I LOVE our little 70 year old working-man’s bungalow, but let’s face it… most of the character found in the place has been added in the last year of our renovations! That’s why I call it a “working-man’s bungalow” – it wasn’t built to be a showcase, it was built to house a family. Okay… a house for a SMALL family!
One of the almost-charming original features of my house? Piano windows. Well… three of them to be exact.
No… this photo isn’t my living room and no… these aren’t my piano windows.
But they’re lovely aren’t they?
Charming!
THESE are my piano windows – dining room, living room and bedroom.
Sure… they’re cute… like I said, they’re almost-charming!
But… If we had the extra money I’d hire someone to create and install beautiful stained, leaded glass windows. But with 3 piano windows needing to be replaced, that could cost a LOT of money!
Yep… I’m cheap!
So instead of hiring an expert stained glass craftsman to create the perfect windows, I’m going to attempt a faux leaded glass project… but that’s a post for Monday and Susan’s Metamorphosis Monday blogparty!!
Besides… today is FRIDAY, the day when Julia from Hooked on Houses hosts her Hooked on Fridays blogparty… and this post is supposed to be all about something I’m hooked on!
Since I’m about to dive into a project with an unknown end-result, I thought I’d share some of the beautiful leaded glass windows I’ve discovered in my pattern research. I’ll even show you the pattern I decided on! Because I’m Hooked on Leaded Glass!
Then – on Monday - you’ll have to come back to see if I pulled it off!
Even when left to crumble, leaded glass windows are beautiful!
This diamond pattern was one I was considering for our windows… but the more I thought about it, the more I felt it was too busy for my simple little house.
Lined up neatly in a local antiques shop… I had so much fun exploring the windows this shop had on display! Finding 3 that would perfectly fit my windows would be next to impossible… so I moved on.
I loved the Victorian patterns in these windows, but I’ll be working with a leaded “tape” so making these curved lines just can’t be done.
So this pattern wasn’t for me.
THIS pattern was a strong contender… but still too Victorian, perhaps.
But definitely something I could duplicate with my lead tape. Well… I at least think I could!
Now THIS is a pattern and style that could work in my little house!
Here’s a fantastic pattern that would definitely work!! In fact it so perfect that I’m tempted to change my mind…
But you see… I’ve already found the perfect pattern… but I’ll share that in a minute!!
First… let me share a few beautiful leaded glass windows I discovered!!!
And then I found myself thinking about this window…
It’s the original leaded glass window at the front of our house – our dining room window – the first feature I saw as we climbed the stairs of this soon-to-be-ours little bungalow 2 years ago. “How wonderful and charming!” I thought to myself at the time. Unfortunately it was cracked, single paned, painted shut and had to be replaced.
This window got me thinking about…
Wait a minute!!
Leaded glass in my little house… I had the perfect pattern!! Perfect because it CAME from my house… it was ORIGINAL to my bungalow!!
And were was it?
My back yard!!
There I was searching the internet and local antique stores for the perfect leaded glass pattern and I had it all along… in my back yard!
The photos above are of my old front door (on the left) and of the single French door that used to lead to the dining room. The patterns are identical. 70 year old leaded glass.. original to my house! Don’t worry… I’m salvaging this original glass to use in the house somewhere!!!
So I start this project on Saturday. I don’t know how many of my 3 windows I’ll finish this weekend, but now you know what my piano windows are supposed to look like!!
Wish me luck… and come back on Monday to see if I got it right!!
P.S. One of our readers – Greet – wanted to know why these windows were called “piano windows”. I thought a photo would provide the best explanation…
These windows are all about ensuring that there’s room along the wall for a large piece of furniture, a book case (like the living room I shared above)… or a piano!!
Thanks for the comments… keep them coming!
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