HI LL: We didn't use any NEW leaded glass in the new house, but we were able to salvage a couple stained glass windows from the old house that weren't totally destroyed by age and weather. We are planning to put one similar to this one in our bathroom. This particular window was in an upstairs closet at the old house, and had started to bow pretty badly. I refinished and repaired and the frame, and had them reinstall it in an interior wall. The one I will be putting in the new bath is the same size and shape, but is all beveled glass. However, the frame is literally falling apart, so I'm hoping to be able to salvage it.

I do stained glass as a hobby, and will be making panels for the transom area above a couple of our doors.

I retired from my job last Wednesday, and today is my 65th birthday, and tomorrow I leave on vacation (insert big smile). Now that I'll have more time, my plan is to get my stained glass shop set up here in the new house (have an area in the basement ready to go), and do more projects than I've had time for in the past few years.

They are R-0 and will suck the heat right out of your home. Unless you take the panels and have a window manufacturer create custom insulated multi layered windows from them they are not at all practical for most climates. And they also would not qualify as tempered glass for the required safety glass needed in a bath area or tall window close to the floor.

As interior decorative elements like transoms as Joyce indicates she will be using them, they can add a great look to a home. I've personally used vintage windows hung separately as a window "covering" against a regular window, and I've used them hung from ceilings as room dividers. They often need to have repairs made and frames shored up to be used this way though.

We are doing as GreenDesigns describes. The stained glass we are putting in our bathroom will actually sit inside the window casing. It is not being installed in place of a regular window. Since it measures exactly the opening of the window, I'll probably just tack in place with 1/4 round, or maybe even hang it.

My parents built their home in 1985. The outer front doors and window above were leaded glass from the get-go. After being their a few months, my dad had the man come back and get the interior windows. They are Pella and double. So the interior windows are are leaded throughout the house, but the outer windows are not. Hope that makes sense.

Can't find one of the front door that doesn't include children, but they are a variation of the transom design used in the house. Here's one of the living room:

We used several vintage, English stained glass windows as interior fixed transoms. We would not use them as exterior windows for the reasons GreenDesigns mentioned - we built a very tight house and they would not qualify.

I did read about someone who had an antique window used as the inner glazing in a triple pane transom for over the front door. In that case, it was made into an energy efficient window.

I definitely agree that stained glass goes with a "vintage look." But as another poster pointed out, stained glass by itself has very low insulation value so you don't want to use it on exterior windows as the only glass.

It IS possible to get insulated leaded (stained) glass windows with insulation but they're pretty expensive! The website linked below is one place that can do it for you. I'm sure an internet search would find others.

We have a friend who does beautiful stained glass and, when we can afford it, I plan to have her make several stained glass windows for us including two for our master-bath. They will fill the entire window. But rather than spend the money to have them permanently sandwiched between two pieces of safety glass, we will mount them on the inside of our windows using quarter-round stained to match the current window trim.

That way, if we ever have to sell the house, I'll have the option of taking my windows with me.

Here is a link that might be useful: source for insulated leaded glass

Stained glass by itself wouldn't meet code, and I wouldn't want to expose it to the elements anyhow. What I plan to do in our kitchen is to have non-opening transom windows above the regular windows, and install stained glass panels into them. I'm going to make (or have made) custom panels using small Depression Glass plates in the design. I found a very reasonably priced artist on Etsy that makes panels with Depression Glass- beautiful!

I am planning on using it but to cover an ugly skylight opening. so mine will be just a decorative interior. if you are doing it for exterior windows and concerned about insulation, you might want to consider another option which is sandblasting or etching. it can give you some nice designs and probably won't affect the insulation.