Windows: perspective to the outside
KOFFIENOSTALGIE
Window with a view on coffee and coffee nostalgia
Create a cozy kitchen by putting up a wooden shelf above the kitchen (or informal dining room) window. Use your granny’s doilies with different color beads and then show off your coffee pots (or tea pots). The different color beads will reflect the light coming through the window.
VENSTERS: DIE SLEUTEL TOT UITSIG
Windows: the key to a view
Create an interesting look to a very boring window and in the same time the possibility of wind chimes by stringing old keys for which you have no use. Use ribbon or any kind of rope in a style or color that suits the style of the room to string the cleaned keys in different lengths. Hang them on any standard window rod, in this case a copper rod that looks nice with the mostly copper keys.
This window is kept open by using silver serviette rings as curtain binders. These engraved rings with the name of the bride and groom, were used on the wedding table in the early 1960’s.
VENSTERS: MOENIE JOU BED OPMAAK NIE.
Windows: do not make your bed!
This was a new use for my precious crochet bedspread (or your tablecloth) I wanted to use and see this sentimental piece from my childhood memories. If the crochet cloth is large enough you can also use the excess cloth as part of the drape hanging to the ground or in this case to cover the toilet bowl. This makes sense in this bathroom in a Victorian style ( Victorian bath and Victorian metal ceiling).
VENSTERS: DIE GEUR VAN BADKAMERRUS
Windows: scent of bathroom bliss
Create this look by putting up a standard plastic or wooden curtain rail with standard wooden curtain fittings from your local DIY store.
Then string your most beautiful empty perfume bottles (or ask your wealthy friends for their beautiful bottles or ask for the empty tester bottles at beauty stores.)
Now put in some fresh or dried flowers in each bottle and string in different lengths the bottles from the rod. If you wish you can also show off those impossible to walk on sexy shoes and the end of the rail.
Nowadays perfume bottles come in all different colors too!
Have fun!
KLEINHUISIE TOE
Privacy please
The small toilet window opens in a shaft covering the down pipes from the bathroom. It allows for fresh air but it is also difficult to keep clean on the outside which in any case does not offer anything worth seeing.
Covering the toilet window with a pink scarf I have not ever used and re-using the ‘special’ shoes (worn and special occasions long ago by myself, husband and daughter) was the solution to this private space!
SAMBREELBLINDING
Umbrella blind
The idea of ceiling windows turned out to be more of romantic than a practical idea where we are living.
Too much direct sun light made the bathroom exceptionally hot in summer and due to all the garden birds the roof windows very seldom offer a clear view to the skies…
Three cheap umbrella’s with silver insides were hanged upside down and now not only reflect the sun light that makes a big difference to the heat, but also cover the sometimes ‘untidy’ bench for our garden birds and doves.
VENSTERFRILLE OP DIE VLOER
Curtain frills on the floor
The pink umbrella blinds are complemented by the rest of the ‘toiletries’ – boots holding the toilet spray, old fashioned dancing shoes holding the extra soap, etc.
VENSTERROMANTIEK
Romancing the window
The main bedroom offers lots of light with big open windows. White and beige colors were used for a soft romantic feeling. The roof trusses are open and for some privacy (from the swimming pool area) in the romantic bedroom a combination of white curtains in combination with a crochet spread was used.
The bedspread and chair in a sunny spot at the window echoes the same romantic feeling by re-using old crochet work in different sizes hand stitched to a biscuit throw.
KOFFIE HELP VIR BYNA ALLES – OOK TE VEEL SONLIG
Coffee helps for almost everything – also too much sunlight
The family room is an open space with lots of light. Too much light were however streaming in to watch a movie on the TV screen before it is really dark. Coffee bags (imported coffee beans) were fixed to a small square wooden beam and then fixed in window opening across the screen. This texture and color of the material of the coffee bags fits in with the style of the family room.
The family room adjacent to the barbecue area is decorated in warm earthy colors and informally with an Africa style.
DIE SKELM SE GESIG IS LELIK
The burglar has an ugly face
Here is practical and inexpensive solution to the ugly burglar bars already fixed to this window.
Although the burglar bars in front of the windows are really strong and neat steal work, they are just too much in your face and not beautiful at all. Most of the burglar bars (in this old house ) are in a diamond shape often with a rectangular steel frame and horizontal bar in the middle. Removing them is not an option due to security and replacing them is just too expensive (especially if you are renting).
What about using (plastic white) hooks like the ones often find in small clothing and accessory shops or butcheries (for drying sausages) to hang interesting things related to the theme of the room to cover up the burglar bars?
This will however depends on the amount of sun on a specific window and what you want to hang in the window.
Interesting handbags, costume jewelry, funky ties in a bedroom, sports medals in a family room, interesting tea cups or coffee mugs in a dining room or kitchen can all be an option.
KLEURVOLLE PERSPEKTIEF NA BUITE
Colorful perspective on the outside.
The old painted (clay brick) windowsill was not only ugly but also very narrow on the inside after the new wooden window was installed, but mosaic tiles proofed to be the solution. The window sill is a bitt wider and the color tiles complement the glass colors on the window. The lamp shade and carpet also have the same colors as the window.
BI-FOKALE VENSTERRAAM EGGO KLEUR VAN BUITE
Bi-focal window frame echoes colour from the garden
In some part o the world windows have double glass, but in this Free State home, there is a double frame…for now. The colours of the stained glass lamp shade and colourful doorknobs are echoed in the window with the bright blue glass bottles and food doilies with colourful glass beads. This block pane wooden window frame was ‘saved’ from the rubbish heap after friends moved. It is just smaller than the width (inside) of my ugly steel window frame. It rests on the windowsill and it was tied to the burglar bars to hold it in place. Since the garden offers a private view I do not have to hang curtains or blinds and we can enjoy the view through a new wooden frame without any extra building cost – for now.
