How to Create a Glass Wall Effect for the Budget-minded Homeowner

A window wall with floor-to-ceiling moving glass wall panels is a popular design choice for home shows and magazines.  These expansive glass installations create a dramatic design aesthetic, increase natural light, maximize views, and promote more indoor-outdoor connectivity.  However, custom glass walls, bifold glass doors, or stacking glass doors, can be prohibitively expensive and outside the average homeowner’s budget. 

Fortunately, there are options for the budget-minded homeowner interested in creating a glass wall effect.

A large moveable glass wall can easily cost over $20,000, but you can design this elegant window wall aesthetic without breaking the bank.  To achieve the glass wall effect, home designers can create a stunning window wall with side-by-side glass patio doors paired with transoms, sidelights, and other windows.

Benefits of a Glass Wall

In addition to providing your indoor living space with an abundance of natural light and creating a functional connection between your interior and exterior space, glass doors with window options like transoms and sidelights can provide other benefits, here are five.

Enhanced View

More glass allows you to take full advantage of your view. Milgard Trinsic™ series vinyl patio doors feature a narrow frame profile that provides crisp even sightlines, allowing your view to take center stage.

Increased Ventilation

Ah, let the fresh air in.  Having multiple sliding doors allows you to open up more space for increased ventilation.

Indoor Outdoor Connection

Using multiple large sliding glass doors or French doors that swing open fully is a good way to merge your interior and exterior living spaces to fully embrace the popular indoor/outdoor living trend.  Glass doors create a seamless indoor/outdoor connection that’s great for entertaining as it invites guests to gather in either living area while highlighting the natural element.

Make a Room Feel Larger

By creating a seamless extension of the interior living space to the outdoor living space the window wall effect can make an indoor space feel larger.

Elegant Aesthetic

A wall of windows and glass doors creates a dramatic effect.  From traditional to modern, any home can incorporate French doors, sliding glass doors, or sliding French doors paired with glass panels to create a glass wall effect that will completely transform their space in a functional, inviting, and elegant way.

Types of Glass Doors and Windows

Designers and architects often combine glass doors and windows to create a custom effect. Combining transom windows and sidelights with sliding glass doors, French doors, or sliding French doors is an excellent way to produce a glass wall aesthetic on a budget.

Transom Windows

A transom window is typically a smaller window that is placed over a door or another window.  Multiple transom windows added above your glass doors can add character to your room and increase the amount of natural light that enters.

Sidelights

Sidelights are windows or glass panels that are to the side of a door.  Sidelights provide more natural light, create visual appeal, and maximize the view when combined with glass doors.

French Doors

French patio doors have an aesthetic appeal that creates an elegant, timeless look adding visual character that flows from the inside to the outside of a home.  Large French doors combined with sidelights can practically open up a whole wall to create an expansive indoor-outdoor space extending your living area.

Milgard®Tuscany™ Series doors offer premium style that performs well year after year.  Whether you’re looking for sophisticated French doors or elegant traditional sliding glass doors, there is a Tuscany series option for your window wall project.

Sliding Glass Doors

Sliding doors create a smooth effortless connection between your indoor and outdoor space. Since they glide along on a track, they are great in a tight spot as they do not require extra clearance for panels to stack or doors to swing.  Combining multiple sliding glass doors or doors featuring multiple glass panels can create the glass wall effect.  

Trinsic™ Series vinyl sliding glass doors from Milgard® have a modern style and an expansive viewable glass area perfect for capturing outdoor vistas. The even sightlines offer a streamlined and aesthetically pleasing look throughout your home. A narrow frame profile provides a sleek, clean look, allowing your view to take center stage.  Trinsic sliding glass doors are available in 1, 2, 3, and 4-panel configurations to suit your architectural needs.

Sliding French Doors

French sliding glass doors combine the space-saving convenience of a slider with the elegance of a French patio door. A French-style sliding door has the appearance of traditional swing French doors, with wider stiles and rails, while functioning as a sliding glass door.  If you’re looking for a design option that adds a sense of luxury to your home, pairing sidelights and transom windows with sliding French doors could be the best option for your glass wall. 

Available in seven exterior frame colors to match your home beautifully, Milgard® Trinisic™ Series V300 French-Style Patio Doors can be customized to ensure the glass door perfectly matches your room space.  These French sliding glass doors allow you to enjoy a beautiful view of the outdoors while admiring the elegance of the door itself.

Opening up your living area by combining multiple sliding glass doors, transom windows, and sidelights to create a glass wall does more than just add natural light and fresh air to your home: it enhances your outdoor view, creates a seamless extension of your interior living space to your outdoor living space, makes your indoor space feel larger, and adds drama and elegance to your home.

Are you interested in creating the window wall effect in your home?  Considering new patio doors or replacement windows?  At Dick’s Rancho Glass, we can help you choose the right combination of patio doors and windows to create your glass wall effect.  We offer an extensive selection of beautiful high-quality Milgard® sliding glass doors, French doors, and sliding French doors.  We are happy to serve homeowners throughout the Sacramento area and have many years of experience installing glass doors, transom windows, sidelights, and other windows. To begin exploring your glass wall window and door options, check out our gallery, give us a call, click Dick’s Rancho Glass to contact us, or visit one of our two glass showrooms in the Sacramento region:

Dick’s Rancho Glass Sacramento at 2900 ROUTIER ROAD

Or call us at (916)363-6554

Dick’s Rancho Glass Fair Oaks at 5349 SAN JUAN AVE.

Or call us at (916)863-2500