I’ve actually tried those clear kick plates—bought a sheet of polycarbonate from the hardware store and cut it to fit the bottom half of the screen do...

I get the appeal of layered curtains—definitely cheaper than true blackout panels. But honestly, I’ve tried every combo possible (sheer, heavy drapes,...

This is spot on. I swapped out some double-panes for triple in our 1950s place and, honestly, the extra mass was a bigger headache than I expected. Ev...

I get the appeal of microfiber liners, but honestly, I’ve had better luck with tightly woven cotton blends. Microfiber tends to build up static in my ...

Mounting brackets off-level—yep, been there. Whoever built houses in the 1920s must’ve had a thing for “character,” because none of my window frames a...

I get the fiberglass hype, but honestly, I’m not totally sold. We swapped out our old aluminum for fiberglass casements three years ago (we’re about a...

I hear you on the time and hassle. I did my own window installs last fall—spent three weekends on it, and honestly, I’m still not sure if it was “wort...

Honestly, I’ll take the cleaner lines of a casement every time, but you’re right—cleaning them is a pain, especially on upper floors. I swapped out th...

That’s exactly what bugged me too. I get that transparency is good, but when every little thing is a separate charge, it feels like you’re being set u...

That’s exactly why I can’t fully commit to these smart windows yet. I like the idea of auto-tinting, but if the grid goes down, I’d rather be able to ...