5 Window Privacy Ideas to Protect Your Home

Alfred Hitchcock was a voyeur. And he never tried to hide it. Most of his films are about spies, sabotage, lying, sneaking around, covering things up when they’re still in plain sight – his entire filmography is made up of sneaking in on other’s dirty little secrets. Perhaps the most obvious is Rear Window, in which Jimmy Stewart – a photojournalist in a wheelchair due to an accident on the job – starts to spy on his neighbours in the alley out of boredom.

Things suddenly take a turn when he starts to suspect one of them (Raymond Burr) of murdering and cutting up his wife. But it doesn’t end with him, soon his girlfriend and nurse join in on the spying until ultimately, it turns out they were right.

However, you aren’t in a movie, and hopefully you aren’t planning on murdering your spouse anytime soon, you just happen to enjoy a bit of privacy; alone time during which you don’t have to worry about what others think or feel about you.

It’s not uncommon to walk by a window and take a peek, just out of curiosity or to get out of your own head. We’re fascinated by people who are not ourselves. We already know who we are, who is this other person and what are they doing with that chain saw?

Of course, no one ever wants to talk about it. It’s an unspoken fetish of human nature. Some of us, however, demand a certain degree of privacy. Below are five window privacy ideas to keep your doings away from prying eyes:

1. Blinds

Well, obviously, right? If you want your personal space to be just that, the word “blind” should be included there. The question is what style you prefer. You can be comfortably private while still mixing up the Feng Shui of your living or bedroom. Venetian blinds, or horizontal blinds, are some of the most popular on the market and come in a variety of different materials; wood, vinyl, faux wood, plastic, whatever your budget can afford, you can be feel comfortable in your own home with a good set of blinds.

If you happen to have a sliding glass doorway, the best window privacy idea is to go with vertical blinds. Often, windows are sold with blinds included, but ultimately, it’s whatever suits you best.

2. Curtains

No, I did not just tell the stage manager to shut the show off, curtains are a much more forceful way of telling others to not try to peak inside. And once again, they come in any style you want. Some are easily picked up at stores like IKEA, others you may want special ordered. Ultimately, it’s your home, it’s your comfort bubble and you want it looking the way you want it looking.

Add a bit of your own attitude to curtains. Don’t get just boring sheer curtains with simple fabric, perhaps make them a statement about who you are. That way, should a passerby glance at your window, they’ll see something worth looking at that isn’t j you, but an expression of who you are.

3. Window Film

Like a car, you can tint your windows to keep outside light and lookers on to see exactly what you’re up to. Film is typically applied to bathroom windows or, if you don’t want to shell out the cash to pay for a whole new door, to be placed on the interior of the front window. It’s an intrusive way of looking out upon the world without them looking in on you.

4. Exterior Window Privacy Screens

These window privacy ideas are perfect for bathrooms, particularly on hot, humid days when you need ventilation in your bathroom. Typically, these screens have slats that can be installed externally – never intrusive to your own bodily comfort while you bathe after a long, hard day at work.

5. Textured Glass

Perhaps the classiest window privacy idea is with textured glass, often featured on front doors of tudors and mansions. Have you ever tried looking through textured glass? It’s very much like a prism; you’ll be able to make out the odd shape but that’s about it.

Above that, it can be incredibly stylish, tastefully put together by any local artist or neighbourhood glass store. If Fraser Crane had a home and not an apartment, you can be sure he’d have some textured glass at his front door as he shies away from delivery men and door-to-door Jehovah’s Witnesses.

In short, there are plenty of different options when it comes to protecting your privacy, and there’s no reason not to do it in style.