resplendid's Profile

Ooooh, great set of windows you found there.

I regularly work with old windows to create mirrored artwork using the French tradition of verre eglomise to gild the glass with silver leaf, a delicate nontoxic process. See examples of gilded glass at www.resplendid.etsy.com

To clean up your windows, I would start outside with a garden hose. Then, wearing protective gloves and mask (there is a good chance of lead paint here), scrape away any loose peeling bits from the frame. Wash it more thoroughly with simple dish soap, a water bucket, and an old rag (scrub brush for stubborn spots). If the paint is especially flakey, a good coat of clear water-based brush on varnish is a good idea. If any of the panes are loose, secure then with new glazers tips (available at hardware stores or framing section of craft shops) and possibly extra caulk. Then finish up with some windex on the glass.

Remember to use sturdy hanging hardware and possible more than one anchor point in your wall if the windows are heavy.

My husband and I rented a strawbale cottage near Telluride, CO for our anniversary. The wall surfaces are so inviting and the air breathes through the plaster in a way that is hard to describe. We are hooked on this style of home now. I love seeing one succeed in the more humid climate of MD (where I'm originally from).

Salvaged windows make great mirrors, and have an authentic vintage character. They make a room feel more open by giving the impression of letting in window light where one doesn't actually exist. You can simply replace the glass panes with mirror. Or for a more interesting surface, you can hand gild the back of the glass with silver leaf like the ones here:
www.resplendid.etsy.com