Sizing Window Heights Architectural Question

[Mark_Peterson]

I have a project that has 8'6" ceilings in the main area of the house. The living room steps down from the kitchen area 12". The Living Room has a tray ceiling that will measure, after the step down 9'6" at the plate line and 10'6" at the flat ceiling line. 

 

My question is, I think the exterior door should be an 8'-0 height with the window to the right of set at the same height and the awning windows near the fireplace set at that height as well. The question is, the sizing of the awning windows at the fireplace are 3'-0" x 2'-0" , this would mean the operating handle is at 6' with the locking lever at 6'6". I think the 3-0 x 2-0 size works well ( Golden Ratio) but I'm concerned the locking mechanism will be too high. 

 

Should I increase the size of the window to 3-0 x 2-6? I'm thinking that dimension might not work well proportionally. 

Any input would be greatly appreciated. 

Living Room 3D view.pdf

[Alaskan_Son]

Just one man's opinion here but I think those windows feel too high as it is and so dropping the bottom down a bit shouldn't hurt. Not sure I would be, but if you're worried about the ratio, possibly make the windows a littl wider...it looks like you have the room.

[Mark_Peterson]

I was thinking of making them wider too Michael. 

I originally had a 7-0 door with the window header heights to match. I started to think that I will have a jamb height at the door of 7-0 and with a 9-6" plate line, would mean 2'-6" from there to plate height and since the kitchen is up 12" from the living room floor, 8-0 might be better. 

 

Here is the view with a  7-0 header height. 

 

 

 

 

Living Room 3D view 7-0 door height.pdf

[Gawdzira]

Those windows flanking the fireplace might look good as squares. Changing from the vertical rectangles on the other wall to horizontal rectangles is not my favorite in this case. If they are squares, breaking to a lower head height might work better.

[johnny]

What is on the other side of the glass? Lake, forest, city, suburbia, territorial big sky?

Each one of those exteriors demands a different glass setting. If its water/lake then your glass starts too far up the wall, if its forest its too narrow, if its city or suburbia you may be ok depending on surrounding home locations, if its territorial then you want to capture the horizontal view with the sky (so high is good).

[janaeflyn]

Thanks for sharing the information

[Mark_Peterson]

Johnny, I'm in the SF Bay Area, so it's suburbia. The wall with the door and 3 ganged windows looks out to the yard to a pool. The awning windows at the fireplace faces the next door neighbor , so no view. It's more of a question of sizing the windows to fit the room.

The ceiling is a tray ceiling with the height at the plate at 9'6" , I originally had the 2nd view I posted, with a 7' door and the other windows at that same header height.  That left a space of 2'6" from header to plate line. I'm starting to think that might make the windows and door look small in the room, especially since it drops down 12" from the rest of the house. That is why I'm considering going with an 8'-0 door and setting the other windows at that height, but then the awnings at the fireplace are too high.

 

[Mark_Peterson]

Now I'm thinking of eliminating those awnings windows at the fireplace altogether, the afternoon sun comes that way and it will cut down on glare, not to mention that one of those windows looks directly at the neighbors fireplace. There is plenty of light in the room because there is a skylight in the kitchen and a window in the dining room to the right of kitchen.

[ACADuser]

I like the 8' header heights & door.

If the windows at fireplace are on the west wall I would eliminate them.

If the East wall I might eliminate them if no trees.

 

I sometimes use fixed glass clerestory windows at 8'-8" header 16" high window & no sill.

You see sky & not the neighbor.