Popular Window Styles for your Home Remodeling Project

The window style you pick does more than frame a view. It decides how a room ventilates, how much daylight it pulls in, and how the front of the house reads from the curb. Through a Georgia summer, it also affects how hard the cooling system works. Replacement windows are one of the stronger exterior upgrades for both energy efficiency and curb appeal, but only when the style suits the opening and the room behind it. Here is how the common styles actually perform, and where each one belongs.

Below are the window styles we install on homes across metro Atlanta.

Double-hung windows

The traditional American window, built from two sashes that slide up and down. Modern double-hung units tilt inward so you can clean the outside glass from inside, and they take either a half or a full screen. That combination makes them the easy default on street-facing traditional and brick elevations.

Casement windows

Hinged on the side and opened with a crank, a casement swings the whole sash clear of the opening, so it moves more air than almost any other style and presses tight against the frame when closed. The screen sits on the interior, and because the sash opens fully, casements are a common way to meet egress in a bedroom.

French casement windows

A European take on the casement, with two sashes that crank open from the middle and no center post between them. The payoff is an unobstructed opening and a clean sightline, which is why they earn their place on feature windows where the view is the point.

Awning windows

Hinged at the top and opening outward from the bottom, an awning window vents even during a light Georgia rain. They suit smaller or higher openings and stack neatly above or below a fixed unit, which is why you often see them in basements and above kitchen counters.

Sliding windows

When an opening is wider than it is tall, a slider is the natural fit. They come as two-lite units where both panels move or three-lite units with operable ends and a fixed center, and they replace the old aluminum sliders common in mid-century Atlanta ranches with a far smoother, tighter action.

Garden windows

A garden window projects out from the wall to create a shelf for herbs, flowerpots, or a bit of display, most often over a kitchen sink. Small side vents let air move through the box, so the greenery gets light and airflow at once.

Bay and bow windows

Both project outward to add floor area, light, and a seat below the glass, and both combine fixed and operable panels. A bay uses three panels set at angles and reaches further out, while a bow uses four or more to draw a gentle curve. Either one gives an ordinary or awkward room an extra dimension.

Picture and specialty-shape windows

A fixed picture window brings in the most light and the best energy numbers because nothing opens to leak air, and more light makes a room feel larger. The same fixed construction covers specialty shapes, the arches, Palladian units, octagons, trapezoids, and circles that add character to gables and great rooms.

The styles at a glance

Style	How it operates	Ventilation	Best fit on an Atlanta home
Double-hung	Two sashes slide vertically, tilt in to clean	Moderate	Traditional, colonial, and brick street fronts
Casement	Side hinge, cranks fully open	High, seals tight	Bedrooms for egress, over counters, modern lines
French casement	Two sashes, crank open, no center post	High	Feature windows where the view matters
Awning	Top hinge, opens out at the bottom	Low to moderate, vents in rain	Basements, high or small openings, stacking
Sliding	Panels glide horizontally	Moderate	Wide openings, replacing old metal sliders
Garden	Projects out with small side vents	Low	Over a kitchen sink
Bay and bow	Projecting mix of fixed and operable	Moderate	Adding space and presence to a facade
Picture and specialty	Fixed, does not open	None	Great rooms, gables, maximum daylight

Choosing for Georgia's climate and code

Two things narrow the field quickly in metro Atlanta. The first is heat. Casement and awning sashes clamp against the frame as they close, so they seal tighter against summer heat and humidity than a sliding style does, and a fixed picture window is the most efficient of all. Pair any of them with Low-E glass and the cooling load drops further. The second is egress. A bedroom, and any finished basement, needs at least one window that opens wide enough to climb out of, which usually points to a properly sized casement, double-hung, or slider rather than an awning or garden window. Beyond performance, the style should answer the architecture: double-hung on traditional brick, casement or picture on contemporary builds, and a bay to give a flat elevation some depth. When new windows are part of a larger exterior facelift, matching the style to the rooflines and the siding is what makes the whole change look intentional.

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common window styles?

Double-hung and casement lead by a wide margin, followed by sliding, awning, picture, and bay or bow. Most Atlanta homes end up with a mix, often double-hung across the front and casement or sliding where ventilation matters most.

Which window style is the most energy efficient?

A fixed picture window is the most efficient because nothing opens for air to leak through. Among operable styles, casement and awning seal tightest, which makes them strong choices for a Georgia summer, especially paired with Low-E glass.

What is the difference between a bay and a bow window?

A bay window uses three panels set at sharp angles and projects further from the wall, while a bow window uses four or more panels to form a soft curve. Both add floor space and a seat, so the choice comes down to the look you want.

Which windows meet egress code for a bedroom?

Egress requires an opening large enough to climb through, so a correctly sized casement, double-hung, or sliding window usually qualifies. Awning and garden windows generally do not, which is why they are not used as a bedroom's only window.

Is a casement or a double-hung window better?

Neither wins outright. Casements ventilate more and seal tighter, while double-hung windows fit traditional architecture and tilt in for easy cleaning. The right pick depends on the room and the style of the house.

Not sure which style each opening wants?

EXOVATIONS installs every style on this list across metro Atlanta. We will walk your openings with you, weigh ventilation, egress, and energy for each room, and match the right window to the elevation so the finished exterior looks deliberate. Book a free consultation today.