In most of Mexico, bars on the windows are a fact of life. I love them! What a sense of freedom there is to be able to have any and all windows in your house open whenever you want!
In the summertime here in Mazatlán, it is hot and muggy. The thing that saves us is air movement. We get some from the ceiling fans but we really count on the breeze we get through our open windows and doors, too.
Before we got the iron door made for our master bath we had to always prop the door open with a brick and remember to close it when we left the house. And there was no opportunity to catch a through-breeze during most of the year when we sleep with our windows open. Here’s a picture of it, below….it has obscure glass that can open separately from the door. (The picture is taken from the patio outside)
Some protections are plain, and some are fancy. I love this one, don’t you?
Here’s a close-up of the bit at the top. The house is about a half block from the ocean – you can see the salt air has done a number on it!
Some are classic, like the one below. See the shutter behind the bars? Those of us with houses right on the sidewalk in Centro really appreciate the privacy. Paul and I will get them for our house someday.
Some are kind of plain-Jane but nice:
Some don’t protect anything anymore!
And some are more beautiful and elegant than you can imagine. I love the curl at the top so much!
I love being able to be upstairs, or taking a nap, or able to leave the house and have our house stay fresh and cool. (okay, not exactly cool, but…) They are perfectly suited to the climate and lifestyle here.
And we can’t forget how nice it is for a dog to sit and be able to say hello to everyone who walks by!
jennifer
July 26, 2008I totally agree with you. I don’t know what we would do without our bars. It’s weird to think about our lives before when we kept everything closed up all the time for security and climate control. We leave all of our windows open 24/7. It’s so nice to always have fresh air. Of course, now that it’s rainy season, we do to get up in the middle of the night sometimes and run around closing windows. 😉
Billie
July 27, 2008Everyone has them here in SMA too. We even put them on the windows in the studio but we have a little ledge between the window and the bars and Taylor loves it there surveying the street from the 2nd story.
Calypso
July 27, 2008great subject for a photo essay! The bars have it and they don’t grate on me at all 😉
mcm
July 27, 2008Fitting your protectores with windowscreen (have them use screws, rather than rivets, so that you can change the screen if needed) is also a good idea if bugs are a problem.
Michael
July 27, 2008Nancy I noticed that the interior panel on your door has the wrong swing for security. If it were reversed a person on the outside could not access your lock(s).
Sorry to be anal but I am in the construction industry and look for things such as these. Your home is lovely and I have enjoyed you work since before you left the US.
Michael
Nancy
July 27, 2008Michael,
Not sure what you mean…the door is a deadbolt with a key required on both sides, and the glass panel opens in with locks on the bathroom side with toggle bolt things to hold it in place. The patio itself is about 6′ by 8′ and is on the second floor with no access except from the bedroom or by Superman so I think we are ok.
Appreciate the tip though, because you never know!
Beth
July 29, 2008Beautiful photos and the different bars lend such a flavour and flair to the architecture of the houses!
(And of course… you know how I feel about your house!)
American Mommy in Mexico
August 3, 2008Love the photos! It gave me a new way to think about this feature on Mexico buildings!
Nancy
August 3, 2008Hey Beth and American Mommy,
Thanks for the compliment on my photos. I try, but I wish I had a better camera…and a better eye!
N.