Today’s post is presented by Everhem, a company that makes getting custom window treatments a breeze. They are also offering discounts, free measuring, and a selection of free products to L.A. fire victims.
In 1993, Melissa Etheridge implored her lover to “come to her window.” Sorry — “Come to my windaaoooow.” Her request illustrates the romance of windows, whether you are looking out or peering in. I’ve always imagined Etheridge leaning against the casing of an arched window of a classic California Spanish home, gazing over the twinkling lights of the Hollywood Hills…
Except I saw the video for the first time today, and wow — did I ever get that wrong.
Apparently, the window in question is one of a rather grimy mental institution. This is a room that could absolutely benefit from a renovation, one worthy of a very ubiquitous design media headline, in which a “dark, cramped” space is “transformed into a light-filled” dwelling.
Windows transform the emotional experience of architecture, whether you are the gazer or the gazee.
Your windows: Are frames of a landscape that remain largely unchanged and yet the longer you gaze out of them, the more details you perceive. Gazing out a window is a mostly mostly solitary experience. Unless, of course you have a view of people having sex, as one Carrie Bradshaw famously did. (And there’s the time when I worked at Cosmo, and the entire staff flocked to a window in Hearst Tower to see a couple across the way engage in some afternoon delight.)
Other people's windows: Impart assumptions about style and status. They’re also borders containing unfamiliar worlds, the jumping-off points for daydreaming and imagination.
I’ve been thinking a lot about windows recently — and not just because our tiny Craftsman home somehow contains 23 windows. I’m in a daydream hole about moving my family abroad for a period of time; my AI therapist has convinced me it’s the only solution to quell my anxieties about school shootings and toxic post-fire air. My favorite windows come in the form of European apartment housing. Baron Haussmann (basically the architect of Paris)…
…and the Swedes really have some things figured out.
When your windows are this cute, you don’t need a lick of fancy furniture or decor to make your home magazine-worthy. In fact, the less stuff and ornamentation around a historic window, in this newsletterer’s humble opinion, the better.
My British husband likes to shit all over American buildings and architecture, often randomly lamenting that U.S. has “nothing old.” I mean, in comparison, that’s fair.
But Americans, and specifically Californians, have figured out some wonderful ways to window. We love a good Spanish style, like what we used to have in our Silver Lake apartment (god, I miss that place).
My other favorite L.A. home styles with great windows:
Craftsman, because duh. It truly is so cool to live in THE center of Arts & Crafts and Craftsman homes here in Pasadena.
Of course, we can’t talk about windows without addressing another category of architecture that puts the window on a pedestal: Modernism. These folks — Le Corbusier, Mies, Neutra, Eames, and others — were purists, sometimes employing panes of glass so expansive, the effect ultimately transformed the concept of window-within-a-wall to a new window-as-wall form.
These architects were highly philosophical about their work, and the window all of a sudden became not just functional but ideological; in erasing boundaries between inside and out, architects looked to incorporate nature into the experience of living. This technique, of course, also opened up a new conversation about light and its role in the home. As Louis Kahn once said, “The sun does not realize how wonderful it is until after a room is made."
It is a truly elegant idea to think about living in a space that forces you be constantly looking outward. Then again, I look at these houses and think, man, you must have to spend a fortune on custom drapery to be able to actually live there. After all, how are you supposed to take a Zoom meeting at 5 p.m. when your computer screen faces west?
Of course, not all of us get to pick our windows. All you NYC renters, especially, are probably working with something like this:
But even sad windows can be beautiful — it’s just all dependent on how you dress them up. Here’s some solid advice from Haley Weidenbaum, founder of Everhem:
As an interior designer and founder of Everhem, I have seen how windows can completely transform a room, becoming a key focal point when treated thoughtfully. At the same time, I understand that in today's world, privacy and functionality are just as important as aesthetics. Marrying these priorities is the key to great window treatments.
A perfectly tailored treatment doesn't just fit the window it fits the home's style and the homeowner's needs. The right design can frame the view, bring in natural light, and even make a small window feel larger, all while offering privacy and practicality. This balance is only possible with custom designs, which ensure your window treatments work beautifully in every sense.
So, whether you have architecturally gorgeous windows or not, there are a lot of ways to make a window treatment feel unique, uber-elegant, even quirky.
If you are feeling bondage-y, try CB2’s chain curtain tie-backs:
For the full-on designer look, opt for Everhem’s custom drapery in sand:
If you are feeling Heathers-y, some cotton bow tie-backs will do:
Cafe curtains are a favorite these days, but have you heard of the micro cafe curtain?
And if you are feeling quite Fronch, then perhaps pair your drapes with a lavish tassel, comme ceci:
Let’s conclude today’s post by revisiting a music video window that has achieved iconic status in the canon of millennial history:
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Schmatta is written by Leonora Epstein, a former shelter pub editor-in-chief. Follow at @_leonoraepstein and/or @schmattamag. For consulting and collab requests, please visit my website or reach out to leonoraepstein [at] gmail
Your British husband is not wrong! 🤣
i needed this reminder to get grown up drapery!!