Five Ideas for Integrating Old Leadlights Into Your Home's Decor
If you have found an old leadlight window at an auction or have an old leadlight window that you want to replace with a more efficient standard window, you may be wondering what to do with the old leadlight. Luckily, there are lots of possibilities. Here are some ideas to get your creativity flowing:
1. Hang on wall.
Old windows, whether they are leadlights or not, can look great hanging on a wall. Have a leadlight specialist repair any broken bits of the glass and attach some hanging hardware such as a wire on the top of the leadlight. Finally, hang it from your wall as you would any picture.
2. Place over a window.
If you like the effect of light streaming through your leadlights, hang them over a window instead of on the wall. Using chains or other hardware, you can suspend a leadlight over an existing window. In most cases, it works the best to hang the leadlight over the top sash of the window so that you can open the bottom sash.
3. Put outside on the porch.
Alternatively, use old leadlights to decorate a porch. You can hang these windows from the top of your porch so they dangle over your porch railings and create the look of stained glass around the porch. You may want to avoid this option in places where you have lots of wind. Otherwise, just plan to bring the leadlights inside when there is hail, strong winds or other weather risks forecasted.
4. Imbed the windows in a door.
If you still want to use the leadlights as windows, consider putting them in a door. A skilled craftsperson can help you create the right size openings in a door and then attach the leadlights inside those openings. If you opt to tackle this project on your own, use a sturdy timber door. Unfortunately, a hollow core door with holes cut for the leadlights won't be strong enough to hold the weight of the glass effectively. This option can work for exterior doors, or it can be a great way to decorate interior doors in your home, especially doors that transition between two living spaces such as a dining room and a lounge.
5. Turn the leadlights into a folding screen.
Just as a craftsperson can help you embed leadlights into a door, the professionals can also help you create a decorative standing screen with them. This is a great way to create a conversation piece, divide up space in a great room or just add a decorative flair to your home. For the greatest effect, use more than one leadlight.