The Loft Window

Saturday I took a chance and sent an email to David Kittrell my friend and stained glass expert at Kittrell Riffkind Art Glass Studio to see if he was available on short notice to meet with me about my loft window.  Much to my glee, he had a bit of time for me.  Up the tollway I zipped...

http://www.kittrellriffkind.com/

Their lobby gallery is amazing... I always walk through it, just amazed at people's talent.

After I had availed myself of all of the eye candy around the gallery, I wandered back to the studio:

David was teaching a class - I think it was glass beads...

Imagination is your only limit - it's dreamy.  Two years ago I had plans to take classes here - I had my dad's stained glass instruction books and a few of his tools, and I wanted to learn how to do it.  I never quite got around to it - I had one lesson from a friend in his basement - and then life changed and I sold my house... and now I don't have a work space to do it in.  But maybe someday.  I find it fascinating.

David finished up his class and found me walking down the glass aisle, taking in all of the options.  As a lay person, all the choices make my eyes cross.  And they are all so beautiful.  I showed him my construction plans, and the window dimensions, and a few stained glass "likes" and "dislikes" from my loft window Pinterest page.  

After some discussion, he penned this initial sketch:

David has such phenomenal, original ideas for things -- so many that they are practically falling out of his pockets when we walks - and he throws them out seemingly effortlessly.  I follow him around, writing them down.  This sketch also anticipates stained glass front porch lights, and possibly a small stained glass speakeasy in the front door.  He wants to carry a similar design through all three applications.

We had quite an animated conversation about the loft window, beginning with size.  I explained that I would like to be able to count the loft window as an emergency (fire) egress window.  David smirked and said he had an image of two construction guys, each with a framing square, holding them up around my hips.  I laughed and said that the window will double as a weight control measure  - my life may depend on maintaining my current size or smaller...

Then there was discussion about how the window would open - awning style hinged at the top and it swings out from the bottom?  Or hinged at the bottom and the top drops down and away from the house.  David said if I have it fold down, then I'd have a little table outside my window for a candle. (Who thinks of things like that??)  I said if it flipped up I could peer down at the walk going up to my front door...  Anyway, the entire conversation was pretty hilarious - his staff was watching and listening - and jumping in themselves - with mock horror.  Ohhhhhhh, it was fun.

For colors, I showed him photos of the stained glass pieces I already own, and then a picture I found of one that I really love, that incorporates all of the colors in one place. 

Here are the same colors combined again in a much different style:

So moving ahead, my assignments are:

1)  Get myself measured to determine window size (not really looking forward to that for obvious reasons.)  In lieu of two framing squares, I envision finding small openings to try to crawl through, and then measuring them.  Must I go to Chuck E Cheese's or a McDonald's playground?  Perhaps a canine agility course??)

2)  Order an awning style window and get it to David;

3)  Think more definitively about colors; what possessions do I have in colors I love?  I reminded him that I have sold most of my possessions, but said that my current toothbrush is orange...)

4)  Think of a design piece, or a symbol to work the design around.  (I told him this window IS the design piece...)

5) Start thinking about porch lights...

By the time I left, I was positively beaming.  It's so exciting to be planning the details that reflect personality.  I hugged David when I left, thanking him, and telling him how excited I am  He said he was excited too -- or couldn't I tell??  He says this is his pet tiny house project.  Love.

David Kittrell

You can read my first post about David here.