What's hot in windows and doors: top 10 trends

Customization

Homeowners are looking to enhance the individuality of their homes with customized windows and doors. From celestial and nature motifs to modern graphic designs, homeowners are ordering customized windows and doors more than ever before. Marvin Windows and Doors is seeing an increased demand for custom divided lite and grille patterns, custom exterior clad colors and custom clad casings. Requests for exotic woods such as Western red cedar, mahogany and cherry are also increasing. While some homeowners design an entire residence in a choice species, others are using exotic woods in keynote spaces, such as great rooms or home studies.

Low-maintenance

Americans are working more hours than ever before, which means their free time is scarce. Homeowners are seeking ways to enjoy a beautiful home - not spending time to maintain it. They want windows and doors with the longest lifecycle possible and no-hassle upkeep. As a result, demand for low-maintenance is at an all-time high, with leaders in the window and door industry perfecting ways to keep their products as worry-free as possible. For example, Marvin is the only major wood window and door manufacturer to offer a thick, durable Kynar finish as a standard on all of its extruded aluminum clad products. This finish not only meets but exceeds the industry's toughest performance specification - helping to eliminate dents, mars and scratches. The result is windows and doors that retain their color with virtually no fading or chalking for years to come.

Energy Efficiency

As talk of the depletion of natural resources becomes more commonplace and energy costs continue to rise, homeowners are increasingly conscious of their role in preserving and conserving energy. Thermally efficient windows and doors not only help reduce energy use, they provide value by reducing heating and cooling costs. For the ultimate in energy conservation, Marvin offers a low emissivity, known as "Low E", metallic coating on its glass, with an option of adding Argon Gas between the sheets of glass for enhanced insulation. The combination ensures that heat is kept inside during cold weather and outside during warm temperatures.

The Good Ole Days

In the 1980s and '90s, the home building mantra was "out with the old - in with the new." Houses and buildings were destroyed and replaced with modern, high-tech structures. Today, homeowners are more often attracted to the nostalgia of an older home. Dedicated to maintaining the integrity and history of the home, the owners look for windows and doors that replicate the original dÃ©cor. Staying true to the original architecture involves everything from the special production of an exterior window casing to custom color matching. Today, the custom window and door crafters at Marvin are more involved than ever in re-creating products that retain the historic charm of a structure, while providing the modern benefits of current window and door technology.

Codes are Changing

Weather-pattern experts predict that hurricane activity along the coasts of the U.S. will continue to rise in severity. In response, Dade County, Florida, New York, Texas and other hurricane-prone communities have adopted new codes to help defend homes against weather-related damage. Other states are scheduled to follow suit shortly. Homeowners and building professionals are struggling to keep up with the changing requirements. Marvin Windows and Doors, a leader in product innovation, recently introduced a new line of StormPlusâ„¢ products that offer superior performance, impact resistance and energy efficiency. StormPlus windows and doors help protect a home's exterior envelope - keeping air pressure stable within the home and preventing collapse.

One-Stop-Shop

Today's fast pace demands convenience. And the one-stop-shopping concept is making purchasing decisions more convenient than ever. Homeowners are increasingly looking to work with a single source that can provide everything from a standard double hung window to a Out-swing French door to a custom circle window with simulated divided lite. Companies with strong brands built on history, quality and service are also earning customer loyalty and trust. For more than 60 years, Marvin has served as the ultimate source for quality windows and doors. Manufactured at the Minnesota-Canadian border by craftspeople who make one product at a time, Marvin offers more than 11,000 standard windows and doors from which homeowners can outfit an entire home.

Au Natural

The natural look is in! From hardwood floors to stone fireplaces to peaceful water fountains, homeowners are making a powerful statement by filling their homes with natural-looking materials and amenities. Even the hardware in homes is taking its cue from Mother Nature. As part of the natural trend, window and door leader Marvin recently introduced a new standard hardware color that embodies the neutral, casual-comfort styles of today's homes: Satin Taupe. Simple and subtle, Satin Taupe was created to softly accentuate the natural elements of wood windows and other interior hardware.

Renovation

Home interest rates are at an all-time low, and homeowners are re-financing existing mortgages and putting the savings back into their homes. Increasingly, one of the first steps to remodeling is the replacement of windows and doors. Consumers want to increase energy efficiency and overhaul the appearance of their homes both internally and externally. With Marvin's stylish new Clad Ultimate Insert Double Hung, homeowners are able to realize these benefits while salvaging the existing frame and saving surrounding siding, wallpaper and trim. Replacement windows are extremely popular right now, as they provide immediate, easy and cost-efficient updates to a home.

Natural Lighting

Consumers are seeking new ways to bring more natural light into their homes to create a relaxing environment that's an extension of the outdoors. This is especially true if a home is set in a wooded or lakeside scene. Many homeowners are recognizing that the easiest way to 'let in the sun shine' is to add or increase the size of their windows. Because today's windows and doors are so technologically advanced and energy efficient, a virtual wall of glass is becoming a dream that can be easily realized for many homeowners. And the custom window-making abilities of leaders like Marvin allow a homeowner's imagination to be as big as the great outdoors.

Raised Panel Panorama

When is a door not just a door? When it's a grand entrance! Homeowners are increasingly using doors to create a lasting impression and set the tone for individual spaces. Raised panel doors emphasize depth, demand attention and exude class. Marvin's raised panel doors combine strong attention to architectural detail, quality craftsmanship and classic beauty to meet homeowners' styles.

Also see; replacement windows.

Author Notes:

Ravyn Mack contributes and publishes news editorial to http://www.replacement-windows-n-shutters.com. Find everything you need to know about replacement windows, shutters, tinting, basement, fiberglass windows and more.