I tried to make the best of the boarded up windows for Christmas. It put a stop to my trying to win the neighborhood decorating contest that my parents won, by the way. And knowing the my annual Kitschmas Party was just days away, I made my windows…or lack there of…as festive as possible!
The whole process of window replacement had to start somewhere!
My grandfather who was a contractor for over 35 years and before that owned a hardware store, is spear-heading the reno. Wanting not to disturb the masonry, the crew started by cutting the windows from their frame. We did this for a number of reasons. The way the original metal crank windows were made, they included a fin mount that was adhered to the wall frame. The brick was then laid past the wall framing up to the outer window casing. This also meant that due to the various sizes, that each window would be a little different to remove and replace. We felt our best option would be to cut the frame and leave the fin within the walls. And so the removal began!!
This would be the last time I would look out that beautiful front window. Or any window for that matter as work would halt shortly after this due to previous obligations my crew had. So the boards went up and into a cave we were put until after Christmas.
I could start this by listing all the things that has to be fixed in this house but that would take too much effort and quite frankly it would bore you all to death! Let’s just say that a lot of the repairs that have to be done were from years of neglect compacted by a hurricane. The later damage was “fixed”. I say that in quotes because it was done by family and friends of the owners with little experience in these sorts of things.
One of the biggest concerns with this house is insulation. Way back when, insulation wasn’t necessarily put in walls. And with technology now a days even windows are heavily insulated! My how the times have changed. In saying that, we have no insulation…not in the attic, not in the walls, not under the floors. We knew that we would have to put some in both the attic and under the floors but the walls are just not an option at this point. So instead, we took with the depressing task of removing the original crank metal windows.
Being a mid-century purist, I wouldn’t do this if it wasn’t a necessity but there was no saving them. They took on 4 feet of standing salt water, years of rust and neglect of upkeep; they no longer opened or provided anything more than a buffer between us and the rest of Oak Park subdivision.
I would however, ensure that the new windows maintained the aesthetic of both the home and period. This also offered us the opportunity that have operable windows. My absolute favorite part of our home is all of the natural light and I want to be able to fully enjoy all they were meant to offer when they were put in back in 1952!
So the research began. I found this fabulous site full of mid-century home plans that offered me visuals of different window styles for the period. http://www.midcenturyhomestyle.com/index.htm
I knew the large front window I wanted to make a picture window. The others would all match it with a 2 over 2 (meaning 2 lights/panes over 2) style. Here are examples of what the windows on the home will look like:
I spent my New Year’s Eve perched upon my front steps, admiring the first blue moon of that day in 19 years! It was magical and it gave me a special background to reflect on all the things I have to look forward to this coming year. I am excited to share our experience with all of you. Happy atomic renovations in 2010!
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