Arched Eyebrow Windows and a Grid Pair on a Turquoise Stucco Home

Some houses are easy to recognize from the street. This Southwest Florida home is bright turquoise stucco, and its windows are set off in white. The project shown here covers two kinds of openings: arched eyebrow windows high on the wall under the soffit, and a wide window with colonial grids framed by a dark-blue painted trim band.

In the first photo the work is fresh. An arched window sits close under the eave, the label is still on the glass, and the top of a ladder is in the shot. The third photo shows an arched unit at dusk, and the fourth shows one from inside: a long eyebrow shape high on a plain wall, label still on the glass, with the neighbor's roof and windows visible through it. The second photo is different. Two single-hung units with colonial grids sit side by side in one opening, wrapped in a band of dark blue that frames them against the turquoise.

Arched windows have to be built to the opening, not picked from a catalog. Before ordering, we template each one: the width, the height of the straight legs, and the rise of the curve. Masonry arches are rarely perfect, so the template is what makes the frame sit evenly in the stucco return with an even joint all the way around. Look at the exterior photos and you can see that even white line following the curve.

High windows also take full wind load. A window up under the eave is in the same pressure zone as anything else on that wall, and corners and edges of a house see higher pressures than the middle. In the wind-borne debris region, each opening must be impact-rated or protected, and shapes like these are the hardest to shutter. That is one more reason homeowners choose impact glass for arched units. The label you see on the glass is where the inspector confirms the product and its rating.

The grid pair shows another common choice. Colonial grids break a big opening into small panes and suit older Florida homes. Two units joined side by side are easier to operate than one very wide sash, and the joining mullion has to be rated along with the windows. The painted trim band is a simple way to frame a window on a stucco wall without adding molding.

If you are getting quotes for arched or eyebrow windows, ask: Do you template the arch, or measure only width and height? What product approval covers this exact shape and size? How will you finish the stucco around the curve? When can it be painted?

Prestigious Home Improvements is a family-owned, licensed contractor serving Southwest Florida. If your home has arched windows that need replacing, call us for a free in-home estimate.