WINDOWS! WINDOWS! WINDOWS!

The Netherlands provide you with one delightful perk – an opportunity to gaze!

At showcases, windows, design of grocery shops and even interiors of natives’ apartments. As a person who loves with eyes, I was totally impressed by this little feature.

Neither do people have burglar bars here, they often have no curtains! Nor did I notice security cameras stuck outside of buildings, every 2 meters from each other, as it is in London, for example.

That amazed me, since I grew up in Russia where up to a fifth floor each window has burglar bars, and dwellers live behind at least two metal doors.

Why is that?

They say this tradition dates back to the XVIth century when an unpleasant protégé from Spain (under the reign of which Holland was) prohibited locals to curtain their windows, so that the Spanish forces could immediately see if someone was loading a musket preparing for ‘La Revolución’.

Eventually the Netherlands became independent, but the taste for “openness” stayed.

And now the Dutch say this habit is an evidence they have nothing to hide. Not that simple, though. I believe, for them it is also an opportunity to keep their households, their environment clean, healthy and aesthetically pleasing. At the end of the day, it’s no good to wash dirty clothes in public. And when the public is here to observe your clothes through transparent windows, you will keep your outfits clean, won’t you?

Besides, heavy blinds often don’t fit into interiors – they may only handle transparent tulle. The “lagom” style is not unfamiliar here – minimalism and aesthetic functionality play an important role here.

Last, but not least – Holland is a Northern country. Hot sunny summers have occurred here only for the last couple of years, but the situation is not stable at all. The country cannot boast of a considerable amount of sunny days per year. So why hide behind heavy blinds? Drop them!

Below check the beauty of openness. Everything around us is politics and design. And even windows, aren’t they?

Can you spot a more “Dutch” McDonald’s? So good they preserved the authentic facade!

By the way, have a look at the buildings’ top floors – right under the roof you can notice hooks – they are used to elevate large pieces of furniture through windows. Narrow staircases of old buildings are not suitable for that.