Fourteen years ago, after doctoral degree and before children, I took several community education classes. I did a Thai cooking class, a woodworking class, and two different stained glass classes. As I was not working and home, after taking the second class, I decided to make some large windows. I copied a Frank Lloyd Wright design, the Coonley Playhouse Windows, that are meant to represent a parade, with balloons, flags, and confetti, and I said to Kent, "We can use these in our house someday." We propped them in the window of the rental we were living in at the time, but then we moved and put them in the basement. That was in 2003. They have been languishing in storage since, waiting for that "someday."
In the meantime, our back sliding glass door has been in desperate need of replacement. It was heavy, difficult to open (the children could hardly do it), and not very good at keeping out the cold air. We looked into getting a new one a couple of years ago, but the bid I got back from the guy I found then was over $3000. I was fairly confident he'd want our firstborn as well, so we didn't go with him. But in the meantime, we still needed a new door.
This year Kent and I agreed that we absolutely HAD to get a new door, and we HAD to use the windows I had made. I contacted the glass shop and asked what company they would recommend, then asked that company who they would recommend to install my glass in the door and then install the door in the house. We met a great carpenter who was able to do our doors for less than half the bid I got two years ago, and we were able to do the front door too, using all three panes of glass I had made. For the front door, we put an opaque piece of glass on the inside of the door so you can't see into the house, but you can still see the pattern very clearly. Our "someday" finally arrived.
I can't tell you how delighted I am with them. It is so fantastic seeing my glass in the doors. Ed, our carpenter, made a special effort to make the doors fit the style of the glass, and I think they really look good. I have needed to paint them, and I finally finished that this week. It is just one more small detail or change that makes the house ours, and we absolutely love them. The children can open the door without any effort at all, even Brick, and we've found ourselves sitting out on the patio more often because we can get in and out of the house more easily now. The French doors out the back can both open all the way, folding against the small side windows, leaving a large opening perfect for parties and guests coming in and out. I know, because I hosted a bridal shower and it worked like a charm. It's the best before/after that's ever happened to me. And it inspires me to get back to doing stained glass.
Cute kids standing in front of the before door.
Ed had started taking out the slider before I got the "before" picture.
This after isn't brilliant,
but it's hard to see the actual door when the sun is shining in the window.
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