It used to be common to disguise an uninspired view with a glass shelf or shelves holding small potted plants. We've seen a lot of homes in SF with double parlors, and we've noticed that the back room in this arrangement invariably has a window with a view of the neighbor's siding. So we've decided that the glass-shelf window is an idea worth reviving. It eliminates both the ugly view and the need for a curtain or blinds. Daylight still shines through and you get a refreshing eye- and lungful of nature.

The simplest way we know to mount a glass shelf in a window frame is to use cable hanging devices.

This hardware suspends the shelf from the inner window frame and allow the shelf to carry quite a bit of weight. The Container Store sells pre-cut shelves with mounting hardware for $35 - $55. Better yet, have glass shelves cut and drilled to fit your particular window frame at an auto glass place like Acacia Glass Company, and buy the mounting brackets separately.

image: bibliona