Window masquerade solves a problematic view

Wouldn't it be nice if every room of every place had a view?

Let's face it, not every house, condo or townhouse has a perfect view. In an urban environment, some views may face the wall of a building next door, an interior courtyard or the less than appealing roof of an adjacent building topped with unsightly equipment such as air conditioning units, boilers, antennas, and a sea of tar and gravel.

In a suburban environment, your beautiful picture window may look over a neighbor's yard, garage or even worse - a nearby window.

Everyone wants their homes to be filled with light, but how to accomplish this while respecting privacy and aesthetics?

There are several ways to accomplish designing around a problematic view without sacrificing style. I call it playing window masquerade.

The first is to incorporate window coverings. Another viable way is to use decorative glass, or you can use plants. These days, you can find blinds in so many different styles, colors, materials and designs.

Window coverings

• A woven wood blind with a loose weave that allows some light in but still blocks the view.

• If architecturally appropriate, install decorative iron grilles on the outside to limit the extent of your view.

• A horizontal wood blind with 2-inch slats that can be tilted to let in the light while still blocking the view.

• Installing interior wood shutters on the bottom half of a window is another way to disguise a less desirable view and still allow light to come through.

• Cellular blinds made with a translucent fabric that allows light in, while still offering you a sense of privacy. Cellular blinds can also be ordered with a top down feature, which allows you to lower the blind down from the top of the window as much or as little as you want.

Decorative glass

• You can also block a bad view with frosted glass. There are several ways that you can create the effect of frosted glass on your windows:

• Use a frosting spray, which you spray on your windows after thoroughly cleaning them.

• Apply a frosted film, which you can purchase from a hardware store.

• Another way to enhance the decor of the room, yet still block the bad view, is to use stained glass. Many people think that stained glass is only found in churches, but more and more people are using stained glass in their homes now. In fact, stained glass is a perfect window covering for a bathroom window. It blocks the view - both going out and coming in - but it allows plenty of light to shine through.

Plants

• Placing sun-loving plants on an interior windowsill can mask a bad view. It can also create an interesting focal point at the window.

• If your home allows, installing landscape in front of the window can not only mask a bad view, but it can also give you an instant view of a "garden."

• Another simple and effective way to fool the eye is by installing window boxes and planting them with lush flowers, green shrubs and vines. This will be appealing from both the inside and outside.

• Joseph Pubillones is the owner of Joseph Pubillones Interiors, an award-winning interior design firm based in Palm Beach, Florida.

© 2016, Creators Syndicate