Friday, July 31, 2009

Porch Rails. They’ve come a long way, baby.

Last week, my friend Maya at Completely Coastal wrote about Adirondack Chairs.  In her post she showed the following photograph of an image we all think of when we think of the adirondack chair.  When I saw this image, I saw the lovely chair, but I also thought to myself, “whoever sits there will surely have no view of the water beyond as the porch rails will certainly obstruct that magnificent view.”   And this was the inspiration for this post.  Read on.

If you are lucky enough to have a view from your porch, consider this.

Traditional rails made of wood.  Good.

Adirondack-chair-white railswithoutaview

 

 

Stainless Steel Cable Railing systems.  Better.

 

 

Glass railing system.  Best!

 

 

If you’re lucky enough to have a view, don’t obstruct it with the wrong type of railing system!

As always, Friday’s mean it is “Hooked on Fridays” time over at Hooked on Houses.  Take a peak over there to see what others are hooked on today!  Also visit The Inspired Room’s Beautiful Life Friday Blog Party.  Enjoy!

15 comments:

  1. I love the glass railings. You're absolutely right -- if you have a great view, don't block it with wood spindles.

    Now I need to find myself a house with a view that requires glass railings!! :-)

    Kelly @ DeisgnTies

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  2. Tradiitonal is cosy but the glass rail makes you feel free. Now I just need to find a porch with a view, that's my dream, maybe one day.
    Adele

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  3. Thank you so much for the mention! I couldn't agree more. That's why I have rockers on my porch. You sit much higher..., well I do have nice open railings too. Great post. And have a wonderful weekend.

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  4. I love the idea of the glass..no obstruction of beautiful views. Our favorite hotel looks right over the ocean, but when I am 18 stories up, I feel a bit nervous with nothing but wrought iron.

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  5. How pretty! I am visiting via Hooked on Houses.
    Please drop by and enter my giveaway.

    Have a blessed weekend!

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  6. I've certainly sat in great porches unable to see though the balustrade. Hurts my eyes.

    But this is a hard one for me as I've come to dislike heights as I've gotten older. If I'm too high, the glass ones scare me. I can't tell you in advance what too high is. I had a "spell" recently at a loft tour. One section of a wall on the 5th floor rooftop was glass wall overlooking the courtyard. It was modern, looked great, had a great view, and was probably stronger than steel. But it didn't look strong. I couldn't go near it and instinctively grabbed my wife and daughter when they got too close.

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  7. Excellent points you make! Thank you for the informative post!

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  8. Funny, growing up in the North in the fifties I think of Adirondack chairs as dark green and sitting on a farmhouse lawn or possibly an open porch. My how times ( and colors)have changed.

    Janet @ Housepeepers

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  9. Glass railings just make so much sense! why didn't I think of that?!

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  10. Love the glass railings...several houses around here use them (ocean view)...But and it's a big but...when you have a nosy smudgy Great Dane, I don't see them being soo pretty, constantly needing windex!

    fun post!!

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  11. Très FAB porches!!! I would sit on any of those and be HAPPY!!!

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  12. I completely agree! You wouldn't believe how often that mistake is made here with villas overlooking beautiful lagoons. Colonial style heritage I think.
    Great post, thx for sharing

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  13. Spectacular! I would love to live in a place with these kinds of scenery. The only thing that separates your physical self from this scenic view is the railing system.

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  14. Wouldn't it be a PITA to keep the glass clean? I'd think it'd look spotty after every rain.

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  15. I have been thinking about this issue, having bought a fixer cabin with a bare cement porch and a fabulous view. Thanks for the photos--they make me realize I don't like any of these solutions, including the glass--it contradicts the whole idea of a Zen view, and feels really exposed to me. I think I'm going to screen the porch, and have a wood framework holding the screens, but positioned to be above and below eye level. Then I'm going to grow something (like jasmine) up the screens and prune it so there are windows.

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