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maggierateye

Too much?

5 years ago

These are two old, interesting window frames that I want to hang over my couch. In the photos, they're just leaning on the wall. The ceiling is high in my living area, and I think I need to go BIG to make an impact. Hang only one? Both? Too blah? (I do have new, more colorful throw pillows on the way, but have also thought about attaching and painting canvas to the backs of the windows to add color...) What says the Houzz community?

Comments (87)

  • 5 years ago

    Calidesign, good point. Especially here in the desert. And today were having a wind storm!

  • 5 years ago

    KW, The 3M velcro might be the ticket, these windows aren't that heavy. Does it leave any glue residue? The French doors are in the dining area, where the ceiling is lower, about 9&1/2'. There's room, though.

  • 5 years ago

    No, they don’t leave residue. There are different sizes rated for different weights & they come in black or white. The object to be hung needs a flat surface to stick the strip to but I have cut them to shorter lengths. Here’s a link to the Command site.

    3M Command Strips


    maggierateye thanked KW PNW Z8
  • 5 years ago

    I have something similar to your frames, but mine has leaded glass. I have them hanging in the dining room side by side. I backed mine with a light weight material.

    maggierateye thanked functionthenlook
  • 5 years ago

    Can you hang them the other way so they’re not the exact same width as the couch?

  • 5 years ago

    Mmc429 You mean stack them horizontally? That's a fresh suggestion...

  • 5 years ago

    it is a fresh suggestion! And, there’s lots of wall space there. If those Command strips work it should be no problem to change it if you don’t like it!

  • PRO
    5 years ago

    Command strips require flat surface. Your walls seem to have more texture?

  • 5 years ago

    Following

  • PRO
    5 years ago

    Depending on the thickness of your frame, you might be able to use metall stand offs to hold the windows away from the wall and in position.

    https://www.displays2go.com/C-4740/Economy-Aluminum-Standoffs-Sold-Sets-4

    maggierateye thanked BeverlyFLADeziner
  • 5 years ago

    @BeverlyFLADeziner - I’ve seen those devices before but never knew what they were called. That’s’ s a great idea! And thanks for the info 🙂.

  • 5 years ago

    Love your frames and they would look great over your sofa and add a lot of character to your room! Caution we used command strips every and after a year or so we had random pictures falling down! I love the idea of them and have replaced some with the outdoor adhesive strips in the hope they last longer!

    maggierateye thanked dee_mckervey
  • 5 years ago
    last modified: 5 years ago

    Hang both. Consider creating a large frame around the windows and painting the background a contrasting color to the window frames for more impact.

  • 5 years ago

    I really like them. Add 2 pretty Joanna Gaines wreaths to them for life.

    maggierateye thanked JMC
  • 5 years ago
    last modified: 5 years ago

    There’s already a lot going on in the room, so my suggestion would be to hang both frames above couch without embellishment, side by side and fairly close together. The tone of the walls and furniture lean toward simplicity and these windows add a little whimsy. I would beef up the throw cushions to add a colour punch.

  • 5 years ago

    Don’t do anything to them and use them side by side just the way they are. They are art, in and of themselves.

    maggierateye thanked Susan Briand
  • 5 years ago

    Hang them horizontally one on top of the other. That way they would address some of the wall height. Don’t put any embellishment as it will begin to look “grannyish “

    maggierateye thanked aniluap2
  • 5 years ago
    last modified: 5 years ago

    I would paint the wall behind the loveseat a darker color, hang both windows above it and get a brighter area rug that works with the new throw pillows. Don't put a picture behind them; it will look like a restaurant.

    maggierateye thanked mvgny
  • 5 years ago

    New pillows on the way. The rug is a family heirloom, so it stays. And the walls have a lime plaster, so no paint. I COULD put color behind the windows, on canvas or masonite, though. I'm going to try the horizontal thing today.

  • 5 years ago

    If the rug is an heirloom, could it go somewhere else? Of course, it may be brighter than it looks in the photo. One way to hang the windows would be to drop chains from the ceiling; my house is adobe and it's dangerous to hang heavy objects on the walls.


    maggierateye thanked mvgny
  • 5 years ago

    I would hang one window (they’re beautiful by the way) horizontal over the back of the couch. I would change out the lampshade to something smooth and a little bigger. Colour is not necessary if you want a zen space. Pull some of the colours out of your carpet in different textures, and also add a throw. An inviting warm and wonderful space! You can use the other window somewhere leaning on the wall vertically similar to a floor mirror.

  • 5 years ago

    @BeverlyFLADeziner - thanks for posting the metal standoffs - I’ve never seen those before (apparently, I don’t get out much!) - think they may help solve one of my issues!


    You always provide so much help in these discussions!

  • 5 years ago

    Old windows are a great way to fill wall space! These are so pretty. I’d probably just hang them without embellishment. If you want to soften the look, you can use
    simple wreaths. Here’s a photo of our farm guest house master bedroom where we used old windows with magnolia wreaths... but this is country and you may not want to go that direction. Great windows you’ve got. Enjoy!

  • 5 years ago
    last modified: 5 years ago

    Yep, that lampshade is old and cracked on the inside anyway. I've been thinking of a simpler linen drum shade.

  • 5 years ago

    The windows are beautiful! Maybe it's because I live in California, but I would never hang something that heavy over a sofa, chair or bed for safety reasons

    maggierateye thanked sue_94502
  • 5 years ago

    Sue, they really arent that heavy! I'm guessing they were built of fir wood. Not oak or anything super-dense.

  • 5 years ago

    I think window frames like that work best with mirrors mounted behind them. And I think they would work well as a pair, hung that way. However, I cannot tell whether they are the correct dimensions for that space. You have the narrow window to compete with, and the sofa is small. I would suggest experimenting with placement, by sticking just the frames on the wall (you can avoid making holes by using Command velcro hanging strips). If you figure out a placement that works, tape aluminum foil behind the frames and see what you think abut backing them with mirror. Depending on where your view window is, they could do something interesting with that reflection, or at least kick more light into the room. The drawback is that backing them with mirrors can be expensive, and they will be heavy (needing secure hangers).

    maggierateye thanked P M
  • 5 years ago

    That's good. I was thinking they had glass in them, which would make them really heavy. They really are lovely.

    maggierateye thanked sue_94502
  • 5 years ago

    Flo, the walls are pretty smooth. A few trowel marks from the plasterer, but mostly any variation you see is just the variation in the plaster itself. He sealed these walls with a mixture of olive oil and glycerin, which brings out the color some.

  • 5 years ago

    I agree with those that are suggesting you hang them horizontally and leave them as the beautiful architectural elements they are.

    maggierateye thanked sdidow
  • 5 years ago

    Sdidow, here they are horizontally, still just stacked on the back of the couch. I'd need a few inches above the couch, plus some space between them, so horizontal isn't going to work. There's no crown molding yet around the ceiling, so that, too, has to be factored in. It's good to rule that possibility out, though.


  • 5 years ago

    I like them side by side. Stacked they look like a ladder. Those kinds of windows are meant to hang with the triangles at the top and bottom.

    maggierateye thanked functionthenlook
  • 5 years ago

    I think we've narrowed it down. Horizontal doesn't work, one gets lost on that wall, so it's two, side by side, no embellishment. I can always add mirror behind them later. I'll post a photo when they're hung, along with the new pillows and lampshade. Thanks, everyone, for all the help!

  • 5 years ago

    I had the impression they were longer - side by side it is! They’re going to look great. Moving forward, I always find the rule of 3 to be a good jumping off point. In this instance, if you want to play with that concept, you could find a 3rd item to hang between the windows.

  • 5 years ago

    I understand the concern about adding weight with mirrors, but custom cut plexiglass mirror might be a nice option for the future. (Here is a second hand gun cabinet with leaded beveled glass panels that I backed with mirrors to create a coat closet.) I always love how mirrors open up a room and bounce light around—and you could catch snippets of your amazing view from other angles. :)

    If you are loathe to drill into the plaster, the windows might be suspended from the ceiling with eye hooks and thin chains. I have seen a number of leaded glass windows hung like this from porches.

    maggierateye thanked dancethewildfandango
  • 5 years ago

    Sdidow, hmm... I have an old, silvered piece of decorative wood trim, tapered at both ends, that might work. Or even above the windows, horizontally.

    The ideas just keep coming!

  • 5 years ago

    Yeah, I dont like them stacked horizontally, but thanks for showing it. I wonder how they would look horizontal and side by side, but ultimately, you got some good input and I do like them vertical, how they were meant with the triangles originally, too. The idea of thirds I will keep in mind for future decor.

  • 5 years ago

    Antiqued mirror glass would be nice behind these. There are diy techniques to make regular mirror look antiqued.

    maggierateye thanked territheresa
  • 5 years ago

    I would only hang one and put a mirror behind it. Based on the size of the love seat, I think the two together would be too much. I think they are great and would use the other frame some were else. great find!

  • 5 years ago

    I know I suggested the horizontal approach but they actually look better with the sofa proportions if they are vertical.

  • 5 years ago

    Mercury glass would also look nice behind it/them. You can find diy directions to change regular glass to mercury glass online as well.

  • 5 years ago

    Aniluap2, it was worth a try!

  • PRO
    5 years ago

    I like the 2 frames horizontally next to one another above the sofa, and then the burro yoke centered on the wall above the drapery rod.

    I like the idea of mercury glass mirror behind the windows. If you’re looking to add color to the room, you could always paint the frames, although I’d say to then distress, bleach and otherwise make the paint look old and not new and shiny.

    maggierateye thanked adalisa frazzini
  • 5 years ago

    I like the window frames and I think both would be great. Hang them just where they are but up higher so that the bottoms are slightly higher than the back of the couch. You have an interesting ceiling and, because it’s high, you need to fill the space of the wall and in this case draw the eye upward to look to the ceiling. I agree with others that the rug needs to be either tied in with similar colors or moved to another room. Post when you get your pillows so we can see if they tie it together!

    maggierateye thanked Heidi Mueller
  • PRO
    5 years ago

    Hang them horizontally together, I’d add a magnolia wreath or forsythia one centered over where the 2 meet. Agree with an earlier comment to upgrade the lamp shade with a drum shade. The pleated on dates it.

  • 5 years ago

    I finally got in all the pillows I ordered, and hung the window frames side by side (and, yes, I have to adjust the one on the right). I still want to hang that double burro yoke above the windows, and may eventually add antiqued mirror glass in the frames.

  • 5 years ago

    Also waiting on a tapered linen drum shade for that lamp!

  • 5 years ago

    Looks really great! Love the window frames on the wall - really add nice texture to the room. Colors in pillows are great too- seems to bring out color in lamp base.

    maggierateye thanked KW PNW Z8
  • 5 years ago

    Looks great. Leave the frames as they are for your rustic southwestern look. The antiqued mirror is too much.

    maggierateye thanked aniluap2
  • 5 years ago

    Looks very nice!! Something you could always do for color is add fabric to the back of the frames

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