Not everyone has the fortune of having a beautiful view right outside their windows. Sometimes, instead of a lakeside view or an urban skyline, you get a view of a boring fence or your neighbor’s unkempt backyard. So, how do you improve a not-so-pleasing view?
Add Interesting Elements
Your windows are looking out at a shared fence, but you might not be able to do anything to it short of installing a new one. You can, however, make the immediate view more interesting than a plain old fence. Planting mature trees right along the fence creates a screen that conceals the fence.
Planting bamboo is a popular way of achieving such an effect. They thrive on narrow spaces, they look great with existing landscaping, and root growth can be controlled with a root barrier. They can also grow to a height where they complement ENERGY STAR® windows by providing shade to east-to-west facing exterior walls.
Frame the View With Adjustable Window Treatments
Sometimes, all you need is to do is cover part of the view: covering the lower half of the window, for example, will let you keep a nice view of the sky while “cropping” your neighbor’s backyard out of the picture. Roman shades and similar adjustable window treatments can help achieve this effect.
Install Window Shelves
Window shelves are shelving that’s installed across windows and are commonly used in kitchens. When filled, it can create a distraction from the view outside. It can also increase kitchen storage space and can be used for displaying small potted plants, knickknacks or storage jars. You can also use it to store frequently used kitchen tools, such as pots and pans.
Window shelves can be installed in such a way that they don’t block window operation or damage the frames. Like window treatments, window shelves in the right place can crop and improve your view.
Renewal by Andersen® of Southwest Missouri is your leading provider of energy-efficient windows. Give us a call at (417) 268-9301. You can also fill out our contact form to schedule an appointment.
