WD40 and/or a hairdryer will soften the silicon. You can then remove the residue by scraping and/or Bunnings sell a silicon remover.

Take some broken glass to glazier to assess. The panes may be too thin without support. You will need a safety strip across each large pane

Hi. I used a retractable scraper to very gently lever the strips off. Started at one end of the strip & moved along. Most then just pulled off without too much effort. Then I used the blade to remove the silicone. We were left with strips where the silicone had been. Tried lots of things such as eucalyptus oil but to no avail. Didn’t try the product mentioned above though.
The strips are mostly not visible - depends on where the sun/light is coming from. We really enjoy the more open vista. Over a couple of years we replaced a few ‘key’ panes in the kitchen and living area but haven’t worried about the bedrooms. Good luck.

Personally , I think you are mad ! Look at the pic showing the greenery , and the only thing really in your line of sight is the centre frame , and guess what -- that will still be there ! The rest is easy to see 'through' .

Now look at the outside pictures showing the house , and the best feature is the door . Take away the crosses on the windows , and it will look tacky IMO . Change the door and surrounds to gloss black or natural timber or a modern designed white and the whole house will look plainer . Paint the existing door etc in any colour except white -- the same .

To actually make a difference , you would need to render over the bricks , put in new darker windows , a modern door and surround , probably change the veranda poles , and try and go semi-modern . Basically a whole new facade .

Or stick with it as it is -- it is dated ( in a good way IMO ) , it is classical and classy , it is a whole look that all ties in -- why change ? Embrace it for what it is .

I agree with Pottsy. I like the colonial bars on your windows. My house is possibly similar vintage to yours (mid 1980s) - and when the house was built, plain windows were installed as the colonial bars were too expensive. I would happily add colonial bars to give my plain windows a lift. But then I prefer classic architecture to modern.
Will you have no window coverings either?

We really like not having all the strips interfering with our garden and beyond views. We enjoy the openness.

We took the strips off our old house windows and it looked amazing, instant update and gave a beautiful look to the house inside and out .

Hubby sharpened a paint scraper, really sharp chisel point and that made it a lot easier to get under the bars, then we scraped the silicone globs off with a razor blade thingy, now the outside is uninhibited, big open windows! I love it. after 20 years here it feels lighter and brighter. inside ones were easier, the outside were more difficult but we did it. Now to clean off the residue.

Would love to see an updated photo.

Too many horizontal and vertical bars

Inside looking out, just need to clean the residue.

outside view.

The windows actually look bigger

Well done. Looks good.

Good job. Well done.

Everything needs a facelift, paint, new doors, tiles, no carpet anymore, just rugs

After 20 years it cost $15,000 and took us out of the eighties.

The tiles are lapatto shadow light.

Some people said to remove the ceiling. I‘ll NEVER get rid of the cedar.

I got the silicon off my shower by getting most off with a blade then my finger nails to avoid scratching surface. I tried silicon remover but not sure it helped. Glass is pretty inert so u can try diff things like mineral spirits or wd40. But you will still need to scrape, they only soften but not to be able to just wipe off,

Glad you love the window change - that is what is important.
Are you removing the dark wooden venetian blinds? Or will you just keep them raised so that you can have an uninterrupted view?

How gorgeous, it makes a huge difference, love the tiles and adore the ceiling, looks really beautiful.

Looks so much better (I think). Well done.

Liz, the old blinds will be next to go, when i dunno

I close the blinds at night.

I wasn't sure how plainer windows would suit the facade, and I'm still in two minds about that, can't see a good distance view, but seeing the interior, the windows now suit it much better. Lighter, brighter, more modern. The tiles are beautiful. The cedar ceiling is warm and timeless, I would not change that either. Good job!

I’m still getting used to it as well. I done bit the bullet after 20 yrs.

Our builder friend ‘loves our project’ and is now doing the same to his 80’s house and my friend wants me to show her how.

its bloody difficult removing all the silicone, we bought a spray can of carby spray which softens but its a cocktail of chemicals. A razor is your best friend

Like macyjane , I'd be interested to see an external view .

When I look at the interior pics , particularly the one that says 'Live' on the top corner , the front door and surround only works because of the ceiling IMO , and even then the door and surround stain is a bit dark to really get the tie in .

My worry is what the mix in external styles looks like . To a certain degree , as owner and occupier you can simply think 'I like it and thats all that matters' , but to me it also needs to look okay on the outside too .

And even with the interior shots , for a full comparison it would have been interesting to see the before shots with the blinds wound up ( or the after with the blinds lowered ) -- basically , comparing like with similar , rather than different with different .