Beyond Trendy: Return of the Classics
Homeowners seek traditional styles as solid investments

KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. January 11, 2006 —

When today’s homeowners shop for new fixtures, they aren’t just looking for attractive styles; they want solid investments too.

A convergence of economic factors in the United States has led property owners to increasingly view their homes as investments, and they’re spending billions each year on maintenance and upgrades. One of the main drivers for the $233 billion in annual remodeling spending is that the average age of houses in the United States is 32 years and rising, according to the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University.

That means today’s homes are in constant need of repair and replacement fixtures, like windows and doors. And when homeowners invest in upgrades, they want to add lasting style that unifies the look of their homes, not “trendy” products that will soon appear dated.

“Today’s homeowners have their eyes fixed on future returns, so when it comes to selecting products for a renovation project, they are behaving like smart investors,” said Steve Brant, product marketing manager for

JELD-WEN^® windows. “Homeowners demand well-established architectural styles and high-performance materials that will look great, save money and last for years to come.”

As the world’s leading manufacturer of reliable windows and doors,

JELD-WEN offers endless choices that can match any style homeowners or builders desire. However, as a useful guide, JELD-WEN has compiled its offerings for the most popular architectural styles: Victorian, Craftsman, Old World and Colonial. Before undertaking a renovation project on an older home, JELD-WEN advises homeowners to consider these factors:

• What are the current architectural features of the home?
• What materials need to match, such as wood species on cabinetry, millwork, windows and doors?
• What weather conditions or building code requirements must be met?
• What is the budget?
• What is the expected return on investment?

High-Tech Materials with Traditional Style

Like many of today’s wise investments, building products are benefiting from high-tech improvements to time-honored materials. JELD-WEN is pioneering the next generation of building materials by changing the way homeowners think about wood.

Wood is a must for classic architectural styles, but many homeowners have avoided wood due to concerns about rot, termites and high maintenance requirements. JELD-WEN has finally freed homeowners of these worries with AuraLast™ wood windows and doors.

Thanks to a revolutionary treatment process, JELD-WEN’s AuraLast wood provides virtually 100 percent penetration of the active ingredients from the surface to the core. JELD-WEN windows and doors made with AuraLast wood are guaranteed to resist decay and termites for 20 years. That’s a level of protection no other manufacturer can match.

With AuraLast wood, homeowners can feel secure in their decision to select wood windows and doors. There’s even the option to add additional protection for wood windows with high-performance exterior metal cladding available in a number of colors. AuraLast wood comes standard on all JELD-WEN U.S.-produced pine wood windows and is available as an option for doors. At this level of protection, homeowners don’t have to sacrifice the warmth and richness that wood brings to traditional architectural styles.

Keys to Classic Styles

As an overview to the selections in JELD-WEN’s historic renovation guide, here are the keys to achieving these four classic architectural styles using windows and doors.

Decorative glass is the key to carrying off Victorian architectural style at the front entryway. Beveled and textured glass brightens the entry and reinforces the strong geometric shapes of a Victorian home’s façade. The same patterning can be reinforced with custom divided lites for windows, all offered by JELD-WEN. Depending on window type, exterior colors and grille patterns, homeowners can choose windows in wood, clad wood or vinyl to match any architectural style.

The keys to the Craftsman look are symmetry and simple details that emphasize the balanced proportions of doors and windows. While glass inserts are still important in Craftsman doors, the fanciful radius and oval shapes of the Victorian style are replaced with symmetrical, squared-off forms and designs abstracted from nature. Wood windows in pine, made of JELD-WEN’s reliable AuraLast wood, complement this architectural style, which favors rich, natural wood finishes.

JELD-WEN now offers Custom Fiberglass exterior doors in a new Craftsman collection. Cast from solid wood doors, these fiberglass entry doors match the look and feel of wood so closely that even the experts are fooled.

“JELD-WEN fiberglass uses the latest technology to deliver some of the most popular traditional looks,” said Shane Meisel, product marketing manager for JELD-WEN doors. “That’s great for homeowners and builders who are looking for durable, low-maintenance solutions.”

To carry off an Old World look at the front entry, the key is decorative hardware. An otherwise ordinary paneled door takes on a whole new dimension of style with the addition of clavos, a speakeasy grille and decorative straps. Selecting from a variety of individual door styles, as well as choosing options such as antiquing, a hand-hewn finish and distressing, can add to the Old World appearance. For many homeowners, these are the custom touches that personalize the entryway and make a memorable first impression on guests. Shaped casement windows with arched or peaked tops and Gothic divided lite patterns can help carry this design theme throughout the home.

A hallmark of the Colonial architectural style is a grand front entrance – often a projecting central pavilion or a portico with columns. For a Colonial entrance, a broad, paneled door with classical proportions and symmetrical sidelights fits the bill. JELD-WEN wood and fiberglass door collections offer a variety of custom options within the established set of Colonial-style doors. Double-hung windows in white or ivory with symmetrical divided lite patterns are the perfect match for Colonial style.