This is just my opinion: I'd only consider a garden window IF: - I lived in a COLD climate, and -the window faced south or maybe west, and -it did not take away from the architectural style of my home and... -most importantly, I was actually going to use it to grow herbs in the winter, etc.! (A neighbor has one, but has stupid fake flowers & little figurines in it. Tacky.) When I lived in NYC, I would have LOVED one, as I loved having houseplants and kitchen herbs in a sunny window. But here in sunny SoCalif, I wouldn't haveÂor wantÂone, though plenty of people do. Ironically, I seldom see REAL plants in them. So, go figure. I also don't really like the boxy-ness of them, but that is a personal thing. As brushwork said: make sure it is quality all around. good luck!

I opened up the sash balance mechanism by grinding the staked keepers that hold the cover in place. Then inserting a putty knife into the housing (had to bend the end cover up for access) and over the spools (to protect them), then a flat screwdriver on top of that knife and turning it to pry the cover free. Not much pressure is required, if you have ground enough of the staking away. I was then able to replace the broken cord with some nylon masons line. I wound the new line around the drum and used it to rewind the spring, repeating until it looked like the other one that was not broken. I then used a small c-clamp to keep it wound and proceeded to place the correct number of wraps of lines on the drum to duplicate the unbroken one (total of 3 ½ turns). Then threaded the line out through the hole in the housing and through the plastic pellet and tied a big knot in it. Then released the c-clamp, while holding the spool with my thumb, and slowly allowing the tension to pull the plastic pellet into place against the housing hole. (I wore work gloves during the rewinding operation so I could safely hold the spool with my thumb when needing to do subsequent rewinding on it. From past experience replacing tape measure tapes, I was careful to watch for and avoid the spring going ballistic on me. It never really threatened to though.) Then I replaced the cover so that the ground away posts were in the opening where they belonged and taped the cover on with USPS packaging tape. :) The cover isn't in danger of coming off since it's held in compression when in the installed position. I wish I had been able to find some heavier line but I think the masons line will likely last well enough. It's rated at 155-pound test. If it doesn't, there is a heavier masons line available that is 216-pound test that I'll replace it with. A tip getting that left side track back into place without breaking it or hurting yourself is to slather some liquid dish soap onto the window stud. It slid right into place easily after I resorted to that method. It also helps to file the sharp end of the spline on the back of the track so it doesn't gouge into the stud. It has taken me nearly as long to post this than to replace the broken sash cord line. I hope it helps someone like me who couldn't find any info on doing this and had to stumble through it. I like fixing things rather than tossing them, especially when it only needs a piece of string replaced. YMMV

Seems like no one is suggesting a picture window, so two windows it is. There are two patio doors that face a lake view. The patio doors are also viewed from the kitchen table. So I think changing this window to two casements would coordinate well with the patio doors. Having the windows crank out would be a plus for ventilation, but I realize it’s not ideal with the deck landing there. I’ll see if the Marvin Window salesman has some ideas for function, now that the aesthetics are decided.

There is an ancient paradox called the Ship of Theseus that asks if you have a wooden ship and everytime the ship returns from a voyage a number of the wooden planks are replaced. If you reach a point where all of the planks have been replaced, is it still the original ship? There is also a more modern version called Washington's Ax, that asks is an ax that once belonged to old George still his ax if the head and the handle have both been replaced over the years? So a question for Raye Smith since you are clearly a restoration advocate...if an older window during restoration needed a stile replaced, or a stile and a rail, or two stiles and a rail, or even both stiles and both rails...or perhaps what if 50% of an original rail and/or stile was repaired using wood putty, or what if it was 90% repaired using wood putty....when does restoration become replacement? If all four rails and stiles needed replacement with new wood during restoration, how would that differ from installing a new window as a possible option as millworkman suggested: If you had new windows made by a carpenter with individual divided lites and sash weights....?