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an Artistic Composition of Santa Barbara Home Designer Jeff Doubet Designed Spanish Windows Round Glass and Iron Window in the Backdrop of an Arch Top Picture Window in Local Santa Barbara Ca Modern Spanish Home Renovation

Big Spanish Arch Picture Window Installed in Santa Barbara

Jeff Doubet shares how a large Spanish arch picture window was designed and installed in a Spanish-style home in Santa Barbara, CA. Learn from the before, during and after photos, and see the construction steps taken to accomplish the project.

A large arch picture window with view to the Santa Barbara foothills.

Before I share actionable design tips and tricks for planning a large arch top window of your own, I wanted to address a pain point for those seeking to accomplish the look and feel.

Design Dilemma: Many of my clients love the classic black iron and glass windows installed in famous historic projects such as the Biltmore Hotel in Montecito, CA. The problem is, single pane windows and steel frames are not energy efficient. Furthermore, they do not meet current building codes, and are not allowed in remodels and new builds in Santa Barbara and Montecito.

Modern and contemporary Spanish furnishings are showcased in this Santa Barbara Spanish style interior in a home in Santa Barbara, CA

Solution: Several window manufacturers have stepped in, and now offer a similar look. Their products meet Title 24 energy efficiency and their dual glazing can meet fire code. To achieve the look of historic iron and glass windows, consider ordering your wood windows with a narrow sash (frame). The fire rated aluminum clad exterior can be specified in black or dark bronze.

An arch top Spanish style picture window installed in a modern Spanish home in Santa Barbara, CA. A large agave plant in the foreground.

For our project, these custom windows provide a whole new perspective. The added height of the 12 panel arched window opens up the entire room and views to the natural surroundings, outside.

A Jeff Doubét Spanish style round window is deeply recessed in the drywall opening and has a simple wrought iron grid detail in this local Santa Barbara, California Spanish style home remodel.

The decorative bars separating glass panels are called mullions. Their design can be specified in Modern Square (shown), as well as a Putty Mould. The aluminum putty design option mimics the historic styling when single panes of glass were secured into place using window glazing putty.

A Jeff Doubet design for a deeply recessed round Spanish window, completed in Santa Barbara California modern Spanish home renovation

To create this round specialty window, the contractor specified and installed thick safety glass. Then a custom, black metal frame was fabricated by a local Santa Barbara iron worker.

Pro Tips For Planning A Spanish arch picture window

I want to share some pro tips for planning a large window such as this. Here is a collection of photos showing how we designed and planned our Spanish-style arch top picture window.

A local Santa Barbara CA Spanish fixer upper home with remodel preliminary planning that included mocking up an arch top picture window with blue tape.
Santa Barbara CA Spanish Fixer Upper

BEFORE Photo: The first decision we had to make was deciding what size window to order. We used blue tape to mock up different ideas. This way, we could visually see what size would work best. We tried different combinations of Width X Height, and how many window grids we thought looked good. Note how we made a crude mock up, right over the top of the existing window!

A local Santa Barbara CA Spanish fixer upper home with remodel preliminary planning that included mocking up an arch top picture window with blue tape.

Demo day finally arrives. The new header for the taller arch window will be installed much higher than the original header shown here. In prep, the general contractor removed all of the drywall.

Framing a SPanish Arch picture Window

Here are some images of how the framing was accomplished for the new arch top window. Your project architect and structural engineer will provide technical guidance for all you and your contractor will need to do for your specific window and house framing.

A Santa Barbara home is being framed for a large arched top steel and glass Spanish style picture window.

We provided rough dimensions of our mock up to the project architect. He and the structural engineer turned our concept ideas into working drawings and a revised building permit.

a scaffold is set up in front of a large arched opening being framed for a Spanish style picture window in a Santa Barbara CA Spanish home renovation.

With the new Spanish arch picture window arrived, and technical specs and instructions were on hand- the general contractor began to rough frame the arched opening.

A beautiful Santa Barbara landscape view is just beyond a framed rough opening for a large Spanish picture window.
Framing a beautiful Santa Barbara view

Here you can see how the new header was raised and the maximum view potential was realized.

A modern Spanish style home is under construction and being renovated in Santa Barbara, CA includes a large arch picture window.
A modern Spanish home under construction in Santa Barbara

The living room starts to take shape, and the newly sprayed insulation is complete. This construction photo also helps illustrate how standard 6′-8″ height windows in other parts of the house look great with a much taller Spanish arch picture window as a focal point.

Details Surrounding a Spanish View Window

There were many other custom details built around this Spanish arch picture window.

A young man works on installing a large Spanish style steel and glass picture window in a modern home being remodeled in Santa Barbara, CA
Large Spanish arch top window being installed

For example, a full barrel niche was framed to the left of the new modern fireplace. The oversized niche will receive floating shelves, and a built-in cabinet.

A young woman walks down an unfinished staircase in a modern Spanish home renovation in Santa Barbara, CA
Modern Spanish staircase under construction

The homeowner walks down the new modern Spanish staircase that is under construction. The floating shelves and built-in cabinet are installed in the niche. Now, drywall mud is being applied.

A local welding team fabricates a modern Spanish railing design on a staircase next to a large arch top picture window in Santa Barbara, CA
Fabricating + welding a modern Spanish railing design

Here, an Artisan team of local iron workers weld up the modern Spanish iron railing designed for the open staircase.

A Santa Barbara California modern Spanish home interior design includes a large arched top picture window with a view of the Santa Barbara mountains in the background.

Please circle back to my blog once in awhile. Someday I will add a post on the various steps that were taken to fabricate this modern Spanish stair railing.

A display of modern Spanish home furnishings and interior design of a newly remodeled home in Santa Barbara, CA

Here is how the living room turned out. The built-in niche is complete with it’s oak cabinetry and shelving. A floating mantel above the fireplace is anchored to the wall with hidden brackets.

Spanish home construction in Santa Barbara

Spanish-style home construction is a local tradition in the charming seaside towns of Santa Barbara and Montecito, CA. Home designers, architects and builders keep reiterating upon the popular architectural theme and come up with new interpretations of it in each generation.

A Jeff Doubét rough sketch for a modern Spanish home under construction in Santa Barbara, CA

Construction Sketch: While the big arch picture window was being waterproofed for stucco, our group met to discuss the front entry. Something seemed off, so we brainstormed ideas for improving an existing awkward section of house above the front door. In my rough sketch above, I proposed adding a new arch underneath the cantilevered bedroom. The idea would help balance out the overall design of the facade and at the same time compliment the new picture window.

Modern and contemporary Spanish style home in Santa Barbara, CA is being framed for an extra large arched area above the future front door.

The rough sketch was shared with the project architect, and within a few weeks the general contractor had the modified building permit in hand. Here the stucco crew begins weatherproofing the new addition to the existing structure.

A Santa Barbara California Spanish home is getting a new front patio prepared for new tile steps and a stucco wall.

A few weeks later, the stucco work was completed. Here, an Artisan builder prepares for another project. A new patio with Spanish tile steps leading down to the front entry door. See how the steps turned out in a blog post I wrote on Spanish-style garage doors, here.

A local crew works in the front of a modern Spanish home design under construction in Santa Barbara, CA

On this day, the plastering team were creating modern Spanish column caps with black stucco.

A newly completed modern Spanish style home remodel in Santa Barbara adds a contemporary spin to the neighborhood.  Blue agaves and other succulents are planted within the front yard landscape.

AFTER Photo: a shot through the agaves and the new arched front entry. Soon, the existing landscaping will get a major overhaul.

Designing Round Windows Into Spanish Interiors

When re-designing your Spanish home interior (or exterior), look for opportunities to include a specialty window. This post is about the large arch top picture window and a small round window. I have also written about Quatrefoil window projects, here.

a Loose Sketch by Jeff Doubet Illustrating a Spanish Round Window and Ceiling Beam Layout for a Modern Spanish Home Remodel in Santa Barbara Ca
Jeff Doubét Loose Sketch for a Modern Spanish Home Interior

On an early on-site design consult, I saw an opportunity to re-envision an existing trapezoid window. I sketched a rough idea for how a new, deeply recessed round window would look.

A young couple discuss details with the trades at a Spanish style home remodel being framed in Santa Barbara, CA
Spanish home remodeling in Santa Barbara, CA

In this photo you can see how the rough framing of the round window was getting under way. It was positioned in a tight space, and centered on the newly framed breakfast nook ceiling beams.

A young couple stand in a recently completed modern Spanish home remodel that now includes modern furnishings purchased locally in Santa Barbara, CA
Modern Spanish interiors in Santa Barbara, CA

This is how the round window (and overall renovation) turned out. I like how the homeowner added the Spanish deco tile detail to the front of the kitchen cabinets. Another nice touch.

A Jeff Doubét design for a round Spanish window is seen in the background of a larger steel and glass arched window at a recently completed modern Spanish home remodel in Santa Barbara, CA
Modern Spanish window in Santa Barbara

One last artistic image I captured of the round window as seen from the front of the house. Looking through the new Spanish-style picture window, and reflections of trees, as well.

Well friend, this wraps another site visit episode in beautiful Santa Barbara, CA. I hope you enjoyed learning how to infuse more Santa Barbara Style into your own Spanish home design project with specialty windows. Scroll to explore more helpful links and resources for designing and building your own Spanish-style home and landscape.

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I’ve organized my snapshot posts and full-length articles into 4 main categories: Interiors , Exteriors , Landscapes and Store + More. For popular sub-categories like Spanish sheds, fireplaces, garage doors, tiles, etc. see my Portfolios. With well over 1,250+ photos and countless design tips shared… peruse at your own pace, or do a QUICK SEARCH for your specific needs!