Nothing can transform a room and create magic like the colorful old stained (leaded) glass windows. During the day as the sun shines the magic is created inside your home. At night, with the lights on, passers-by will enjoy them from the outside.  The greatest virtue of stained glass is that its appearance is constantly transformed by the ever changing light. This guide will show you how to buy, repair and hang them - and how to decorate a window with them.  Because of workmanship and the quality of the glass and lead... when it comes to stained glass windows the important thing to remember is that old is definitely better.

• BEST PLACE TO PURCHASE

Old stained glass windows can be quite costly in antique stores. You can get your best deal on Ebay. Don't rush to bid on the first piece you see. Take your time and wait until you find a window with colors and a pattern that you fall in love with. The colors do not have to match your decor. Contrast can work too. One thing to remember when purchasing on ebay is to check the shipping cost. You will want to factor the shipping cost into the cost of the window before you bid. A good sized window can be weighty.

• A FEW OF THE MANY PATTERNS AVAILABLE

Don't bypass windows that have mostly clear glass as in the last window above. The clear glass is sometimes known as bubble glass and it affords privacy as it is not transparent. A window that has a large portion of clear glass is generally much lower in price, yet you get the same dazzling effect from the colored center design. These were usually made in small, narrow sizes and look wonderful in any window but are especially suited for bathroom or other small windows.

• SIZE

The old windows were made in several sizes and lengths in accordance with standard window sizes. Since you will install them inside (in front of your window) you can pretty much purchase any size and work around the size. For instance, in the two kitchen photos below you'll see that the stained glass panel is long and narrow and only covers half of  the window lengthwise. It was one of a pair and I was not lucky enough to get the mate. No problem. To balance it and fill in the other half of the window a plant was hung. Since the panel wasn't long enough to reach the windowsill, a collection of vintage paperweights was added to the windowsill to fill the space and further catch the sun. As you can see Tropicana loves to look into the paperweights. If cats could talk I think he'd ask me how the colors got in there.

The third photo below reveals a stained glass window centered in a living room double window. This is the more common size. To fill in the space on either side plants were hung. Instead of adding shutters or curtains in the lower half of the window for privacy,  a jungle of plants was added.

• CLEANING AND REPAIRING YOUR WINDOW

Much of the old stained glass windows that you see for sale have passed or are quickly approaching their 100th anniversary, yet most of these panels have never been cleaned or repaired since the day they were installed. By repairing cracks so that they don't spread, these wonderful pieces of art can easily last another hundred years.

Don't shy away from a piece that has cracks. Cracks are easy to repair. Here's how: Line a large surface such as a bed or table with a plastic drop cloth. With a single edge razor gently scrape away any remnants of paint (on both sides) that have gotten on the glass when the previous owner(s) painted the frame. If the wood frame has rough areas, sand it. Clean both sides of the glass with glass cleaner and dry with an absorbent towel. To repair a crack,  with your finger press a small amount of white glue along the length of the crack to fill it in. Let the glue dry for 30 minutes or so and then repeat the process. Wait a few hours until the glue has fully hardened and then, with the razor, scrape away any glue surrounding the crack.  If the crack is through and through, do both sides. Using high gloss enamel, paint both sides of the frame the color of your choice. Painting the frame the color of your window frame is a good choice as it makes the frame "disappear" which really makes the glass stand out.

• HANGING YOUR WINDOW

For a long panel (as shown in the kitchen photos) use hinges and install as you would install a shutter so that you can swing it open and closed. The shorter upper panels (as shown in the living room photo) can be hung  inside the upper window frame with heavy duty hooks or a combination of hooks and chain. Before screwing hooks into the top of your window frame make sure you position them so that there will be enough space behind the stained glass window and your actual window so that you can easily open and close the window. Two or three inches of space between your window frame and the stained glass frame should do it. Hang the windows in the evening. When you awake in the morning and see what the sun does to the colors in the glass you will want one for every window in your home. I love them. My cats love them. Everyone loves them. These old stained glass windows are pure magic!

• WHAT ELSE CAN YOU DO WITH A STAINED GLASS WINDOW?

So now you've filled every window with stained glass but have found another to die for piece that you can't live without. Buy it and make it the focal point of any room by building a frame around it, electrifying it, and hanging it on a wall. Paint the frame the color of your walls so that the glass stands out.  This makes for a unique and dramatically beautiful lighting fixture.

• IN SUMMARY

Stained glass windows are a good investment and a beautiful alternative to the conventional window coverings. They provide timeless elegance, they are easy to care for, and even the plainest of windows is truly beautiful.

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2 kitchen photos and 1 living room photo

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"Hey, Dracula... talking about stained glass, here's a riddle for you: 

Why are humans like stained glass windows?"

"You are such a dumb cat, Red-Devil.

Do you think for a moment that I don't know the answer?

Humans are like stained glass windows because they all sparkle and shine

when the sun is out, but when the darkness sets in their

true beauty is revealed only if there is a light within.

Now go back under the bed and stop annoying me!"

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Thank you for reading this guide. I hope it was helpful.

You may want to see our ebay guide on

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