No More Hiding Behind the Shades: Lyndsay Lamb's Historic Home

Some houses have a way of making you fall in love with them. For HGTV star Lyndsay Lamb, it was a 1920s colonial craftsman in the charming historic town of Snohomish, Washington. The home had old-world character, a backyard full of gardening potential, and a layout that fit her family perfectly. It also had 28 windows—and only a handful of them actually worked.

For Lyndsay, one half of the twin-sister duo behind HGTV's "Unsellable Houses," updating the windows wasn't about changing what made the century-old home special. It was about enjoying more of it.

Lyndsay found a way to preserve its character with black Renewal by Andersen® Acclaim® replacement windows, many featuring colonial grilles that nod to the home's history, while bringing new comfort, functionality and light into the spaces her family lives in every day.

The Homeowner's Challenge

Lyndsay knows a thing or two about seeing the potential in a home. Alongside her sister Leslie Davis, she's built a career transforming "unsellable" properties into buyer magnets, even winning season five of HGTV’s "Rock the Block" along the way. But in her own home, there was one problem she could no longer overlook.

"Most of the windows were in really, really bad shape," she recalls. "Out of 28 windows, there was maybe a handful that actually were working."

Over the years, different windows had been replaced at different times, leaving the home with a mix of vinyl and aluminum styles. Some wouldn't open. Others wouldn't close or lock properly. Drafts were part of everyday life.

But perhaps the biggest loss was something less obvious: Lyndsay had stopped experiencing some of the things she loved most about her home.

"We have a beautiful yard… but we weren't enjoying all the natural light this house has because we weren't pulling the shades open, we weren't looking out the windows."

For someone who spends her career thinking about how a home looks, feels and functions, the impact was hard to ignore.

"I wanted to make sure that we were addressing the things that really were going to add value to this house," she says. "Windows were at the top of that list."

Honoring the Character of a Century-Old Home

Replacing windows in a historic home comes with a particular design challenge: How do you introduce something new without losing what made the house beautiful in the first place? For Lyndsay, the answer was in the details.

Her home received 16 Acclaim® replacement windows in a mix of casement, gliding and double-hung styles. She chose black frames throughout, with full-divided light grilles in a classic colonial pattern on many of the windows.

Against the home's historic architecture, the black frames feel both fresh and timeless. Rather than disappearing into the background, the windows became part of the design.

"Now that they're black, they stand out," Lyndsay says.

The beauty was in finding a window that could make a visual statement while still feeling at home in a house built more than a century ago.

Beauty You Can Feel

The transformation wasn't only visual. Acclaim® replacement windows are made with Andersen's exclusive Fibrex® material, a composite material that combines the strength and insulating value of wood with the low-maintenance qualities of vinyl. It never requires painting and won't crack, pit, corrode or rot.*

For Lyndsay, the quality was something she noticed immediately. "You can just tell by feeling it that the material is better quality, stronger, and long lasting. Everything about it just looks rich. It looks good," she says.

She noticed the performance just as quickly. "What a difference these new windows make! You can't feel any drafts, anything through them."

Even everyday tasks feel different. The double-hung windows can be opened from the top or bottom, and their tilt-in design makes cleaning from inside the home simple.

"I probably clean these windows every two weeks now because it's so nice to have clean windows, and I can," Lyndsay laughs.

It's a small detail, but one that speaks to the larger transformation: Her windows aren't something she works around anymore. They're something she gets to enjoy.

Beautiful Windows, Backed by Signature Service

Replacing nearly every window in a century-old house can come with a few unknowns. Lyndsay knew enough about older homes to wonder what the installation team might discover once the existing windows came out.

As it turned out, she didn't need to worry.

"Working with the team at Renewal by Andersen was so easy," she says. "The team was so professional. They were here when they said they'd be here. I'd get a text message saying they were on their way… I felt like my home was always respected. They were clean. They were courteous. They were very communicative."

And when the quirks of a century-old home did reveal themselves, the installation team handled them.

"When they'd pull a window out, if something was found, they'd fix it," Lyndsay says. "I stressed for no reason."

That experience is part of Renewal by Andersen's Signature Service, which brings design, custom manufacturing and professional installation together through one company.

Even with her own design experience, Lyndsay appreciated having window specialists to help guide the decisions.

"Windows are one of those things that there are so many options and so many varieties," she says. "Having Renewal by Andersen and their design experts that can reassure you and back you up… was so helpful."

The Window That Changed the Room

Of all the changes throughout the house, one window has become Lyndsay's favorite.

In the dining room, three smaller, vinyl windows once divided the view of the backyard. In their place is now one expansive Acclaim picture window with a black frame and High-Performance™ SmartSun™ glass.

"This giant picture window—when you walk in the house, it's that showstopper," Lyndsay says. "I find myself standing in it all the time, looking out at the backyard."

It's a dramatic design moment, but its real impact is in what happens there every day.

"Now that we have these new windows, the first thing I do in the morning is open up every single shade and let all the natural light in," she says.

She watches the birds outside with her dog, Remo. She admires her ever-changing backyard garden. The view that was always there has become part of the home again.

And that's perhaps the most meaningful part of the transformation. The windows didn't reinvent Lyndsay's historic home. They helped her experience more of what she already loved about it.

A Home Worth Investing In
For Lyndsay, beautiful design and thoughtful renovation have always been about more than appearances.

"A home renovation isn't just cosmetic. It's an investment. And windows protect that investment," she says. "We work with Renewal by Andersen because they handle every step. Custom-built. Professionally installed. When one company stands behind it, the investment is protected."

The finished project feels like a natural evolution of the home: crisp black frames that complement its historic architecture, more natural light pouring into the rooms and clearer views connecting the house to the yard beyond.

But Lyndsay may have summed up the transformation best:

"Adding these windows absolutely, beyond a shadow of a doubt, have increased the value of this home. The windows have enhanced every single room in our house."

For a home she already loved, that's a pretty remarkable difference.

See Your Home in a New Light

You don't need to live in a century-old craftsman to know the difference the right windows can make. They can change the light in a room, frame a favorite view, complement the character of your home and make everyday spaces feel better to live in.

Every Renewal by Andersen® Acclaim® window is custom made for your home, professionally installed and backed by the Nation's Best Warranty.* Ready to see what's possible in your own space? Schedule a free in-home consultation with a Renewal by Andersen Design Consultant.

<sup>*See the Renewal by Andersen limited warranties for details.

**Review aggregator survey of the most 5-star reviews among leading national full-service window and door replacement companies. January 2024 Reputation.com.</sup>