Leaded front windows & sills

[chillout]

I live in a leafy suburb in Essex in a 1930s semi, where the majority of houses have lead in the top of their casement windows, as mine does. However these need to be changed due to rotting away and I'm considering having full lead (top and bottom). Out of approx 200 houses only four appear to have the full lead in place, which in my mind it can look a bit posher maybe? But should I really be keeping in with the rest of the houses and just have it in the top windows. Also would full lead feel like Im looking out of a prison window?

A new resident who moved in had full lead installed but had it taken out as he reckoned it didnt keep in with all the other houses, however his neighbour had full lead, so maybe too much of the same?

Also the dble glazing company suggested black sills, again only approx a handful of houses have this, the rest are standard white. Would be great to hear your views guys, as need to make a decision asap!

Many thanks in anticipation.

 

[gregers]

why not take a photo of your house and using something like photo shop do the changes soyou can see what looks best?.

 

[big-all]

take your present windows and place white tape in a diamond shape on the glass
you will get shadows and loose about 7- 10% off the light coming through the window
and yes you will probably feel incarcerated

 

[ladylola]

You mention leaded lights (windows) and also mention a double glazing company. Are you suggesting to have double glazed units fitted with lead? If you are my suggestion would be to not bother as they look pretty naff in my option. The glass is perfectly flat and you don't get the"multi faceted " look of a leaded light as it reflects light in different directions as you move past it.
As the majority of other houses don't have full lead I'd go with just ther tops too , would look so much better.
As to the suggestion about having black cills I'd think seriously about it. It does give a very good look to a thirties house if that is the look you want. My own house has white windows with black cills although they are wooden but do look nice

 

[chillout]

Cheers, some very good points & advice made there. I guess black sills would be differrent but again, only about 4 houses out of 200 only seem to have them, should I keep in with the majority as with the leaded top lights? I have black lead flashing and aiming to paint the front door black, so maybe the sills would make it a bit unique from all the rest?

 

[chillout]

ladylola, is yr house a 1930s property? And yes its double glazed, I see your point, will probably just be the tops after receiving all this great advice and ideas from everyone. Now the sills is the question!

 

[masona]

I'm a bit confused regarding full lead, do you mean stuck on lead type or the real lead stained glass type? I repair and make stained glass window also have them fitted inside the double glazing unit to keep the house with the original design

 

[ladylola]

Yes chillout , my house is pre war 1928 to be exact and I do like the look of the period. I'm not trying to make the house look as if it's come out of a time warp just to influence it with art deco and related features. It's a old farm house and was never very up market in it's hayday so I'm not going overboard.It to the best of my knowledge has never had leaded windows. Not all the windows have the black cills to be honest, it's mainly at the rear. At some point the original windows have been replaced at the front with double glazed plastic ones and to make matters worse were "complimented" with shutters screwed to the walls too! These had to come off being both hideous and rotten. I'm slowly working towards making the front look better and the black cills are in the plans.
At the back I've fitted double glazed units to the wooden windows.

 

[chillout]

Your house sounds really nice, never ending though isnt it! Thats what Im aiming to do, ie, put in stained glass windows and odeon style fireplaces etc. Basically theres only one house with original wood windows and black sills. Theres a handful with varnished sills and upvc windows. Rest of the n/hood has the standard white sills. At the mo I have upvc (badly fitted) with white sills and putting in units with equal sight lines. The guy suggested the black sills and really cant decide if it would give the house the wow factor being upvc with unique black sills or if it would stick out like a sore thumb due to it not keeping in with all the other houses!?
Door and garage is currently white, soon to be painted black.

 

[chillout]

Masona, Im having the lead units supplied by the dble glazing company, their using Evolution Storm units. I think the lead is outside the glass?

 

[ladylola]

Your house sounds really nice,

It's getting better slowly, although the efforts of a five year old tend to take the "gloss" of it all.
I'll tell you a little story.
Before our daughter was born we recieved one of those letters saying we might get compensation for a newly built road. Wasn't going to cost us and long story short we did get a payment. However, as part of the case a surveyor came round and my father showed him round as we were at work. As they waited watching the road so that the surveyor could get a photograph of a lorry or two on the new road he asked my father where we were living at the moment. Turns out that because we had so much stuff either sheeted up outside or still boxed up he assumed the house was little more than a building site! Suppose I really should have the embarassed smilie here.

 

[chillout]

Yes I can imagine. Ha ha what a story....... slightly emaberresing!