Ontariomom, I wonder with the set up that Ice has if that still might work for you because the panels are not solid up to the railing. I think the opening above the frosted glass makes it much less a barrier than frosted glass all the way up. I don't think it would appear to block the house like other, more solid choices would. And it would give you a bit of privacy on that deck, plus solve the cleaning issues. You could explore the code for how much space above the glass to the railing you could have.

I'm sorry, I mentioned I am not buying a system and don't want one. Today I have been looking at copper pipe for the top rail. It oxidizes off to a handsome dark brown that I like as well as some galvanized pipe. If anyone has used pipe this way let me know how it worked out. As for saving a FEW bucks, I'm talking about a several thousand dollars on my 100 feet of deck railing compared to my friend's final price.

A curio cabinet wall with three equal sections, each with a solid glass front facing the downstairs and solid wood cabinet doors on the back to access the place where you can store and display family treasures -- lockable if the family treasures are valuable. -- A curio cabinet there would be easily accessible so that what is displayed can be changed with the seasons or your mood and enclosed so you don't have to dust each piece. You could even add drawers (top and/or bottom) for things that fit in them that you keep but don't want to display. (Maybe that small foreign coin collection from your travels or the state quarters or the inherited jewelry that you never wear but that you keep for the memories.

Oh thank you for your cooking offer, I might take you up on it... My grandson is a baker and also just graduated this year from cooking school so now also a young chef!