Windows Privacy

Dave Marx asked:


There are so many different window treatments on the market, that it can get confusing. You could even be tempted to just go with boring shutters, or cheap blinders. Basic functionality aside, these options leave a lot to be desired.

Curtains or drapes aren’t just for decorating windows. There are three important functions they should provide in addition to the basic functionality of blinds or shutters. Which of the three is most important depends on your needs and preferences for the room.

The three functional elements of draperies or curtains

Privacy is an important feature of any window treatment. A fabric that is sheer works fine during the day, but falls short on privacy during night time. Any curtain set should include a thick material for privacy concerns.

Next, your drapes should provide control over the light entering a room. This helps with keeping temperatures cool during summer days, or with darkness for a much needed daytime nap. Any drapes or curtains you select for a window should provide this level of light control.

Last but not least, any drapes and curtains should compliment the decode of the room. A simple change in curtain material pattern can make a big impact on the look of any room interior. But this can also be the most difficult part of the selection process, since individual taste is involved. If there’s more than one person involved in the decision process, it can become difficult.

The different types of drapes and curtains

Curtains and drapes are available in an almost unlimited array of prints, fabrics, designs and shapes. Sun facing windows are well served by thicker materials. More sheer material layers fit the bill for privacy without total darkness.

Your window treatments can be simple, functional and inexpensive, or you can go with pricier compliments to your home decode. Either direction that suites you, there are plenty of products available.

With all the different drapery styles and types available, the real trick can be in sussing out all the options to settle on the perfect curtains for you.



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Morris E. R.J. . Brown asked:


It can be said that just like the eyes are the pathway to a person’s soul so are windows and scenic views in the practice and pursuit of Feng Shui.

It can be best said to think of the windows in your home, condo or office as the eyes and ears of your property. Openings that allow you to look out and view the world and its environs both allow for the view out and at same time take in the breadth and width of the vital Qi energy of life. In addition windows also let in most welcome warmth and sunshine of Yang Qi, which we should be more than grateful for.

On the other hand , or side of the fence, if you have a room or set of rooms that have just too much Yin and are dark , dingy or both then take the efforts and costs involved to install an extra window or windows. Failing that you can enlarge any existing windows or even put in a skylight if space and budget allow.

If you find that this is just not possible or practical then you can do your best to introduce other positive influences of Yang. For example you can add mirrors to expand the apparent space. Mirrors can do absolute wonders and in the hand of a competent designer can make the smallest cubbyhole look larger, bright, cheerful and cheery. All this just from a few mirrors. Other remedies in these cases, where you wish to introduce additional Yang are bright colors, lights, crystals, flowers and live (not dried, plastic or artificial) plants. Remember the goals are to introduce and cultivate additional Qi.

Windows help the healthy circulation of fresh, vital air and Qi as well.

Windows should best be relatively tall and wide to provide for the most generous flow of both fresh air and vital Qi. If you find it necessary, for your comfort, preferences or convenience you can simply regulate or control the flow with blinds, drapes, curtains or even shutters. It all depends on your preferences, tastes and budgets of course.

It can be said that where possible have two openings windows in any one room. From a practical point of view this creates cross-ventilation and a more even distribution of natural light. In addition having two windows that open to the outside can also mean a natural refresh of Qi so there is less chances of the vital Qi forces stagnating, being stale or not being refreshed and renewed on a regular, ongoing basis.

With all this open space of your windows, letting in fresh air, sunlight and Qi windows can also serve a protection function. For example if you feel that your neighbors are paying too much attention to you and your activities or even feel that your neighbors are prying on your personal activities then you may not feel comfortable in your own space . You may even become unfriendly and even somewhat hostile to what may be very nice, neighbors who may be both very helpful to you and serve as good friends and people to have enjoyable chats with. In order to maintain your sense of best well being and balance then consider that your privacy is essential to a sense of well being and good health overall. The answer to this situation is very simple; just make sure that your windows coverings, plants and ornaments provide for a basic screen to provide for the privacy level you desire.

In the end it can be best said that windows in a home, abode or office are the very eyes to the soul, good fortune and even health of its occupants, inhabitants and tenants. Feng Shui.



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Melody Foster asked:


Making the right choices for window coverings is a big decision, and with so many choices available, which treatments are right for your home?

With these 10 easy guidelines, you’ll be able to choose just the right treatment for every window and make your home more beautiful, while adding to it’s market value.

1. Easy and Budget-Friendly

One of the easiest and least expensive ways to dress windows is to start with an inexpensive window treatment and improve on it. We like to use a simple, rod pocket panels as a base for the following solutions because they are readily available, inexpensive and can be modified a dozen ways to look like a designer window treatment. Softline has the most extensive line of panels we’ve found, and their quality and pricepoint are excellent.

Adding trims to panels is easy and can be used in so many variations. The more elaborate and upscale your trim selections, the more upscale your panel will look.

Clip rings and grommets are the next most popular tools for our design team. With clip rings, you can easily fold in pleats and clip them; or you can layer sheer panels over solid or textured panels. Create tab top panels using flat 2″ - 3″ braided trim.

You can also use flat braided trims to create a Specialty Valance, by fan folding the panel and using the trim in loops to hold the folds.

2. Alternatives to Wood Blinds and Shutters

Ok, so every house on the block has wood blinds or shutters — boring! And what about cleaning — each of those slats needs to be dusted every month or so — yuk!

Try Woven Wood and Roman Shades. Shades are a dramatic addition to your design and are much easier to clean and maintain. Shades add texture, color, pattern and beauty to a room.

Woven Woods are available in hundreds of styles and finishes. Unlined, they offer a light filtering component; and lining them gives complete privacy and light control. You’ll be amazed how rich and elegant they look.

Roman Shades are great for adding color, texture and pattern. You can choose virtually any multipurpose weight fabric to coordinate with the other fabrics in the room.

3. Odd-Shaped or Odd-Sized Windows

In dealing with small windows, create the perception of larger windows by hanging side panels over the wall, so that the panels just barely cover the edges of the window.

For two-story tall windows, use side panels just on the outside of the windows, rather than in between or on both sides of multiple windows. Also, it works well to create a dramatic topper like a large Specialty Valance or Kingston Valance to draw attention to the top of the windows.

For those pesky arches, try hanging side panels at the height of the top of the arch, but at the width of the lower window. Cellular shades also work well here, mounted between the arch and the lower window allows clear viewing through both windows, but adds beauty and color to your decor.

4. Light Control Issues

The level of desired light control varies from filtered to black out.

Sheer panels and cellular shades are excellent solutions for filtering light. You can adjust the amount of light and visibility you desire by increasing or decreasing the number of panels on a rod. The tighter they fit on the rod, the more light and visibility will be filtered out.

Cellular shades have come a long way from their early roots. Hunter Douglas has the best selection and highest quality that we’ve found. There are shades that have internal flaps, similar to blinds, that are encased in sheer fabric. With these, you can enjoy varying degrees of light and visibility filtering — from see through to total privacy. Don’t overlook cellular shades until you’ve seen the latest styles and trends. An added bonus is their ease in cleaning.

Blackout features are available in virtually any style window covering. You can have panels, Roman shades, cellular and Woven Woods lined in Blackout lining. There are some fabrics that have the blackout qualities worked right into them, Fabricut has an entire book dedicated to different colors of blackout fabric.

5. Privacy Issues

Nothing is more bothersome than having your neighbor’s window looking right into yours. While most of us think immediately to products that completely block visibility and light, like blinds, shutters and heavy panels, it isn’t always necessary to resort to those extremes.

Remember, that during daylight hours, a filtering product will give you privacy because it is lighter outside than inside. However, at night, the light in your home will create a fishbowl effect and your neighbors will see into your home easily. So it is important to combine solution that give you total privacy control.

Today’s traverse rods aren’t your grandmother’s rods anymore. They are decorative, adding to the overall beauty of the room with finials and wood finishes in virtually any color and style. Adding rings, either clip-on or sewn on, is another easy way to get working panels. The rings glide easily across the rod for opening or closing.

6. What If You Already Have Blinds Or Shutters in Place?

If you already have blinds or shutters and don’t want to replace them, you can easily add additional treatments that will enhance your room’s beauty.

Adding toppers and/or side panels is the easiest solution. For added pizzazz, try the modified solutions in #1, above.

Another option is to consider hard cornices. A hard cornice is really simple — it is a wood frame with quilt batting and fabric stapled to it. Knowing that, you can imagine how easy they would be to make yourself.

It is easy to be creative with hard cornices. You can run one long cornice over several windows to unify a wall. Even in bay windows, the corners can be mitered to create a single long cornice.

You can use hard cornices over panels, as well. They are exceptionally good at creating the perception of bigger windows. Make a cornice extra wide, then mount a rod and panels on each side. This will make your window look bigger than it really is.

7. French Doors — A Special Problem

French doors are a special problem. They ruin traditional blinds and shutters, because the doorknob interferes with the slats.

The single best solution for French doors is the Roman Shade. The shade cam be mounted so it is flush with the window/door and can be raised during the daytime. This completely eliminates the doorknob problem and gives you the look of a valance/topper during the day.

Roller Shades are coming back in style — not the kind you remember, but decorative, stylish window dress-ups. By applying fabric to a roller shade, it becomes a beautiful accent to any room.

8. Wholesale Custom Window Treatments

Wholesale custom window treatment programs typically offer you a select number of styles, combined with a select number of fabrics to give you an overall cost savings of about 40% - 60% off designer custom window treatments. Some companies refer to their wholesale program as Custom Selects or Made-to-Measure.

These programs offer you the ability to choose a style, choose your fabric and have your window treatment custom made. However, just because these are “wholesale” with limited selections, doesn’t mean they are not fabulous.

9. Designer Custom Window Treatments

Custom window treatments give you the most options for handling all of your needs — beauty, light control, and privacy. An interior designer will typically visit you in your home and consult with you about fabrics, styles, functionality and budget.

You can expect that this solution will be more expensive than other options, but you will have the ultimate in service, style and value added to your home.

10. Choosing the Right Hardware

So many homeowners make the mistake of creating fabulous window treatments, only to choose the wrong hardware. Many big box stores offer only the basics — a dozen styles, a few colors and 2 or 3 sizes. A specialty store will carry thousands of options and will have products for every budget.

We recommend going beyond your local big box stores when you choose your window hardware. Most of the big box stores offer only a limited selection of styles and colors. Find a local store that specializes in window treatments; they will have numerous window hardware resources that will give you unlimited selection at all price points — from budget-friendly to elegant, designer quality hardware.

The bottom line is don’t scrimp on hardware. Using a 2″ rod because it is available at a big box store, instead of a 3″ rod is the difference between using generic brands over name brands — sometimes it doesn’t make a difference, but you’ve got to know when the name brand is necessary to pull it off successfully.

With these Top 10 Solutions, you’ve got everything you need to create dramatic, designer window treatments on virtually any budget. Find dealers near you that offer the best options for you. Use the Internet to visit manufacturer’s websites, research options, view catalogs and locate a local dealer near you. Then enjoy yourself and create window dressings that you will enjoy for years to come.



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Christine Harrell asked:


There is more to choosing a set of blinds than simply selecting something that fits your decor. Consider the characteristics of the window to find a treatment that complements both the room’s style and the window’s function.

Outfitting Windows With A View

Windows with great views should have as little restriction to that view as possible. Honeycomb window shades stack up nicely when pulled up and are one of the best choices. However, wood blinds still block a significant part of the view even when raised because of the thickness of the slats.

Blinds for Tricky Archways

Arches are tricky because fitting horizontal blinds to arched windows is very expensive. Instead, look for honeycomb window shades designed to fan out into a semi-circle. This is a little known secret for a cost-effective way to cover arched windows!

Blinds for Second Story Privacy

Second story windows benefit nicely from top-down/bottom-up coverings. Lower them from the top and you get a terrific view of the skyline while retaining your privacy from people on the street.

Oversized Windows

Very large windows have the problem that window shades large enough to cover them are quite heavy. That weight puts unnecessary stress on the strings and can cause them to break. If you are using blinds instead of shades, use multiple units on a single headrail.

Hard to Reach Windows

Hard to reach windows can use extra-long cords, but these are unsightly and dangerous to pets and children. Look into remote-controlled motorized operation instead.

Brightly Lit Windows

Brightly lit windows create annoying glare on TV screens and computer monitors even when closed. In these situations, try using window blinds with no route holes so that light is completely blocked. If the light is from direct sun rather than an artificial source then honeycomb window shades will deal with the increased heat.

Child-Proof Window Blinds

Children often don’t know their own strength and can damage window treatments easily. If you have children or grandchildren, you may want to seek out blinds made of sturdy materials like aluminum or faux wood. Also, look for cordless controls to eliminate the dangers of accidental strangulation.

French Doors

French doors traditionally use sheers to control light and privacy but they block the view and are easily soiled. Think of your French doors as big windows and use the same window blinds you use on surrounding windows. The coverings are mounted directly to the door and use brackets at the bottom to keep the treatment from flapping around when the door is opened and closed.

Sliding Glass Doors

Sliding glass doors are usually best served by vertical blinds which make it easy to open and close the door. However, these treatments are falling out of favor in general - plus they can conflict with the other treatments in the room. Consider options like sideways honeycomb shade for a more modern style.

There are countless types of window treatments around today so if you have a problem window that is not covered here, talk to your blinds provider. They probably have great suggestions that you may have never considered for covering each window in your house!



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Vin Domino asked:


Some windows require privacy all of the time; pretty much all windows require privacy some of the time. The challenge is finding a window treatment that meets the need for privacy while complementing the aesthetics of light, draperies and other décor.

There are a number of blinds that provide privacy, from simple rolling vinyl blinds, to venetians, shutters, and others. Most are able to provide complete privacy; however, in order to do so, they also block most natural light. While ventians and shutters can be adjusted to allow light in, they do so at the expense of privacy.

More and more home and business owners are installing window films for privacy. Unlike dark, black-out tints often used in automobiles, today’s decorative window films provide privacy that allows for the flow of natural light and blend with existing décor.

Decorative window films are available in a wide variety of textures and colours. Colourless frosts and patterns allow a great deal of light and will not compete with room colours. On the other hand, the endless array of textured and coloured films available allows decorators to choose a window film that enhances their décor.

For those with a flare for the creative, decorative window films may be graphic cut, with a design or pattern. Long used by businesses, cutting frosted window films with a company name or logo, achieves the look of etched glass. More and more decorators are discovering the benefits of using this technique in residential windows and doors. Rather than a business logo, a residential graphic can be generated in endless varieties of patterns, using computer technology to plot and cut the graphics. Results are impressive and much more interesting than a simple blind.

Window films need not cover the entire glass. In many cases, covering the windows from the bottom up provides adequate privacy from passers-by, while allowing an outward view through clear glass at the top. This type of solution is optimal for windows that overlook unsightly views, such as busy streetscapes or garbage bins. You can block the unwanted view, while maintaining prospects of trees and sky by applying privacy films in this manner.

For privacy that does not block outdoor sightlines at any level, decorators may choose a reflective window film. This solution, most suitable in commercial settings, does not provide the same privacy at night when lights are on, therefore drapes will be required to maintain an effective 24 hour block.

Because decorative window films allow natural light in, they reduce the need for electric lighting and therefore, conserve energy and save money. In addition to privacy, other specialty window films can also be used to protect interiors from UV damage, solar heat gain, and even provide security.

To block intrusion without blocking light or competing with your décor, consider decorative window films for privacy. A good window film will come with a long warranty, yet most films are removable, should you feel the need for a change in the future. Choose a reputable window film company that can provide you with references to ensure quality films and professional installation.



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