Window grilles – much more than protection

Sunita Vellapally Sunita Vellapally
Vasilaki, ARAL TATİLÇİFTLİĞİ ARAL TATİLÇİFTLİĞİ Fenster & Türen im Landhausstil
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Let’s face it, window grilles are an accessory, but they aren’t primarily used for aesthetics. Most homeowners choose to install bars on their windows for security reasons, either because they live in a standalone house or because their home is located on the ground floor of a building. This leads us to assume that bars are essential to allow us to live safer, and we proceed to think about the types of window grilles that can be installed with as little interference as possible to the view from the window as well as the overall look of the house’s façade.

However, we can play with the design of window grilles to make this element more than just a functional accessory. By thinking of innovative designs that give a personal touch to the windows or using a combination of wood and grates that add a unique look to the façade, we can make grilles an aesthetic complement to the house. The important point is to select the right type of safety grilles for windows so that they match the design and decoration style of the rest of the house. In this ideabook, we give you some key points to consider.

Assess the type of protection required

It is appropriate, before deciding to install window grilles, to assess what type of protection is necessary. The options include bars within the window frame, or other more convenient armoured panes and alarms, which present the alternative of safety windows without grilles. It is even possible that you might require a combination of several types of security systems to feel completely protected, depending upon the area where you live or the design of the house. Deciding on the type of protection will enable you to work out the costs and consider other alternatives to suit your budget.

Installing protective shutters, like we see in this image, may be sufficient in certain cases. Shutters as a system do no guarantee safety, but they help to protect the home to a small extent and are easier to install than fixed grilles.

Suitable designs

When choosing window grilles for a home, we need to consider several criteria, such as the different models of bars and the materials with which they can be manufactured. Being aware of the alternatives that we have at our disposal, enables us to find the grille that best fulfils the functional requirement of protection, while also complementing the design of the house. For example, this funky circular window grille goes from being a safety accessory to a decorative element.

Types of bars

When we think of safety grilles, the first thing that comes to mind is the typical fixed bars that form a grid in front of the window glass, but these are not the only types we can install. In fact, grilles do not have to be fixed, and we can also opt for sliding, opening 'crossbow' or even removable grilles.

The house that we see in the image, has a sliding system, which serves to protect the window from excessive sunlight, in addition to acting as a security bar. This solution fits perfectly in the design of the house as it protects without taking away from the aesthetics.

Combination of solutions for protection and privacy

Wohn- und Geschäftshaus in Köln Baier GmbH Moderne Fenster & Türen

Integrated façade solutions, which incorporate mobile elements that guarantee sun protection, take care of the privacy needs for the interior spaces and provide safety to the house, have become quite common, especially in urban dwellings. We show you an example here of a residential building that has a facade solution with perforated panels that are folded to cover windows and balconies or hermetically close the building, according to the needs at a specific time of the day.

You can contact one of our experts to design the perfect solution for your window grilles.

Creative combinations

When we are lucky enough to design a home from scratch, there is the possibility of incorporating façade solutions that include more than one protection element. Sometimes, we find facades where these elements give the design creativity and dynamism, making the house unique and special. Look at this façade that incorporates slats of different sizes, some of which are movable, to protect the windows, generating a design that brings security, beauty and character to the house.

Materials for window grilles

As for the material, it is certain that the most common is bars made of wrought iron. However, currently, there is a great variety of materials, colours and designs that can be adapted to the aesthetics of each house. In addition to iron, steel and aluminium are also suitable material for removable grids as they are lighter.

Wrought iron safety grilles fit perfectly in rural environments or in country houses, like the one shown in this picture. In this case, it has a curved design so that the impact on the interior is reduced, making the dining room cosier.

Pattern and repetition

Siete Viviendas y garaje entre medianeras, Arquibox Arquibox Minimalistische Fenster & Türen

There are multiple design resources for integrating window grilles into the facade design. This one, by one of our experts repeats the same pattern and design on all the grilles. The design is even carried through to the entrance door. In this way, the window grilles are installed in all the hollow spaces in the façade.

The colour of the bars

La casa de Tere y Miguel, FGMarquitecto FGMarquitecto Rustikale Fenster & Türen

There are also design options that ensure that the grille doesn’t appear too aggressive from the interior. Colour, of course, plays an important role. Choosing grilles of the same colour as wood will no doubt make them seem like a part of the window. 

This is the case in the colour used in the bars of this French window in a country house, where in addition to the narrowness of the bars, horizontal partitions are introduced minimally to make it appear like a balcony railing with safety grilles placed on it.

Horizontal grilles

And, why not turn the grill around? In this window, the grid has horizontal bars instead of vertical ones. This design is a great option, as this way, the view will be less interrupted, allowing panoramic views through the horizontal gaps.

Artistic safety grilles for windows

As we have seen, nowadays, we can find an overwhelming variety of grille designs, from the classic, incorporating different elements of artistic blacksmithing, to bars for modern windows, with pure and simple lines. 

The type of house, budget, personal tastes and, of course, the imagination, are vital to choosing the right design of bars. It is always possible to get custom-made designs or craft work – a very common feature in stately homes. However, we need to use our imagination to conceptualize and design window grilles with a distinctive touch, like the one we show you in the image, which blend security and beauty in one element.

See Window treatments for ideas on decorating your windows.

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