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karen_sorenson83

Are interior transom windows appropriate in a 1954 home w/ 8’ ceilings

Karen Sorenson
5 years ago

I‘m in a bit of a tug of war with myself. I am trying to stay true to our 1954 home as much as I can. I feel it is at the cusp of becoming historic and shouldn’t be muddled with too much. I know something modern or trendy would ruin it. However there are even older house features that I love, and would like to put in my home. One of them being transom windows.

My home isn’t mid-century modern with starbursts or a crazy stone fireplace. It‘s a colonial revival style... it’s a mid-century modest, if you will. Nested in a neighborhood built from the late 1940’s to early 1950’s. My home was finished in 1954, but was being planned and built in 1953. This date is quite significant because it was right about the time when the country was just about to move away from the ’40s (and late 30’s) design. (The depression and war had a lot to do with that).

My home feels very 1940’s. The tile choices are grey and maroon pinwheels (not pastel), my front door is the exact one as this 1946 advertisement (the trim is different)




However, I don’t know if 1940 is back far enough to have transoms either? My other dilemma is would a transom work in a 8’ ceiling. All the transoms would be interior and I would be making them myself. All interior doors are colonial style.


Here are some narrow transoms I found with similar-ish trim



We would be keeping our orginal trim, and raise it higher for the transom, putting plinth blocks below it to accommodate for the gap (also to fill in the gap previous owners made by cutting trim, to put in carpet).


I don’t know if rosette blocks would be too Victorian? I know people hated victorian style in the ‘50s, much how we view ‘80s home design today.


This advertisement is from the ‘30s so it could work (side note our fireplace has tooth(?) trim like the illustration border above the blocks).

My door knobs will be switched out with original 12 point crystal knobs salvaged from 1947 home and an early 1950’s home.


1952? advertisement


The way I’m looking at my home is anything 10-15 years before 1954 would could make sense, however anything after wouldn’t. All home trim also needs to feel colonial; since that is the look they were going for at the time.


Thoughts? I’m all ears :)

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