Make a Difference With Stained Glass Window Designs

Stained Glass window designs are architectural features that have been around for ages. In the past, they were usually found in churches and monasteries. They usually depicted biblical scenes or resembled flowers or other geometric shapes. Despite being a design from the Gothic times, it seems that the popularity of stained glass window designs have not died down yet.

The difference today however is that the stained glass window designs are brought into homes. For the richer and the financially stronger home owner, installing these at home adds a sense of grandeur to the home and sets it apart from the rest. Rather than being limited to biblical scenes, they nowadays can be customized to cater to the home owners demand.

Installing them at home would be a really worthy one time investment for the interior decoration of the house. Whenever light passes through the window, the home would be immersed in a range of colors that would just add more life to the area.

Naturally, the cost of installing them at your house would depend on various factors. For example, the availability of the stained glass manufacturers, the size of the window and most importantly, and the design. Of course, the more complicate or customized the designs are, the higher the price would be.

There are various methods in producing stained glass window designs. The traditional method is where pieces of colored glass are cut to fit a certain drawing. Any gaps between the pieces produced using this process are then covered by inserting materials such as brass or copper in between them. The traditional method is the more expensive method due to its complexity. However, it lasts for a very long time and looks stunningly beautiful.

Another common method is called the Tiffany method. In this method, stained glass window designs were assembled by joining together colored glass plates using soldering or welding techniques.

Another low cost and more contemporary approach to producing them is the use of transparent colored glass sheets that are stuck on to plain glass. Being an easier process, this approach is much cheaper when it comes to producing them. Hence, this is by far the most common technique used in manufacturing these windows today.

Over the centuries, the techniques of making these Tempered Glass have evolved tremendously and they have changed as well. However, this architectural marvel is far from dying off. Instead with its current popularity in many American and European homes, it is safe to say that Stained Glass window designs are here to stay.

Custom Window Designs Come True

The America Window Co. takes a novel approach in offering its services to prospective homeowners, actual homeowners, do-it-yourself devotees, and builders. The company is based in Covina, California, and covers pretty much the Southern California area.

The company actively seeks out custom installations and invites prospective clients to suggest how they would like their homes to look. They state that if you can imagine it, they can find a way to make it happen. The company's designers will take a look at what you have in mind and come up with an estimate. Of course, if you're imagining something like the Taj Mahal, it might end up beyond your budget, but the challenge is out there.

The "how" of replacement windows extends to American Window personnel visiting your home to look around, measure, and make recommendations. They have in-house contractors ready and willing to bid on the job and if you have a hankering to go the DIY route, they can furnish the materials and expertise to make sure you get it right the first time. If you are a DIY person or living out of the area, you can skip the on-site analysis, just order the materials, and have at it. The idea of ordering goes so far as to offer shipment of whatever materials the company can come up with to anywhere you choose.

Visiting the company website reveals a long list of window and door manufacturers whose products are available through American Window, and based on customer feedback over the years, the company offers its own line of windows.

If you're looking to add value to your home and save a bundle on energy costs, American Window is a great place to start and you just might find a kindred spirit in doing windows the right way.

Ryan Stinson is a freelance writer with general home improvement knowledge, and expertise in american window installation and identifying quality door manufacturers.

Modern Double Hung Sash Window Design With an Eye to Historical Influences

Time has proven double hung sash windows to be an excellent design. In some cases these windows have lasted hundreds of years. The revival in the popularity of sash windows has caused many manufacturers to exploit this highly profitable market.

Many people are spending a lot of money on what they think will last them a lifetime. There is a problem, modern sash windows have a different set of criteria on the design from the traditional designs. Demands on a modern window can have a negative effect on the performance that made the traditional sash windows so successful over hundreds of years.

The new demands of maximising profitability and complying with current regulations are adding complexity to the simplicity of the original design. Adding complexity is a real problem for the maintenance in the years to come. If in twenty to thirty years time, components aren't available the window will have to be ripped out and replaced. A two hundred year old window can still be easily maintained and repaired to this day. The problem is similar to those facing plastic windows installed only twenty years ago.

Influences on a design have to be considered and understood before any re-design can be successful in the long term. Without this comprehension, the designer can't make the right choices so the original successful features can be lost.

The design of Double Hung Sash Windows evolved over time starting in the mid 1600's. Each stage in the Sash Window history has been tried, and proved. Advances in glass and glazing technology have driven many of the variations to the basic design. These changes where incorporated in preceding design. We can't identify any serious failures as these windows will have been scrapped long ago..

Current legislation requires the installation of sealed unit double glazing. This advance in fenestration is the biggest challenge so far to the traditional sash window. Large proportions of modern makers have chosen to ignore or are ignorant of problems that this new glazing can cause. The result will be many disappointed customers a few years down the line. They will have to pay for expensive remedial work or be even more disgruntled when the specialist components used are out of production.

There are some good manufacturers who have done well incorporating double glazing in to sash window designs. The existing solutions from modern timber window design have been applied directly to sash windows. These windows have a good chance of performing well over many years. Unfortunately the technology for glazing these windows is adapted from casement style windows where the frame design is fairly heavy in appearance.

Most sash windows with double glazing being produced today don't have the aesthetic elegance of traditional designs. Also a number of the details highlight the modern construction. Whilst making windows that comply with the modern demands of energy conservation, we have to accept some changes to the aesthetics. The latest double hung window designs should be see in the light of past changes. It's another chapter in long history. History will forget the failures, although many individuals won't. Modern windows don't have to be replicas but they do need to be honest.

When judging a new design, we should ask:

a) Are any of the details detracting from what looks right?

a) Is the design in sympathy with the building style and proportions?

c) Has the design been detailed to maximise longevity?

d) Is maintenance and future repair possible and straight forward?

The answers need assessing in a historical context. With continuity, a successful, evolving design can have the best chance of lasting hundreds of years. Good designs will perform to modern standards and survive the test of time.

A project to design and build high performance double glazed, double hung sliding sash windows should start with a look at the historical background. As I've been working on a design that combines the best of modern technology with traditional craft, reference to the past has been invaluable.

Working this way will give me windows with high performance that will out-last me. The cost per unit will be lower than equivalent PVC alternatives. They will add value to the house whilst the energy bills will be lower. The published plans and information will be invaluable source those with some basic skills and a desire join generations of craftsmen making sustainable architectural joinery.

Andy Bell is a designer exploring the application of modern technological advances to traditional craft based designs. The resulting plans can be built using basic woodworking tools and only require a moderate skill level. The History of Double Hung Sash Windows and project progress are on his iDoStuff website

Window Designs - Modern Or Old Fashioned?

Window designs occupy the minds of many homeowners when building their homes. Do they want to have modern, minimalist windows or go for more elaborate and ornate old fashioned windows that are works of art in themselves. If you have visited old style homes you would have been stuck by the beauty and intricacy that is involved in the creation of those masterpieces. At once they stand out and make a statement of their own.

Not the windows of today which are just plain openings with minimalist frames with glass inserted. Today's window reflect the times where people don't have too much time to maintain and clean intricate designs. They would rather have simple window designs that can be easily cleaned and kept dust free. Also, modern windows are more likely to focus on energy-efficiency and effective insulation. If the windows can perform these functions then the window is considered to have served its purpose.

The windows of the old were designed to be used to frame a view. When you look out of the window you are likely to see a stream flowing by or a calm waters of a lake or rolling hills. For such wondrous sites it would be a disservice to have plain windows. So, beautiful, elaborate windows with carvings and ornate designs were created. The times were leisurely and there were plenty of maids and men available to clean them. Beautiful window treatments enhanced the whole look fo the window.

Today, the movement is towards minimalist and neat look. With clean-cut lines and simplicity ingrained in their design the modern windows try to blend in with the walls and not detract from the interiors of the home which are the main focus of attention. There aren't many views to be had inside a thickly populated cities and towns where the window will likely frame the neighbor's house or the road with traffic rushing by. Only few home can afford beautiful gardens, lawns or artificial lakes. Also, old style homes consume a lot of energy to keep them heated and cooled. Such huge energy bills can't be afforded by most homeowners. That is the reason for the emphasis on energy efficiency.

Given a choice many homes will opt for beautiful window designs of the past. But they can't afford the high energy bills that are bane of such homes. It is also a criminal waste when the environmental impact of our various activities are considered.

Jane Sawyer is a interiors expert. She has written about Window Designs on her website at http://www.windowdesigns.org.