Windows are the soul?

I was going to start with some long-remembered quote about windows, then I couldn't think of one. I wasn't going to look up some naff quote from a book or poem that I've never read, so I suppose you're stuck with the cliche about eyes being the windows to the soul.

I don't know what it is about windows, but they really seem to give a building a sense of its identity. Maybe it is about enclosing a space, or maybe it is just they they are the first finished aspect of the building. Maybe it is the different texture of glass from the other materials that makes them stand out powerfully and make a statement. All I know is that the windows for our house have been installed and they are simply fabulous.

They have a black aluminium finish to the frames on the outside and will perfectly match the cladding when it is installed. They are sleek and gorgeous and highly functional. It was important to us that they opened fully to allow for good airflow. We do not like those hopper, top hinged windows that only open a crack. We have opted for double-glazing as it minimises the transfer of heat regardless of the weather. It is the best way to maintain the R values in the house, given that windows create a weakness in the overall insulative properties of a building.

We will need to shade the windows to the north in summer because the double glazing will not stop the direct sunlight from heating the house. It will provide protection from hot winds. In winter, the sun will gently warm the concrete slab and release the heat through the evening. The double glazing will prevent heat loss to the outside.

We will need to back this up with some interior blinds to increase the insulation. I am not really a fan of soft furnishings; I always think of them as dust catchers. In our current house, the windows and doors look out onto an enclosed courtyard, so we have no need for blinds and curtains. Unfortunately, the more open layout and location of the new house means that we need to avoid inflicting our every move on the neighbours!

When Jamie was taking a few photos in the late afternoon, I was pottering around, looking at the young fruit trees and listening to the evening birds calling. Looking up at the house, with the trees gum trees bathed in the last rays of the autumn sunset, I felt that I belonged here for the first time. I don't know if it was the windows being in place or the sense of the house being a solid shape, but I could finally imagine myself living here. This photo will always remind me of that moment.