Lexington, KY - When we planned our downsize, we imagined that the next house would be modern. Clean lines and an open floor plan symbolized the way we want to live: with efficiency, with environmental responsibility. We were eager to live with 21st-century aesthetics and amenities.
But we ended up buying a Tudor Revival, a 1929 house with styling inspired by the half-timbered homes of 16th-century England. We were attracted by the location, seduced by the romantic appearance... and sold by the generosity of the windows. The large casements enlivened the exterior, and the natural light inside was outstanding. So we began imagining ways in which this lovely anachronism might embody 21st-century ideals.
Ironically, it was the fabulous windows that presented the first challenge. They looked great but barely functioned. Windows can be responsible for as much as 30 percent of the energy loss from a home, and these were at the high end of that sliding scale. The steel framed, single pane windows had no insulating value and leaked like sieves. Many could not be properly closed, and those that still functioned were difficult to operate. Their condition made them impossible to repair. 
Replacing original windows in old buildings should be an option of last resort. Restoring them is usually preferable because they are integral to the historic integrity of a building, and restoration is usually very effective. But here we were, proud owners of a house largely defined by its windows, faced with no choice but to rip them out.
We were determined to do this without altering the look of the house. Our remodeling plans allowed us to keep 27 of the 29 windows, and we were determined to treat them with respect. Too often, windows are replaced with insufficient respect for the original aesthetic, with results like a bad facelift - the new look resembles the old friend, but with a creepy, inappropriate pall. Our challenge was to replace these unusual windows with a state-of-the-art product without changing their appearance.
It took three weeks of careful research to finalize a window order. We worked with the supplier and our installation contractor (Marsh Window and Door Classics and Crawford Builders) to ensure success. Here are some of the issues:
Increased thickness of the frames around the glass and resulting reduction of the open glass area. With scale drawings we determined that this was only a serious problem for windows that were "ganged" - installed side by side. For these we developed a solution (which cost a few hundred dollars extra) to maximize the open glass area.
Interior and exterior wood trim
We carefully studied details to ensure that new trim conditions would be as similar to existing as possible. With some special effort we were able to replicate the original configuration where ganged windows joined one another. This was important because their lines directly related to the half timbering on the facade.
Muntins
The original steel muntins (the little bars that subdivide many older windows) were 5/8" thick, and we felt this was fundamental to their appearance. We decided to match the width of the existing muntins (this was also an extra cost).
Meeting Bars
The original units had wide meeting bars where moving parts met stationary parts. We began by specifying wider muntins in these locations to mimic the original condition. After helpful conversations with staff at Historic Preservation (859-258-3265) we abandoned that idea (and saved about $2,000).
The new windows are aluminum-clad wood, Energy Star, low-e, argon filled. Their average installed cost was $1,020 (excluding two that were enlarged, requiring cutting brick and reframing openings - these cost about $3,200 apiece). The new windows are a state-of-the-art, green product, an appropriate first step in our efforts to introduce the 21st century to vestiges of the 16th.
Graham Pohl is a partner in POHL ROSA POHL architecture+design. Click the author's name at the top of the page to see of list of previous articles.