When a Window Faces a Cinder Block Wall…Paint It!

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Here in the southwest states many of our backyards are made out of cinder block. As is the case with so many neighborhoods, houses are packed together as close as possible. It is also the case that most houses have windows on every side. When we put these three statements of windows together–small lots, cinder block and windows–some window is going to face a cinder block wall.

I don’t know about you, but I can’t say I enjoy looking at a cinder block wall when I’m eating my Wheaties. I don’t like them when I’m eating chocolate sugar bombs with chocolate milk either. This is also one of those rare cases where even a beer float can’t change the fact that the bay window in my kitchen table area is facing a cinder block wall.

However, as many artists will agree, what’s a cinder block wall but another type of canvas?

Despite the fact that we can’t change the location or base material, we can get creative with anything on our side of the wall. In this case, I chose paint. Or, perhaps I should say the last owners of the house chose paint.

The backyard was originally painted a cream color and in the years since it had started peeling. The paint stopped before it extended into the side yards. So my husband and I scraped off as much as we could with metal brushes and drywall trowels. Then we power washed the walls a couple times to clean out the settled dirt from years of dust storms. Next, we spray painted primer, then rolled on the remainder of the Behr Elastomeric (too thick for a paint sprayer) leftovers from painting the house.

It was a win in that I was able to use the leftovers as well as match the walls to the house. We extended the paint all the way through the side yards so that the windows facing cinder block are looking at a more appealing view.

Of course, a uniform color isn’t that much different than looking at grey cement cinder blocks. So I jazzed up the wall outside the kitchen table area with a large format stencil from Hobby Lobby.

Here’s a photo of the work in progress.

The idea was to continue the theme coming from the grommet curtains. This is my view while creating this post.

As for the backyard, there is an entirely different theme. I spent more than a few evenings with an old school projector bought from the ASU surplus store.

I plan on creating an intimate reading nook area. Two of the panels in the secret corner are the inverse darker green color. These two corner panels will become hidden as the Tarocco blood orange tree fills in to the space.

On top of placing the opposite color on the main intricate design, I also came up with a ghosting color to add more visual interest. The ghosting color really pops in the evening hours as the sun sets. For completeness, I applied the ghosting design first, with the main color going on second.

While I chose to paint the cinder block wall, there are many other ideas that are also aesthetically pleasing.

One of my co-workers has designed shelving where he and his wife placed herbs, succulents and other hardy plants. A mirror, metal wall hanging, wooden structure or any other kind of medium can help bring the outside in, enhancing your living space.

Rather than looking at the block wall as a source of annoyance, it can be a source of inspiration. After living with the privacy of a cinder block wall you realize there are some conveniences. If you have a pool no one has to see if you have your bikini body in shape, much less if you have tan lines from sunbathing. 😉 Not true in my case–everyone who knows me laughs at my bike tan in the summer…

Whatever you have, think outside the fence. Embrace it and see what inspires you.

I always get a smile after looking at this picture…my dad left a nice note on one of my parents’ visits. At the time, I was working late night vigils with the projector in the backyard before I had a chance to beautify the bay window. I distinctly remember bobbing my head up and down as I attempted to see through the slats of the original mini blinds as we sat down for breakfast–WAS THAT A SIGN ON THE WALL?!?!

Why, yes, indeed it was according to my dad’s cat-ate-the-canary smile.