The country vernacular.

Options for blocking exterior noise keep improving: no need to replace original, single-glazed windows. Secondary glazing can go inside or out.

Glazing—the glass configuration chosen for windows and doors—can transform interior environments by bringing in light and by opening or concealing views; glass allows connection between interior spaces and to the outdoors.

It should be understood that conserving old windows is the “greenest” option: they are endlessly repairable and easy to upgrade for energy efficiency and comfort. For those buying replacement windows, find good news in recent aesthetic improvements.

Clear glass may not do the trick in a bathroom. But you shouldn’t sacrifice light, ventilation, or beauty in the quest for seclusion—not when so many period-friendly options await.

From transforming antique doors into a fireplace surround or building a shelf using salvaged corbels and fence boards, we show you six different ways to breathe new life into old items.

In a sleeping porch, the original slide-away windows got yanked once too often.

How to use low-tech materials to seal air leaks and insulate walls in an old house while maintaining historic integrity.

Window dressings complete a room. Here’s a tutorial on drapery hardware ca. 1860 to 1910—a period that saw lavish treatments but also a return to simple rod-and-ring drapery.

Using vintage maps as window shades.

Window boxes may be part of a “vertical garden” that includes pots and urns, hanging baskets, wall trellises, and even a pergola (an open-roofed porch structure that accommodates climbers).

It’s usually better to repair than replace original wood windows. They were designed to be restored, and can be retrofitted in ways that save energy and bring comfort—at far less cost than replacements.

Treat guests to a traditionally styled entry.