I ended up matching the new frames to the existing lines, even if that meant they weren’t technically level. It’s a little counterintuitive, but it actually looks better in the room.
That’s honestly the way to go in older homes. I see folks obsess over the bubble on their level, but if the trim and floors are already out of whack, “perfectly level” just draws attention to how crooked everything else is. I always tell clients—make it look right to the eye, even if the tools disagree. You’re living in the space, not measuring it every day.
- Totally relate to this. My house is from the 1930s, and nothing is square anymore—walls, floors, you name it.
- Tried using a level when I put in new windows last spring. Looked great on paper, but then the frame looked super tilted compared to the weird angle of my baseboards.
- Ended up just eyeballing it so it matched the existing trim. Honestly, you’d never notice unless you broke out a tape measure.
- Guess it comes down to what stands out more: a slightly off-kilter window or a window that’s “level” but looks wrong with everything else?
- Sometimes I wonder if there’s a trick for blending new stuff into old houses without making the quirks more obvious... Maybe caulk and paint do most of the heavy lifting?
- Anyone else find that after a while you just stop seeing the imperfections? At least until someone points them out...
Guess it comes down to what stands out more: a slightly off-kilter window or a window that’s “level” but looks wrong with everything else?
That dilemma drove me nuts when I swapped out the old single panes in my 1947 place. I wanted the new aluminum frames perfectly level for energy efficiency, but then the sashes looked crooked next to the sloped floor and wavy plaster. Ended up splitting the difference—slightly off-level, but sealed tight with expanding foam and some strategic caulk. Not textbook perfect, but honestly, the thermal performance is way better and nobody’s ever commented on the tilt. Guess at some point you just have to pick your battles...