Window dressing
Want your home to feel nice and private? LUKE RIX-STANDING looks at options to keep prying eyes at bay...
ALONGSIDE space, security and cosiness, privacy plays an important role in how comfortable we feel in our homes – and it’s an increasingly prized commodity.
Unless you live somewhere very rural, a glance out of the window will often reveal 10 or 20 other windows – and frequently their occupants going about their daily lives while trying very hard not to make eye contact. You don’t have to be a human-hating hermit to want a little bit of ‘me time,’ and no one wants their front room turning into the neighbourhood goldfish bowl.
Here are some ways you can insulate yourself from prying eyes – from contemporary, frosted window film to simply buying a large vase...
CURTAINS
PERHAPS the most popular choice for the nation’s windows, curtains are sleek, elegant and provide total privacy when drawn. They look good at any size (ever seen a wall-sized set of shutters?) so are a go-to for larger projects and help insulate your home during the winter months too.
They do, however, suit some spaces better than others. Be cautious in kitchens or bathrooms as the material may struggle with moisture and cooking fat.
In bedrooms, even light-blocking options sometimes allow in enough sunrise to ruin a light-sleeper’s lie-in.
Undulating several inches into the room, curtains take up a decent chunk of space too and can risk making small rooms feel smaller. Hanging fabrics don’t always fare well at the hands of kids or kittens, either.
Although curtains come in many shapes and sizes, quality fabrics are costlier than their mechanical counterparts, so your options may be limited by price range.
BLINDS
ROMAN or roller, vertical or Venetian, there are probably more different types of blind than there are windows in your home, and you’d be bestadvised to explore the wonderful world of blinds yourself.
There are, however, a few common traits. The good news is they’re usually very affordable, can fit in almost any aesthetic and are far less intrusive than bulky wooden shutters or curtains.
Most are moistureresistant, so fit for any room, while slatted models are specifically designed to regulate privacy and light.
The bad news is that they’re notoriously breakable, often lack the wow factor of larger, statement dressings, and can present a serious threat to small children thanks to hanging strings (so always opt for child-safe options if you share space with little ones).
WINDOW FILM
AN ‘au naturel’ option that leaves you free from structural work, window film creates a translucent surface that lets in light but debars prying eyes, akin to the tinted windows of a limousine. Filmed windows benefit from superior strength too – an added protection against shatter – and can potentially keep out harmful UV rays that may cause furniture to fade. There are loads of different varieties – insulating films that can reduce your utility bill, decorative films can turn normal windows into elegant style statements or dyed films that bathe your interior in coloured light.
The main drawback is simple – people can’t see in, but you also can’t really see out – while poor installation can leave your window looking bubbly and uneven.
SHUTTERS
THEY can be a little cumbersome, but shutters are an attractive, statement choice that may even add value to your home.
Low-maintenance, durable and free from cords and pulleys, slatted units leave residents with supreme flexibility over privacy and light. Open shutters offer unfettered access to your window, closed shutters are akin to blackout, and the shifting slats let you negotiate a balance between the two.
Classically associated with a whitewashed, Mediterranean style, shutters may not suit every aesthetic, and they are substantially pricier than their peers both to purchase and install.
BOTTOM UP BLINDS
A NATTY design choice that probably should be better known, the gravitydefying bottom up blind is exactly what it sounds like. Sometimes known as ‘reverse blinds,’ the fabric rolls up from the bottom via a pulley system and is then held in place with a cleat.
Particularly proficient at street level, the blinds allow natural light to flow through the tops of your windows while blocking nosy neighbours at the middle or bottom.
LINE OF SIGHT
WE don’t mean to sound glib, but if you don’t want to start messing around with your windows, but you still want a bit of privacy, you could just move some things around indoors. Use a large pot plant, a set of well-placed ceramics, a conveniently shaped item of furniture–anything that puts up a visual barrier without blocking out the light.