Seen a few houses where the modern windows just stick out like a sore thumb—like someone dropped a spaceship on a colonial. If you go contemporary, I’d say: 1) match the lines of the house, 2) keep trim simple, 3) don’t overdo it. Otherwise, it can look like two different buildings glued together.
Had the same debate when we redid our front windows last spring. I went with Simonton’s more traditional style because the clean lines just felt less jarring on our old brick house. Tried a modern sample and, honestly, it looked like it belonged on a dentist’s office. Matching the house’s vibe made all the difference.
Interesting take—I get where you’re coming from on the traditional lines. But I’ve actually seen a few older homes where the contemporary Simonton style kind of worked, especially with updated trim and landscaping. Sometimes a bit of contrast can add character, if done carefully.
That’s actually a good point—I used to be totally anti-modern when it came to old houses, but after helping my brother swap out his 1930s windows with some Simonton ones (yep, the sleek kind), I gotta admit it didn’t look half bad. His wife went nuts with chunky trim and some bold landscaping, and somehow it just… worked? Still not sure I’d risk it on my own place, but sometimes mixing things up surprises you.
“His wife went nuts with chunky trim and some bold landscaping, and somehow it just… worked?”
Funny how the right trim can tie things together. I’ve swapped out a bunch of old windows for clients, some sticking with Simonton’s contemporary look, others going more traditional. It really comes down to what’s happening around the window—trim, paint, even what kind of glass you use. Did you guys have any trouble with the fit when you put those new ones in? Sometimes those older frames are a real pain to square up.
Those old frames really can be a headache—especially if you’re dealing with anything pre-’50s. I’ve had it where nothing is square, and you end up shimming so much you feel like you’re building the window from scratch. Even with Simonton, which I actually like for their fit, sometimes you get surprises once the old trim comes off.
Totally agree about the trim making or breaking it. I was hesitant about chunky trim on my own place, thought it’d overwhelm the room, but honestly it just made everything look intentional. Landscaping helps too, though my “landscaping” is still mostly mulch and wishful thinking.
Did you run into any issues matching the new window depth to your old wall thickness? Sometimes that’s where things get weird, especially if someone’s mucked around with the framing over the years. But hey, when it all comes together—even if it’s bold or a bit out there—it just feels right.
Even with Simonton, which I actually like for their fit, sometimes you get surprises once the old trim comes off.
That’s the truth—Simonton’s fit is solid, but those old walls always have a surprise or two. I’ve had to fur out jambs more than once to get everything flush. Chunky trim can really save the day when things aren’t perfect behind the scenes. It’s funny how what felt “too much” at first ends up pulling the whole look together.
Interesting point about chunky trim—my first instinct was to go minimal, but now I’m wondering if that’s just not realistic in an older house. If you’ve done both styles, did you notice one hides imperfections better? I keep second-guessing whether contemporary would look too stark if the walls aren’t perfect.
I get the appeal of minimal trim, but honestly, in my 1920s place, every attempt at “sleek” just made the wonky plaster stand out more. The chunky, traditional trim actually camouflaged uneven lines and gaps way better than I expected. I know contemporary looks clean in magazines, but if your walls have character (aka flaws), sometimes that bold framing is more forgiving. Minimal can end up highlighting things you wish you could ignore... at least that’s how it played out for me.
- Totally get where you’re coming from on the trim. We tried going minimal in our 1937 place, thinking it’d feel fresh—ended up doing the opposite. The skinny stuff just made every uneven corner and lump way more obvious.
- The chunkier, old-school trim we put back in actually hides all those weird lines and cracks. It kind of frames out the “quirks” so they look intentional, or at least less noticeable.
- I will say, I love looking at those modern window setups in design mags... but real life is messier. If your walls have settled over decades (ours definitely have), the traditional look is just more forgiving.
- One thing I noticed: paint touch-ups are easier with bigger trim too. Less chance of getting paint on the wall, and if you do, it’s not as obvious because the border is wider.
- Only downside for us was cost—thicker trim adds up fast, both material and labor-wise. But honestly, worth it for how much cleaner everything looks once it’s up.
- If you ever decide to go contemporary anyway, maybe try a slightly wider minimal style? Not as chunky as classic, but not razor-thin either. Sometimes a little extra width does the trick without feeling too traditional.
- At the end of the day, I think these old houses just want to be what they are... fighting their character usually backfires (at least for me).