Windows from a turn-of-the-century villa in Geneva’s diplomatic quarter

I got a call from a customer: she had bought a villa in Geneva’s diplomatic quarter. However it was to be demolished and 3 new houses were to be built on the premises. I expressed my interest in the old building materials and decided to rescue any elements of the building that I could put to good use with my team of artisans.

I was able to recover beautiful old oak windows with old uneven panes of glass. The very decorative brass sliding bolts give the windows additional charm.

We took all these windows back to Hamburg and started to clean and restore them. Here we carefully removed the panes of glass – along with the ancient glazier’s putty.

Having removed the sliding window bolts, the wood was oiled and washed to return it to its former splendour. The glass panes were carefully reinserted and instead of using putty were held in place with tailor-made wooden strips.

Here I have converted a window into a showcase. Behind the showcase there is a fuse box that I wished to conceal.

My carpenter created a box-like structure giving me hidden storage space behind the showcase. The showcase itself has glass shelves to maintain its light and airy appearance.

We illuminated the whole case from the inside in order to allow the objects presented in it to have effect. By keeping the whole case in the same colour as the wall we have ensured that the window really comes into its own.

This is now the third light source in my loft, next to the Art Deco glass cabinet and the Light of Mons installation.

There is a mix of smaller and larger windows – I could imagine having several windows next to each other on a wall…. and visualise how homely this could look. Behind every window I can store or present different things.

They are also wonderful as room dividers – and lend a special charm to any room, in modern as well as older buildings.