| Jim Matthews
authored an excellent article for THE SCORE (# 46), published by Spectrum Glass Company,
Inc..
Following is its content paraphrased into outline form.
There are both abstract and practical benefits provided by decorative
glass in the home.
 | Abstract Benefits of Owning Stained Glass
 | Distinction
 | We desire to be different. |
| We seek variety in our own surroundings
and a unique identity among those of our neighbors and peers. |
|
| Expression
| That which seeks to make a desired
impression. |
| We express our identities in innumerable ways, seeking to impress upon
others our vision of self. |
|
| Personal Comfort, or Joy.
| All of our actions, at their deepest levels, are single steps in our unending search for
tranquility. |
|
|
A love or appreciation of art glass, and a decision to
include it in our home, is just one of countless endeavors homeowners make to
be unique, to express that individuality, and add to our sense of personal bliss.
They buy it for the abstract benefits: because they like it, because it's beautiful, elegant, nostalgic, rich, unique,
classy, inspirational, and/or impressive.
| Practical Advantages of Owning Stained
Glass
| Increase the appeal of your home.
| Stained glass gives lasting
beauty and a unique identity to your home. |
|
| Increase the value of your home.
| Stained glass never loses it value. It will be worth the same or more next year.
| Probably the most tangible benefit to installing art
glass is it's "investment value". A home stained glass
investment is recouped at the average return of 95 to
106% of the homeowner's cost. |
| After looking at many
houses, a beautiful stained glass window panel, transom,
sidelight or door helps people remember your house. When
selling your house, your stained glass piece will
certainly contribute to closing the sale. |
|
| Add to investment value the concrete benefit of
"salability". To the
degree that the addition of art glass makes a home more unique,
prestigious and comfortable, it becomes considerably more attractive
to potential buyers at selling time. |
|
| Privacy and obscurity are practical benefits as well.
| A beautiful alternative to
drapes and shutters, and you don't have to dust or send them
to the cleaners! |
| Art glass, in the sense we're considering here, is a window treatment, competing
with (but not necessarily exclusive of) drapery, blinds, shades and
the like. |
| Privacy is an element of security, and stands as a benefit
of all window treatments. But art glass has an associated benefit
that the others do not: light. |
| Curtains limit the homeowner's
options; he's stuck with privacy/no daylight or daylight/no privacy.
Art glass can achieve both without sacrifice. |
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