Our New Black Casement Windows • Kath Eats

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Our new black casement windows have been installed. Here are a bunch of pics of the installation process and a renovation update!

New Black Casement Windows

Windows have been a hot topic in our house since we began conversations about this renovation in 2021. Thomas is a big “window guy” and I thought the white vinyl windows we had were “just fine.”

Except for the upstairs primary suite where we had ONE window before.

Before:

White sliders. Fun fact: the one in the dormer was installed upside down!

After:

Progress shot: There is still a lot of paint / finishing that needs to happen!

I was wrong!

Really, I just didn’t want to spend the money (a BIG portion of our budget) replacing what I considered to be “just fine” windows. But now that I see and feel our new windows, I’m very glad we upgraded to the very finest windows.

The new casements

Aside from not loving cheap vinyl, Thomas is very big into the house’s envelope, energy efficiency, and draftiness. He also haaaaaates sliders for some reason. The new windows are top of the line casements.

Thomas writes: “The cladding on the exterior is aluminum that is basically zero-maintenance and very durable. Wooden frames make for a very solid/functional window. And the glass is low E-4 glass, which reflects heat in the summer and helps keep heat inside in the winter.”

Can we talk about the color black!?

We made a bold choice going with the black, but we LOVE them! If we hate them in 10 years, we’ll just sell the house! Haha. But I still see black as a very timeless color even if the black windows trend starts to fade over time. It looks even sharper with the lighter insulation and drywall going in.

Window Installation

They have been chipping away at the windows starting with the ones that were open air and then doing the ones that had old windows in place. They just put the last few into the boys’ rooms last week.

Our Black Casement Window Materials

Brand: Andersen
Line: E-series
Style: Casement
Color: Black (both sides)
Glass type: Low-E4
vendor: We ordered them through Better Living in Charlottesville
Lead Time: 5 months (much longer than usual!)

Black Grills

We went with black grilles, another somewhat controversial move. Yes, it does block the view a little, but the character that comes with grilles fits nicely with the traditional farmhouse look we’re going for. I love them!

The side entry / mudroom:

The back kitchen wall:

The Side Porch Windows

When we debated what kind of windows to do where the old garage door was, I really wanted three in a row. (Actually I wanted an octagon or circle port-hole style, but Thomas said he “doesn’t do those,” haha.)

Before:

After:

The Hardie Plank Lap Siding will go all the way up and over and will be painted white!

Inside:

These windows will look into our pantry and mudroom on the other side and provide a way for us to see out to the driveway from the kitchen while still having functional rooms on the front of the kitchen and the view out of the back.

Looking into the pantry from the kitchen:

The Picture Window

In the dining room, the picture window was a beast to put in!

The Dormer Window

I was drying by one day and looked over to find them on the roof:

I CANNOT WAIT TO TAKE OFF THE PROTECTIVE FILM!!!!!!!!

Yes, it’s driving me bonkers, but I get why it has to stay on until we move in!

Are we painting the house?

We have been debating whether or not to paint the house white for months. Thomas and I both go back and forth! We both like the gray, which is Sherwin Williams Fawn Brindle. But we also both love white brick. I did a few Instagram polls and you guys are split 50/50 on white vs. gray! So that was not helpful – haha. It does seem that people I talk to in person are leaning gray, and of course keeping it gray is the easy (=cheaper) thing to do, so as of today that’s the plan! The siding will be white!

Basement Windows

We are not currently replacing the sliders in the basement, mostly because you can’t see them from the front of the house. We may 1) paint them black at some point, or 2) replace them. But for now they are staying white. Sorry backyard view!

Still needs one more new one installed on the left side there:

Before + Progress

Think we’re going with no shutters – thoughts?

Other Home Updates

The floor has been patched where they tore it up for HVAC installation:

Framing for a shelf over the new HVAC in the storage room has been put in!

Dressing Room Wall Bench

We had to frame a small bench in the dressing room to fit the ductwork to the back side of the house on the main floor. Here we are testing out the mirror to make sure you can still see your whole body!