I bought the thick slat type blinds, not really thinking much about being able to control privacy while also letting light in. Given the blinds were a lot of $$$, I’d like to leave them and add something else to screen the lower half of the window.
I could add a stick-on treatment, but meh.
I’d really like a fabric to go across, but the damn blind is in the way.
What I should do is admit defeat and remove the blinds all together and replace with something like this: bottom-up blind.
But before I give up, I figured a post here for inspiration might be worthwhile.
If it’s not possible to put a net/voile curtain on a thin wire between the blind and the window (it looks like you could re-site the blind a little further away from the windowif necessary) - could you attach the wire on the room side of the blind? Otherwise, stick-on frosting looks like the only option.
I just want to mention that with top down bottom up blinds there’s an option, at least with some brands, for two sections with a divide bar in the center. The bottom section can be opaque while the top is translucent or mesh. I had this setup where I used to live. When the mesh covered the window and it was light outside, no one could see in, but we could see out. At night we’d raise the opaque section for complete privacy.
There is an aerosol spray that fogs the glass so it can’t be seen through but let’s in plenty of light. With painters tape you could easily spray the lower panes and see how you like the effect. It’s cheap, easy to do, easy to remove and looks like the real deal when it’s done. I used it in my bathroom windows because I hate curtains and want lots of light. Looks awesome.
I have these in my three living room windows, and they’re a very flexible solution. The kittehs like to sit in one of the windows, and the shade is purr-fect.
Y’ever have one of those days when you just can’t snag the proper phrase? :smack: That’s what I meant.
Don’t disregard tension rods just yet. With a little bit of searching, you can find one that will work for that distance. Here’s our (my wife and I) situation:
The house we’re renting has a 6’ x 6’ section of windows in the master bedroom. It had blinds that were old and decrepit when we moved in–they were supposed to be replaced but we didn’t make a big deal of it. There was nowhere to hang curtains so I took a tension rod we had laying around (I think it was 4’, adjustable to [maybe] 8’) and draped a dark but lightweight blanket over it, straight-pinned to itself in a few spots. The blanket was only 5’ wide, so it was far from perfect, but it kept out a good chunk of light, even though it did sag in the middle about 2 or 3 inches. Then the blinds finally rotted out and the blanket didn’t cut it by itself, so my wife ordered these (Black Out Curtains). Note the huge grommets at the top. The tension rod slipped right through lickety-split. Now, the rod still sagged in the middle and I could have gone and bought a more substantial TR, but Lazy and Cheap are my two closest friends and they told me to go out to the garage and get the length of aluminum tubing I’ve had since Hector was a pup. It’s 1 inch diameter and 5’ long and I slid the TR inside it and it works like gangbusters. The room at high noon is dark as a crypt. Also keeps the room cooler (slightly). The curtains cover the whole expanse of windows.
I’m not saying you should/could do the same thing, but (TL;DR) I’m sure you could find a thicker, more substantial TR to do the job for you.
Time for a nap in my dark, dark bedroom. Nite, nite.
For my daughter’s room, I used a shower curtain rod, which is quite sturdy. I wasn’t 100% committed going in – would it look too much like a shower curtain rod? But it’s not something that jumps out as looking odd, it turns out. Places like Home Depot have vaguely “fancier” shower curtain rods so you could pick a finish that matches your room.
Interesting. I wasn’t thinking something thick like a shower curtain rod, since it’ll be on the room side of the blind and in the middle of the window.
BUT… with a drape over it, the rod width wouldn’t be noticed. Actually, adding a dark, maybe 12" strip of fabric along the rod might look nice. Then hang heavy drapes full height either side of the window. That may look interesting.
What about a window box on the outside? My house is right on the sidewalk but I don’t like curtains so I have window boxes with boxwood to give me enough privacy that I cannot be seen from the street while I’m reading by the window.
I came into this thread for the comments: I have a large living room window on the front of the house that is currently using traditional miniblinds (which bow slightly in the middle because they’re so wide), and I’m constantly fighting the light-vs-privacy battle. Privacy always wins, because otherwise my *entire *living room and dining room are visible from both the street and my sidewalk and I’m the type who doesn’t answer my door if I’m not expecting anyone (and it’s no one’s business whether I’m home). Top-down blinds are GENIUS. Now I know what I should look for! Thanks!
I’m also considering window film, kinda like this type.
Not sure how it’ll look, but it will allow me to keep the blinds I bought. I really regret buying those blinds without putting more thought into it. The bottom up would be PERFECT.
Interesting! That could be very pretty. It wouldn’t fit the style of my house, though; I think it would look horrible from the street. I’m not a huge fan of window film in general, just for my own homes.
Ok, I went with a very easy solution: I bought sheer drapes, cut a few feet off, then folded in half so that they’re two layers thick. Then used little stick-on hooks on the window frame and hooked the folded drapes on to cover only the lower windows:
