I get the appeal of grids—they do add some character, especially on older houses or if you’re trying to match a certain style. But honestly, after years of dealing with dust and fingerprints in all those little corners, I just don’t have the patience anymore. Clean panes are just so much easier to wipe down, and like you said, the extra sunlight makes a big difference. My living room used to feel kind of boxed in with the grids, but once I switched to plain glass it was like someone turned the lights up.
I did try the magnetic ones too, and they’d always get knocked out of place whenever the kids slammed the window shut...which is basically every day around here. The museum putty idea is clever though—wish I’d thought of that before I gave up on them.
I guess for me, it’s about not wanting my windows to become another thing I have to fuss over. That being said, every time I walk past a house with nice grid windows, I do feel a little jealous. Maybe it’s just a case of wanting what you don’t have?
My living room used to feel kind of boxed in with the grids, but once I switched to plain glass it was like someone turned the lights up.
That’s exactly how it felt when we swapped out the old divided lites in our sunroom. I thought I’d miss the “cottage” vibe, but honestly, the extra sunshine made such a difference. The weird part is, every time my neighbor’s house gets a fresh coat of paint and those grid windows are sparkling, I get a little pang of envy too. Maybe we’re just wired to want that little bit of charm?
I will say, cleaning was half the reason I gave up on grids. With two dogs and a kid who seems to have jelly on his hands 24/7, those corners were never actually clean for more than five minutes anyway.
Curious—has anyone tried those snap-in interior grids that you can just pop out for cleaning? Are they more hassle than they’re worth? Sometimes I wonder if there’s a happy medium between the look and the practicality.