Can we talk about windows for a second?

 

 

My girlfriends and I were discussing living room windows the other day. It’s that kind of talk that gets us all fired up. We’re a real exciting bunch. But honestly, I was surprised at how opinionated we all got. Who knew window grid could be so controversial? And who knew “window grid” is actually called “Mullions”? I do my research when things get serious. For the record, I was in love with the window grid. Err, window mullions.  

I immediately went home and took a good hard look at my living room window. It’s one of those old school huge double pane windows that doesn’t open. The double pane is a little over kill. It always looks dirty because you can’t clean between the panes, so there’s a permanent layer of caked on film that makes it look foggy outside on a perfectly sunny day.

The house I grew up in had that same huge double pane window across the front of the living room, looking out over the front yard. It had three sections though; the middle was the double pane filmy mess with two smaller portions on either side that could slide open.

My mom would hang our handmade arts and crafts hanging in the windows when my siblings and I were young. We would cut pumpkins out of orange construction paper and draw designs on the faces for Halloween, Turkeys with multi-colored feathers for Thanksgiving and green decorated trees for Christmas. I always looked forward to seeing them in the window as I would pass by our house riding the school bus each morning. It would make my heart ache just a little, wishing to be back inside the warm, comfortable living room.

I used to think the kitchen was the soul of a home, so to speak. But maybe it’s the living room. And the living room window is how we allow ourselves to see the outside, and in turn, to be seen. Or maybe I just have way too much time on my hands to consider the deeper meaning of floor plans. At any rate, it’s fun to think about. What’s your living room window look like? 

 

***