Window styles by home type

Not sure where to start? The quickest way to narrow down window styles is to look at your kind of house. This hub matches the most popular styles to common UK property types, with links to a full guide for each — because there really are windows for every home.

Victorian & Edwardian terraces

Period terraces were almost always built with sliding sash windows and, on the front room, a projecting bay window. Keeping (or restoring) those two features is the single best way to protect the character — and modern versions bring the warmth and quiet the originals never had. Adding Georgian bar detailing to the upper sash finishes the look authentically.

1930s & post-war semis

Inter-war and post-war semis suit casement windows beautifully, often with a curved or square bay to the front. Many originally had leaded or Crittall-style detailing, which you can echo with slim glazing bars. A tasteful grey, covered in our anthracite grey and colour guide, has become the go-to update for this era of house.

Cottages & period rural homes

Cottages, farmhouses and barn conversions call for a soft, traditional look, which is exactly where flush casement windows excel — the sash sits level with the frame just like old timber joinery. Heritage creams and sage greens suit stone and render, and conservation-area rules often steer you towards a flush profile anyway.

New builds & modern homes

Contemporary homes lean into clean lines and big glass. Standard or flush casements in white or grey are the norm, while a large fixed picture window or an apex gable window makes a real feature of a double-height space. Solar-control and low-E glazing keep open-plan rooms comfortable — see our window glass options guide for the choices.

Flats & apartments

Upper-floor flats are where tilt and turn windows come into their own — the inward opening lets you clean the outside glass safely from inside, and the tilt position gives secure ventilation. In many blocks the freeholder or managing agent will have rules about frame colour and style, so it’s worth checking before you order. Whatever the glazing spec, you can get glass options priced to compare acoustic and toughened units.

Bungalows & dormer bungalows

Bungalows suit wide, low casement runs that make the most of single-storey light, sometimes with a bay to the lounge. Because everything is at ground level, easy operation and good locking matter most. Simple, well-proportioned casements in white or grey rarely look wrong on a bungalow.

Still weighing it up?

If you’re between two styles, our individual guides go into the detail. Jump straight to a couple that fit your home:

Bigger projects — a full re-window or a period restoration — are worth planning financially. Funding and contribution options may be available for those who qualify, subject to eligibility and a home survey, and it’s worth reading about funding routes for bigger projects before you start.