Window with a View

Remember this window that I took out in order to put in the sliding glass door?

And, remember how dark and depressing my study is?

And, remember this amazing view our house has, which was the big reason we bought this property?

 

 

Well, it just so happens that the architect who designed this house didn't put even one window on the East side of the house to allow you to see this amazing view from inside the house!  Crazy!  Oh, how I wish I could have designed this house from the ground up . . . .  Well, although I cannot rebuild the whole house, I figured that since I have this extra, huge window lying around, have a study that makes me depressed all winter long, and have a view that I wish I could see all day long, I might as well put the window on the one and only wall that will solve all three of those problems.  And, yesterday I did it!  I now have natural light, a gorgeous mountain view, and have not wasted my leftover window!  I am so excited!  Unfortunately, I'm not very good at remembering to take pictures along the way, so here are the few pictures that I did remember to get throughout the process:

Cut out the drywall to access the framing

Had to preserve what I could from the blown-in insulation--it was such a mess and pain to deal with.

Here, I forgot to take pictures after I framed the header for the new window and put back the insulation above and below the window.  I also forgot to take pictures of rerouting the wiring (which is always the thing to get me wanting to curse--it's always SO MUCH HARDER than I think it will be).  I was so exhausted from the process, pics were the last thing on my mind. It's painful even thinking back on it.  :)

Cut out the plywood sheathing outside and was nearly blinded by the light it let in--SO EXCITING!

Even though the weather forecast said clear, sunny skies, a crazy rain storm decided to pass over right after I cut the hole!  I was so lucky that my husband just happened to get off work early at exactly that moment and was able to help me lift the window into place.  Needless to say, I got soaked while we installed the window.

After the storm past, I got back to installing the waterproof membrane and decided to wait another day for everything to dry out before replacing the siding.

But, the window is in, so I don't have to worry about kids falling out of the hole anymore!

I put some furniture back so that the room is functional until I can get around to the finish trim and built-in bookshelves I'm planning to build around the room to make the study a library as well.

These are my plans for the library--built-in bookshelves around the window and door and along the opposing wall and homework/work station desks and computers along the fourth wall.

We are LOVING our new view and natural light!  Now, if I can just get the time and energy to do the library and finish work in this study . . . .

UPDATE:  I installed the siding this morning.  Yay!

I suppose it looks a little strange to have this be the only window on this side of the house, but the light and view it lets into the inside compensates for that fact, I think.