Celebrating the Palladian Window

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Installment 3 of my “Designing my House” series will be delayed by one month because I’ve made a significant architectural change in the last few weeks. I was finally able to add a fireplace in the master bedroom, something my partner Rich was adamant about, and in doing so had to change the second floor southern windows and make the master bathroom smaller. More on that in July! The other change I made was to replace the Palladian window in the second floor hallway with a different three piece unit. With relatively low ceilings, the Palladian was looking too squat on the front façade of the house (see rendering) and I needed to make this unit as wide as possible to maximize sunlight and mirror the first floor entry. While I can’t celebrate the Palladian window in my new old house, I can at least celebrate it here.

If you live in the metropolitan New York area or New England, you are certainly familiar with the Palladian window. Named after Andrea Palladio, an Italian architect from the 16th century, a classic Palladian window has three parts – a round top double hung with a central sash and two sashes on each side of it that are smaller than the central sash. They became popular here in America after 1750 when glass became sturdier and carpenters could build more elaborate window openings for wealthy colonists. They were generally placed above an entry door on the front or back of a Georgian or Federal house to bring light into the central hall or staircase. Nowadays you can also see them on the third floor gable ends of Colonial revivals.

Palladian windows were designed to impress with the use of elaborate trim work based on classical Greek and Roman architectural principles. They have decorative pilasters, a base to support the pillars, and full blown entablatures which are horizontal (and arched) bands of highly decorative moldings made up of an architrave, frieze and cornice. Most importantly, the window pane sizes match in each section of the window.

Look at how elegant these Georgian houses are with their Palladian windows positioned over doors with arched lights above them.

The light patterns have been modified beautifully in these three Palladian windows. Even though the panes aren’t the same size or design, the two side sashes are perfectly proportionate to the middle arched window.

Here is a fine example of a Palladian window over a Palladian door, a door topped with a rounded arch and flanked by vertical rectangular areas of fixed glass on each side that are narrower than the door. Note how the first and second floor entry unit provides an impressive anchor to the home’s front facade. If you want to see this in person, this is the Williams College President’s house in Williamstown, MA.

Palladian windows are just so elegant. How wonderful to climb a staircase and see the beauty of nature framed by such a masterpiece! Even a simple Palladian window brings a sense of grandeur to an important place in a house.