Help me pick out what window to put in the front of the house we're building

[MrsBeckyLP]

I need help, and I need it fast. I can't decide what window to put in the front bedroom of the house we're building.

Here are the two options I have so far (but I'm not fully satisfied with either):

1. Notice we have prairie style windows, and I don't like the arch above this front window because it doesn't "match" prairie style:
http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k269/lp_becky/scan0002.jpg

2. This is OK, but not great either:
http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k269/lp_becky/scan0004.jpg

Something is missing, and I can't figure it out. I need to get these plans back to my draftsman ASAP so we can get building.

Which do you like better (if either at all)? Do you think the arch looks stupid because it isn't prairie style? Can you find photos of anything that might look better?

[LexyLou]

I like the arch because I love a lot of window in the front but you are right, it's not very prairie.

The second is really nice too, could they make the window a little bigger?

[sublime311]

I like the 2nd one better. The arch seems out of place in the first plan.

[MrsBeckyLP]

The second is really nice too, could they make the window a little bigger?

See that's one of the problems. The window seems too small for that area. I'm checking out Andersen's Web site right now for more options, but I just can't find what I'm looking for. It's so hard to visualize.

[Rose]

I like the second one better.

[MrsBeckyLP]

I just thought of something. Maybe the arched window would be OK if there just wasn't a grille in it at all?

[suzubeane]

The second window is better, but I suspect what seems "off" about it is that the upper portion is too small, so the muntins are too close together. It makes the window looked squished, since there is not enough clear glass in the middle of the muntins that form the decorative frame.

IMO, the solution is to enlarge the upper window and reduce the size of the lower one just a little bit.

[Sandie78]

This could be way off, but have you considered making the window wider? Perhaps making it more of a horizontal window rather than a vertical one.

[mindy75]

I'd like the second one better if it was bigger.

[villanelle75]

I agree that the second one is better, and also that if you make the top portion smaller by taking a little bit of space from the larger bottom portion, it will look more purposeful.

[MrsBeckyLP]

Thanks everyone for your thoughts and suggestions!

(I was glad to hear that a majority of you didn't like the arched window ... it confirmed my thoughts since DH thought it was "fine.")

We've decided to go with one similar to option 2, but it's just one solid transom window above the casement windows (instead of two) and it will not have any sort of grille in it. Here's kind of an example (but the casement windows will still have a prairie grille):

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k269/lp_becky/Satellite.gif

I spent a lot of time browsing the Internet for photos and tons of my workday on Andersen Windows' Web site (those are the windows we're going with, so I figured it made sense to look at their stuff!). DH stopped into my office mid-day, and he decided he liked it too. Now we're off for our final plans!