At Camens Architectural Group, window placement is never an afterthought – it is foundational to the architectural design process. For chief architect Marc Camens, placing a window is not simply a superficial decorative element; it’s about capturing light, embracing the view, and enhancing the way a home lives and feels.

Here are four architectural design tips for planning window placements in a home.

1. Start With the Site, Not the Façade

While many architects may begin with the exterior elevation, Camens takes the exact opposite approach. He designs from the inside out, ensuring that every architectural decision honors the homeowner’s lifestyle and the site’s unique features.

Rather than drawing a façade and filling in the details, Camens begins the design process by walking the site – studying the topography and landscape, understanding how the sun moves across the property, and identifying the most stunning views, whether of an ocean, lagoon, or grove of trees. Window placement starts only after the team has determined what the home needs to capture with intention.

2. Consider the Architecture of Light

Choreographing how light enters a space is a key architectural design consideration for Camens, too. As his late mentor, the renowned architect Norman Jaffe, once said, “Your job as an architect is to reveal the light.” That principle has guided Camens’ process ever since.

Light is the lifeblood – the energy – of a home. It animates a space, shifts throughout the day, and plays a key role in the emotional tone. Window placement is used to harness this energy – bringing it into rooms in just the right ways, from just the right angles, throughout the day.

Some windows are positioned high to bathe a space in ambient light from the sky. Others are set low to draw the landscape inward or carefully angled to catch a perfect sunset. Light helps guide the design.

3. Keep In Mind: Privacy Still Matters

Another architectural design factor that should guide window placement is the role of function and privacy. Not every room should be flooded with light, and not every space benefits from a view. While Camens homes are known for their openness and indoor-outdoor flow, they are also attuned to how people truly live.

Bathrooms, closets, and other private areas are never compromised for the sake of symmetry of the home’s elevation. For Camens, every window must have a reason grounded in how the space is used.

“I’ve seen designs where windows are added in odd places simply to balance an exterior elevation,” says Camens. “That’s not how we work. Every window has a reason tied to function, view, or light.”

4. Create Seamless Indoor-Outdoor Living

A hallmark of our architecture firm and a Camens-designed home is the transparent relationship between indoors and out. Through intentional window placement, the boundaries between the home and the environment that surrounds it are softened. Nature is invited inside and becomes part of the daily experience.

Windows don’t just offer views – they create a rhythm of light, shadow, and fresh air that distinctly enlivens the home as the movement of the sun changes throughout the day. The result is a home that feels connected to its setting – and a space that’s designed for real, beautiful, and intentional living.

A Home That Lives Better

When done thoughtfully and strategically, window placement can transform how a home feels. It’s not just about adding glass to walls for aesthetic reasons; it’s about framing experiences and enhancing daily living.

The best window placements bring a sense of harmony between architecture and nature, and between the people who live inside and the world just outside their door. The process starts with walking the site; then it follows the light and considers the view; and it ends with a design that feels deeply personal and enhances the way you live.

At Camens Architectural Group, our approach to windows – like every element of our design work – is always intentional and never formulaic. It’s just another reason we’re considered one of the best residential architecture firms in the Coastal Carolinas and beyond.

Let’s Design a Home That Lives Better – Beginning With the Light

At Camens Architectural Group, every window, every angle, and every room is designed with purpose. We don’t just create beautiful homes – we choreograph the experience of light, life, and daily living. From the moment we walk your site to the final detail, our architectural design process is rooted in the way you want to live.

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Let’s start creating your home – with intention, beauty, and light.