Climbing vines? A mural? An espalier? An small courtyard?

It looks like there might be a small porch/lanai between the garage and the window, is that correct?

Actually This window looks directly into the garage through a window in the garage! There’s no room hardly at all between the two.

I would put a film over the garage window to block out the view into the garage.

I have to ask it: why did you put in a window with a view of a wall?

I mistakenly described it as 5 ft from the garage. Sorry! Would a frosted glass look weird? I plan on using the window light for plants.

This is my daughter’s house in Canada. It’s a house that is over 50 years old and the garage was added on after the house was built. Who knows why the original owners did what they did!

do you open the windows? I'm asking because this should have been addressed during the planning phase. you could have gotten a fixed window w/beveled leaded glass. Or you still can. are these the old windows?

Hi Mary,

Not sure if I'm following..

This window shares the same wall as your daughters garage? So it looks into the garage?

And the natural light is from windows in the garage? Or when the garage door is open?

They’ve never used this space for a kitchen as there was a basement kitchen which they used. But no, I’ve never seen them open that window.

Is there room outside the window to put a large pot with a big evergreen?

Beth, yes the windows are old. Janie, no its 2 separate walls.

Justice, that’s a possibility but I think it’s too high up from the ground.
I think my daughter is considering putting in a bay window, maybe frosted (or not), and growing plants there.

then take out that window(s) and replaced w/a fixed glass panel. you can have it made w/the beveled leaded glass, or get a plain glass and then have an inset piece made. (I did this w//my bathroom window,,,plain glass and had the inset piece made w/stained glass and beveled diamonds)

removing those old double sash and replacing w/a single fixed glass won't be that expensive. the reason I'm suggesting that is because those two windows w/the divider close in the area and prevent more light from coming in. plus, it looks blah. do the one, larger, fixed piece and pick whatever design you like.

if you think she may want to open it, then you could do a double slider

do something like this window and either get rain glass, or seeded glass, or the beveled diamonds. or get it plain and have the inset made after.

I used this https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01HTGS324/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 for privacy on a bathroom window and it looks great for my needs. Not sure if it's too tacky for your daughter, but it's CHEAP, FAST, and easily removed if you decide you don't like it. It lets plenty of light in, and will obstruct your view. I trimmed my film so i had one 1 1/2" or so around the film so I had some view out the window if needed.

Wow, Beth! Those are beautiful! I’ll show these to her. Thank you!!

Could you do something like this on the wall of the garage?

Steve J & Sebago Gal. Thank you! Good information and ideas!
I’ll let my Canadian know all this!
They’ve used a small basement kitchen for 6 years. This spot upstairs used to be the original owner’s 2nd kitchen but was completely empty when my dtr and SIL bought the house. They are now finally putting this in...upstairs where 3 bedrooms, living room and DINING ROOM are! They’re so excited! I guess orig owners liked a basement kitchen so they just got rid of their upstairs one. Left to do is countertops, backsplash, painting of the hanging lights, island and walls. And doing something with the notorious window. Thank you all! (I love Houzz.)

I love Beth H's idea with the beveled or leaded glass window. Or you could get some cute shutters.

Or get some thin fabric and do the bottom part of the window.

For an easy fix I would do window film cut into four pieces to cover each square of window. A few different British companies make particularly handsome ones. Be sure to use on that has a lot of frost and less transparency. It will allow the light in but obscure the view.

Pamela and Kendra, love both your ideas! And thanks for the photos! I’m definitely passing all these ideas to Canada.

I like the idea of camouflaging the garage somehow.


Does the garage need that window, for light? Maybe they could put frosted glass in the garage window, so they don't have to look -into- the garage anymore, but just -at- it.

And then I like the idea of putting plants on shelves or a lattice right in front of the window.

But of course, plants won't look nice in the winter, so maybe just a decorative painted lattice over the window area.

Thank you, talley_sue_nyc! Never thought of doing something to the garage window! Definitely an idea “outside the box” (window, in this case!). Passing your idea along!

You know, your daughter can start an account of her own. Lots of Canadians on Houzz.

How day you go with this please,

They moved that garage

wall back and replaced the kitchen window with a "picture window" (I call it...old school). Now the view from the kitchen is much more open.

Your post is helping me think of ideas! Thanks! I recently bought a home where a garage was added on the house and the kitchen window was left that looks into the garage. I don’t want to look at our cars while I’m washing dishes. I do like the frost glass idea and the window clings.