looking at Simonton picture windows lately, and I'm kinda stuck deciding between their contemporary and traditional styles. The contemporary ones have that sleek, minimalist vibe—big glass area, thin frames, you know, perfect for letting in tons of natural light. But then again, the traditional style has this cozy, classic feel that might match my home's overall look better.
I mean, I love the idea of a modern update, but I'm worried it might clash with the rest of the house. On the other hand, traditional might feel a bit too safe or boring after a while. Anyone here gone through something similar? Curious which style you ended up choosing and if you're still happy with it down the road.
Went through something similar a few years back—ended up going contemporary because I figured, hey, bigger glass means more light and better views of my neighbor's questionable gardening choices. Honestly, no regrets so far; the modern windows didn't clash nearly as much as I worried they would. But I'm curious, is your home's architecture leaning heavily traditional, or is it more of a hybrid style already? Might help narrow things down a bit.
My experience is that people tend to overthink the whole contemporary vs traditional thing a bit. I've installed Simonton windows in houses that are super traditional, some that are completely modern, and plenty that are somewhere in between. Honestly, the contemporary style windows are surprisingly versatile—they usually blend well, even on older homes. But if your place leans heavily traditional, you might want to pay attention to the smaller details like grid patterns or trim styles. Sometimes those little things make a bigger difference than the overall window shape itself.
Funny enough, I've had clients worried about their new contemporary windows sticking out like a sore thumb, only to have neighbors compliment them on how nicely they updated the curb appeal. Go figure. Anyway, don't stress too much—the Simonton contemporary line is pretty forgiving design-wise, and it's hard to go wrong with more natural light and clearer views... questionable gardening included.
"Honestly, the contemporary style windows are surprisingly versatile—they usually blend well, even on older homes."
I've found this isn't always the case, especially in neighborhoods with strict historical guidelines or older homes with very distinct architectural features. Sometimes contemporary windows, even with careful trim choices, can feel a bit off. If you're unsure, I'd suggest mocking up a quick Photoshop or even taping out the window shape on your wall—saved me from a couple of design regrets in the past...
I get what you're saying about contemporary windows sometimes feeling off in older homes. A few years back, I replaced a large picture window in my living room and went through almost the exact same dilemma. My house isn't historic or anything, but it's definitely got that traditional suburban vibe—brick exterior, shutters, the whole nine yards. At first, I was leaning heavily toward contemporary because I loved the clean lines and how much brighter the room would feel with less frame and more glass.
But then I started noticing houses around my neighborhood that had done similar updates. Some looked fantastic, but others just felt... awkward. Like the windows were trying too hard to be modern in a setting that clearly wasn't. It wasn't always obvious why one worked and another didn't, either. Sometimes it was subtle stuff like trim color or even landscaping choices around the window.
In the end, I did exactly what someone else suggested earlier—I mocked up both styles using Photoshop. Nothing fancy, just a quick cut-and-paste job to visualize how each style would look on my actual house. Honestly, it was eye-opening. The contemporary style looked amazing on its own, but once I saw it in context with my roofline and shutters, it just didn't click. The traditional style ended up feeling more cohesive overall.
I went with traditional but chose a slightly slimmer frame than the original window had, which gave me a bit of that modern feel without going full minimalist. It's been about three years now, and I'm still happy with it. Doesn't feel boring or outdated at all—just comfortable and right for the house.
Not saying contemporary wouldn't work for you, though. Just sharing my experience since it sounds pretty similar to your situation. Mocking things up visually really helped me get past that indecision stage.
"Sometimes it was subtle stuff like trim color or even landscaping choices around the window."
Yeah, that's exactly what I'm worried about—those little details that make or break the look. Did you find yourself tweaking other things around the house afterward to match the new window style? I'm skeptical about how much extra work I'd be signing up for if I went contemporary...
Yeah, totally get your hesitation there. I've seen clients go contemporary and then realize their existing trim or exterior accents suddenly feel dated. A few quick points:
- Landscaping usually isn't a huge overhaul, just minor tweaks to complement clean lines.
- Trim color adjustments can be subtle—often just a shade or two lighter/darker makes things cohesive.
- Honestly, traditional styles are more forgiving if you're worried about extra work.
"those little details that make or break the look."
Exactly—it's all about how much you're willing to fine-tune afterward...
"Honestly, traditional styles are more forgiving if you're worried about extra work."
Yeah, I agree with this. Traditional windows are definitely easier to blend into existing aesthetics without triggering a domino effect of updates. But I'd add a couple points from experience:
- Contemporary windows often have narrower frames and larger glass surfaces, which can significantly change your interior lighting. Clients sometimes underestimate how much brighter their rooms become—great if you're after a fresh, airy feel, but it can highlight imperfections or outdated interior finishes you never noticed before.
- Also, consider energy efficiency. Simonton's contemporary lines typically offer slightly better thermal performance due to their frame construction and glazing options. It's subtle, but worth noting if efficiency is high on your priority list.
Bottom line, contemporary can look amazing, but it's rarely just a window swap—expect some ripple effects. Traditional might be the safer bet if you're not up for tweaking everything else around it.
Good points overall, but honestly, the lighting thing can go both ways. When we swapped to contemporary windows, the extra brightness was awesome at first...until we realized how much dust and fingerprints showed up on everything. Suddenly cleaning became a daily chore instead of weekly. Traditional might be less flashy, but at least it doesn't turn your living room into a spotlight for every tiny smudge or scratch. Just something else to think about.
"Traditional might be less flashy, but at least it doesn't turn your living room into a spotlight for every tiny smudge or scratch."
Fair point, but honestly, that's more about glass finish than window style. If you opt for a matte or low-glare coating, contemporary windows can still brighten things up without highlighting every fingerprint...worth considering before ruling them out completely.