Ugly House Photos

Design Through the Decades - Part 37

Window design in the 1990s in Phoenix was cookie-cutter due to the frenzied pace of construction.  No innovative designs emerged in the 1990s.  However, dual-pane windows became standard.

Since eaves were usually minimal or absent in these homes, most 1990s windows were covered up by sun screens.

Here’s a 1993 Phoenix home with sun screens.  The protruding window was a common architectural design in the 1990s.

Extra styrofoam and stucco create a pop-out effect around windows, shown at this 1997 Phoenix home, again with sun screens.

In the 1980s, windows had black plastic or metal strips across a single pane to create a multi-pane look.  In the 1990s, the color switched to white, as seen in this 1990 Phoenix home.

As far as window coverings go, fabric curtains from the 1950s to the 1980s were shown the door.  In the 1990s, it was all about the 3/4″ plastic or metal mini-blind.  And mostly white.  On a rare occasion, a valance (very 1980s) was hung to add color.

More mini-blinds, this time with a paper covering in an accordion pattern.

Plastic wood blinds showed up in the 1990s too.

Sometimes the blinds were made of oak.

Vertical blinds with a fabric finish were a leftover design from the 1980s.

But most vertical blinds in the 1990s were plastic.

Coming Up:  Will windows in the 2000s copy the 1990s or go back to another decade for inspiration?