Dressing wooden framed windows

When I was a child, I lived in a farm house that had sash windows throughout. They were wooden framed, with 12 panes in each window. Today when I look about I see an abundance of PVC-u window frames, the popular double and triple glazed windows that often come as standard now. However, what designers and home owners are now realising, is that  homes look so much more desirable with wooden frames in. Not only that but wooden frames offer more sustainability, more value to your home, and of course they come just as PVC-u do, with double or triple glazing, and can be made to measure.

The beauty of wooden framed windows is just how aesthetically pleasing they are. In comparison, it is as MDF is to Oak, which may sound harsh, but I always feel that natural products outdo something synthetic.

So how do we compliment  such a significant part of our homes? Windows are such a large part of our daily viewing, we tend to dress them with things we like to see. We use the space to place pretty things, as a light source, and we also have to have some control over privacy, warmth and how much light we do or don’t want in.

This large paned sash window has a wonderful large sill, with shutters that lay flat to the side. The woodwork is painted light to compliment the light source. The wide sill is an excellent home for plants. The minimal decor around the window allows maximum viewing to the stunning background scenery.

Another example with shutters, this time left natural to show the beauty of the wood. The darkened side panels form a frame for the window itself, so your viewing is channeled to the centre point. A table placed in front of the window allows for an excellent stage for placing items for showing. With a curtain placed across the widest part of the entire window, it is easy to open up the space in the day and close off for warmth once it gets dark.

Simplicity is key when the window itself is the focus of the room. With a beautiful view to the outside, one needs little more than some pretty flowers and green plants to flatter what is already there daily. Heavy curtains that part to the side form a subtle frame, and have their practical use when needed.

Light is such a significant part of any window, that we can capture it in using sun catchers. Without the light, the glass is dull and sometimes unrecognisable, but with the light the beauty of the art comes out, shining in its full glory. The use of coloured glass in any window is a great use of the magic of light. It brings colours alive, and brings life where before perhaps it wasn’t evident. Here we can see the brilliant use of glass paperweights showing up in the light of the window.

The kitchen window, a key part of our daily lives. It has practical use, for having things at hand, and it is possibly the most used window in the house. So we adorn it with pretty things, and complimentary items, things we want to see. Not always wise to have curtains, but a blind, of any type is usually the best option. Also a perfect viewing platform for felines.

Double Victorian sash windows, bringing in plenty of light to the lounge. The Roman blinds are great for taking up less room, thus allowing more light. This example are homemade, with a thick lining to act as a insulator and help keep out draughts. They sit snuggly flat to the window when down, and sit high when pulled up.

To dress the space around the window, antique prints on the wall flatter the overall appearance.

Bedroom windows with full length heavy curtains hung on a pole with rings form a softer appearance. With delicate voiles across the glass for some privacy. Pictures hung on the wall inbetween the windows adds some interest to the overall look.

Old sash windows come with old properties, and become part of the character of the house. It isn’t always practical, and there are often problems faced with painted in frames, broken ropes and such like. But the character and the glamour of the window is still very much alive without too much of an effort. A simple wooden framed kitchen window is transformed by simply adorning with a few colourful items, whether they we practical or not.

With age comes wisdom. And here in this example from an old Welsh property, we see the window dressed in a fashion that allows it to be still very much a feature in its own right, but with items around it that compliment the overall appearance. The ornaments and items are interesting, but subtle.

In old town houses, wooden window frames are a must. And even when they are crying out for some TLC, they can still be elegant and important, when dressed in simple heavy curtains and a practical blind. Nothing is distracting from this window that leads its way to the all important view to the outside world.

If you don’t want the whole attention seeking window, then adorn some of the space with something simple and complimentary, such as a house plant. Soft on the eye, and a nice addition to the light space. With a natural wood shelf in front of the window, the overall effect is pleasing.

The Wood Window Alliance is a group that promotes the use of wood in window frames. Within the WWA, there are over twenty manufacturers from the UK, all with the idea of making wood the first choice for window frames.

The reasons being; wooden frames are greener, last longer and offer better long term value than PVC-u alternatives.

The WWA provides the reassurance of an accredited quality benchmark as all members have to make windows that meet performance, quality and sustainability standards, with third-party certification or WWA accreditation and Chain of Custody timber certification.2 This quality benchmark is recognized by the Building Research Establishment, who award WWA windows the highest sustainability level in their categories.

For more information about WWA visit their website

This is a sponsored post. I was commissioned to write a post about dressing wooden framed windows, of which the opinions are my own.