Thursday, May 24, 2007

Frustrated with fenestration

fen·es·tra·tion noun
An architectural term for the arrangement of windows, doors, skylights, and other glazed openings in a building. Is derived from the latin word fenestra for window.


I love buying old books off of eBay. Especially those related to houses or gardens of the 1920's, 1930's, 0r 1940's. Yesterday I received a booklet I purchased called, Forty Practical Designs for the low cost house, copyright 1939,by The House of the Month Service. Out of 40 designs, I would live in 38 of them. Of course with some changes to make them more usable in the 21st century. You know 2 maybe 3 car attached garage and rooms a tad bigger but other than that I wouldn't touch a thing. Especially the windows and doors.


Today's newer homes have in MHO, uninspired windows and doors. My biggest window gripe is the undersized window. You'll find these windows on the back of houses and on attached garages. The side entry garage with smaller windows than the rest of the house is at the top of my DON'T DO list. Those windows should flow with the rest of the home...same size...same window treatments. Number 2 on my list is the use of arch top windows. They are soooo over used. What should be a focal point, loses it's gusto when repeated. Also the term palladium refers to a 3 part window consisting of an arch top window flanked on each side by a shorter rectangular window. This window configuration was named after Andrea Palladio, a 16Th century Italian architect. The window really gained favor after it was used by Thomas Jefferson. So often today, palladium refers to any arch top window. Rarely is it configured correctly.


So what does this have to do with The "Gear"?


Well....my fenestration has me frustrated. The last couple of days I have been trying to accomplish several overdue tasks in the yard but I keep getting sidetracked. My windows in the sun room are not symmetrical. The sun room has 8 windows. Six of one size and two of another. Notice in the below photo how the window on the left is narrower than the center and right side window. Why oh why couldn't they have put that smaller window in the middle?????? I can only speculate that the original design called for it to be in the center, but somewhere in the communication between the designer and installer/carpenter, that idea was lost.


So now I am perplexed as how to go about disguising the fact that they are different. I'm thinking mullion the three windows together using trim to mimic the living room windows.
or
Maybe I should just get back to stripping, edging, painting, planting, etc. and forget about my fenestration frustration.

2 comments:

  1. Excellent site. Learned a new word and all. :-) This was a fun stopover for me.

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  2. I'm sorry... but I never noticed the one window was smaller. It is probably one of those things that only you notice -- this could be good because other people probably won't pick up on it, but it could also be bad because it will drive you and only you CrAzY!!

    If it were me, I'd say to let it go and chalk it up to giving the Gear just a little more character and uniqueness. I doubt any of the designs in your phamphlet show this window arrangement... and most importantly, it is unlikely anyone will COPY you - so its WIN, WIN. =)

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