Window woes

If you can see the sun and/or you don’t have to wear three layers of clothes at the moment, count yourself lucky. Here in Ireland we skipped spring and summer, and headed straight into next winter. Grey skies, biblical downpours, freezing temperatures and snow. Thanks to the reminders going around social networking sites, this time last year it was 16 degrees in Dublin. I didn’t even bother opening the blinds last weekend …

They remained closed for two reasons. We’re renters, so there is a limit to what we can do when it comes to fixing minor issues – our dining room juts out from our apartment and consists of three floor-to-ceiling windows. In the summer it’s amazing, but in the winter = ice box. We close the blinds as our first defense against the cold. Our second defense was to hang a curtain rod across where our living room meets our dining room, to close and isolate the dining area at night in the winter months {mad props to handyman father}.

Unfortunately, they only keep out so much. I found a type of blinds over on the VELUX® website that offer the perfect solution – Energy Blinds have a special layer of insulation to keep in the heat and improve the temperature of the room. Absolute perfection. Except there is one massive set back – VELUX blinds can only be applied to their own brand of windows, and our existing windows don’t compete. Massive sad face. But hey, a girl can dream.

I also spotted on the VELUX website something I was pretty surprised to see this side of the Atlantic – insect screens. I’ve been saying for years that I don’t understand why houses over here don’t have them. If any of you have VELUX windows installed in your home, I’m mad jealous. More info of course can be found over on their website – www.veluxshop.ie.

So until the summer time when it’s warm enough to use our dining room again, hubby and I have found dining a la coffee table a completely acceptable alternative. Although I am starting to show my age when I try and stand up after a full meal …

Image 3 cred. 
VELUX were kind enough to sponsor this post about my winter window woes, which I’m pretty excited about. Excited about the sponsor bit – not the cold state of our dining room. In case that needed clarification. All views are my own.

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6 Comments

  1. March 26, 2013 / 12:42

    A sponsor?
    Wow, cool!
    We in canada joke about our "second" winter each year. It always warms up for a week, then plunges back into full winter.

    • March 28, 2013 / 15:41

      Ugh, yeah I think we're slipping into our 'forever' winter here though. I can feel my body screaming for sun and warm!

      xx

  2. John JJP
    March 26, 2013 / 16:43

    i totally adore how you had dinner at your living room coffee table. its like a posh picnic! or fancy japanese style eating.

    i must not forget – thank you for the curtain tip1!!! i have a similar problem in my loft and that's the perfect solution.

    • March 28, 2013 / 15:42

      I'm glad I was of some help, John 🙂 And I like how you think. Posh picnics from now until the warmer weather!

  3. March 26, 2013 / 20:45

    Is this where I rub it in and then karma comes back to bite me on the bum later? For the first time in a long time we have had the most awesome summer. So much so we are on an outdoor water ban in our region
    because of a drought. And in fact most of New Zealand is facing a drought sue to the long hot summer. Alas I will say it is now Autumn, and daylight savings about to end. Also the mornings are a wee bit colder now. Anyway enough of me lol. Those blinds are a good find, bumma that they can only be applied to their own brand of windows. But cool that they are a sponser for this post. also love the new dining area, looks very chi chi….kinda fun to shake things up. Hey I like your placemats, is it a cutlery placemat? I have a thing about cutlery wallpaper and stamps lol

    • March 28, 2013 / 15:46

      Oh yes, our place mats have a cute vintage cutlery print on them. I bought them from Urban Outfitters years ago. I must admit after a glass of wine I am easily tricked by the cutlery print and attempt to pick them up. Sad, I know.

      So jealous of your summer and autumn weather. Don't worry, I'll rub it in when you're in the thralls of winter 😉