Hello, my MARtians!
When I was a little boy my Mother would say, “Look at the window curtains on a house; they will tell you a great deal about the person who lives inside.” I always wondered, “But what if there aren’t any curtains?”
Fast-forward, and now I’m finding out exactly what kind of person that is. For I’m one of them! I don’t use window treatments; I ‘dare to go bare’! To me, a window is supposed to allow light and air to enter into the space; I think a room just feels larger when natural light comes in unobstructed. In my home, Rosebrook Gardens, because there are no window treatments on the main floor, each window and doorway looks as if a painting was placed beyond it for my view and enjoyment. I can see gardens with roses covered with blooms, trees perfectly placed, all beautiful beyond the imagination – not just the setting, but the many birds and wildlife that have come to make Rosebrook Gardens their home, too.
My garden studio, complete with a Dutch door, has no window treatments, either, thus allowing light to enter and views to be enjoyed both in and out. I relax, enjoying my backyard outdoor living room space, to wonderful views of the Garden Studio, the most popular space for parties, TV filming and playing in the dirt. This simple “lack of window treatment” is intentional, as it mimics this no window treatment philosophy in my home.
My simple rule? “If there is nothing to see, there is nothing to hide.” Let me explain. If privacy is not an issue and no one can see you inside, and it is not a bedroom or bathroom, why cover it up? Don’t get me wrong, window treatments are essential for cutting the glare on computers and TV’s and create the nighttime mood when one is trying to sleep, yet many people are programmed to install treatments just because there is a window or glass door.
I think that if you were to visit my home my point of view would be validated. Truth be told, I seek out and embrace all views, whether looking out or looking in. From the beauty of the gardens, and the vignettes I create, to the views of the rooms I’ve designed; the unbroken transition from inside to out creates balance and harmony.
From inside or out, no doubt you would say the views are aMARzing!
