What frame colour suits a contemporary new build best?

Anthracite grey and black remain the most common choices and rarely date, though pale grey and bronze tones are increasingly popular on more textured facades. Choosing one colour and using it consistently across all glazing on the building matters more than which colour is chosen.

How much does corner glazing typically cost compared with a standard window?

Corner glazing involves specialist structural posts, sometimes bespoke fabrication and often larger glass units, so it typically costs significantly more per square metre than a standard window run. A survey and structural discussion will give an accurate figure for a specific opening.

Do new builds need triple glazing to meet regulations?

New dwellings must meet Part L targets which are broadly achievable with high-performance double glazing, though triple glazing is increasingly specified for exposed sites or to improve the overall energy calculation. Your energy assessor will confirm what the whole-house calculation requires.

Can large glazed new builds overheat?

Yes, particularly on south and west elevations with extensive unshaded glass. Solar control glass, external shading, or a lower glazing ratio on the most exposed elevation are the usual remedies, and are worth designing in rather than adding after the first summer.

Design Inspiration

Glazing Ideas for Contemporary New Builds

A new build has none of the constraints of a period property. That freedom needs a clear glazing strategy, or the elevation ends up busy rather than bold.

3 min read

New builds allow openings to be positioned almost anywhere, in almost any size — which is exactly why they need more discipline in glazing design, not less. Without an existing structure setting a rhythm of openings, the architect and glazing supplier need to agree that rhythm from scratch.

This guide looks at the decisions that separate a considered contemporary new build from one that reads as a random collection of large windows.

Composing the elevation

The strongest contemporary elevations tend to use a small number of large, well-placed openings rather than many medium ones. Deciding early which elevations are 'open' (glazed extensively, usually facing the view or garden) and which are 'closed' (largely solid, for privacy or thermal reasons) gives the whole design a logic that is visible from outside.

A new build with a clear distinction between glazed and solid elevations.

Corner glazing and frameless junctions

Corner windows — glass meeting glass at a building corner with no visible post — are one of the signature moves of contemporary design, and one of the more expensive. They require a structural solution (usually a hidden steel post set back from the glass line) agreed with the structural engineer at an early stage, not retrofitted once the frame has been ordered.

Confirm the corner glazing detail with both the structural engineer and glazing supplier before finalising the structural drawings
Decide whether the corner opens (bifold or slider around the corner) or is fixed — this changes the structural solution significantly
Budget corner glazing as a specialist item, not as a standard window priced per square metre

A frameless corner glazing junction with a hidden structural post.

Rooflights and roof glazing

Goal	Approach
Even daylight to a deep-plan room	Rooflight strip along a flat roof section
Feature over a stair or hallway	Single large rooflight or lantern, structurally isolated
Walk-out roof terrace	Structural glass floor or sliding rooflight — specify early, it affects the structural design

Rooflight strategy for new builds

What to avoid

Avoid specifying window sizes room by room without an elevation drawing showing them together
Avoid mixing several different frame colours across one elevation
Avoid oversized glazing on unshaded south or west elevations without a solar control strategy — overheating is a common complaint in glass-heavy new builds
Avoid leaving rooflight and corner glazing structural details to be resolved on site; they need engineering input before the frame is ordered