Contemporary you say? Chrome or silver may be right touch. What about a beautiful fleur-de-lis design in black iron or imagine how an antique quilt finial would look on your stair rail. If you'd like to take more whimsical approach, use your favorite colors and paint a wooden finial just way you want it!

The finial on your stair rail may seem like tiniest of details; but paying attention to details like this, will set your home apart from rest!

Happy Decorating!

©Donna Jolean 2005 January For more ideas and articles, please check Donna's site at http://www.classicdazzle.com

The final mechanism will be a spiral metal rod. If you have this type, i suggest you have it done by a professional. If you aren't careful with these, you can wind up having to replace spiral rods. Now, if broken pane is upper sash, more than likely it will be a fixed panel. You can take these out without messing with sliding panel. Unlock window and raise lower sash a few inches. Remove screen, then remove two screws holding horizontal bar on place. Tap bar down in one corner using a hammer and screwdriver. The bar will come off. Then you can grab bottom of upper sash and wiggle as you pull sash downward. Once you have pulled it down several inches, you should be able to grab top and bottom of sash and pull to left or right until opposite side comes out. Then you can swing panel out.

Once new glass is installed, you can put upper sash back by reversing removal procedure. Tap bottom upward with a hammer or rubber mallet, ensuring that sash is fully seated in top of frame. Then, put horizontal mulling bar back in place and tap it on sash framer. Install screws and screen. You're done. Next week we will cover broken glass repair of dual pane windows.