apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

You may want to consider putting up a beautiful piece of handmade paper. It will let the light through and obstruct the view from outside enough so that you won't feel so "on show". Experiment with different thicknesses until you find what you like. If you're in the Chicago area, Aiko's is wonderful.

- Get a loooong tension rod.
-Get some very thin muslin curtains from ikea, so thin they are translucent.
-Hem curtains to match the height of the window
- Hang the curtains just inside the indent.
The vats can lounge on the shelf watching the world, you will have both privacy and light coming though from the curtains, and passersby will have a cute kittycam.

Well, anything you put in the window to obscure the view will also block light, so I don't see where blinds or sheer curtains are any worse than plants, vases or other decorative items. The more you leave the window uncovered for light, the more people can see in as well.

I'm always a big proponent of venetian blinds because they're compact and almost infinitely variable with regard to light and ventilation. You can open them completely for light, lifted part way for the cats to see out (and dialed part way open for light), or closed for privacy. And they don't take up space on the shelf so you cats won't be bothered.

Otherwise you can look into a sheer or translucent roller blind, left part way open for the cats to look out.

Why put anything up?
If passers-by don't like what they see, they don't have to look...

you should use that transparent film that "clings" to the glass to make it look frosted. you would still get the light, but it would obscure the view. you could cut out areas (circles, or stripes or anything really) in the film so the cats can peak out.

Adding to jacasi's idea: What about some kind of shoji screen - but hung horizontally? You could do one stationary panel across the middle two rows of panes - the cats could still see underneath, and you'd still have ample light coming in through the uncovered panes and the paper.

I agree with brand-eye. I've used the frosted film, purchased at Home Depot, and it has turned out surprisingly well (inexpensive, easy installation, excellent visual effect). You might want to consider cutting out a rectangle and mounting it horizontally so the top half of the window remains clear, keeping in mind that the effect will be most visually pleasing if the top of the film is aligned flush with the existing horizontal bars. I'd also leave a 1-inch space around the edges, which will give it a professional look.

you can't use screens, blinds, or stupid coverings like paper, if you want your cats to enjoy their dreary lives.

the only option i can think of, are those mirrored one-way privacy films for windows. so they're not that cute, but maybe you can scallop the edges where it runs along the frame of the window. or if you have the resources, you can even laser cut the film so it's more decorative.

Another vote for the frosted glass film. You could easily cut it into strips, or use an exacto knife to cut out decorate images/shapes that you blow up. Something like an image of flowering tree branches, etc.

Okay, so put a panel of a shoji screen sideways- going from the left to a little more than halfway. Put another one going from right to a little more than halfway. So they overlap - but have a 4-6" space between the two screens front to back, and about 6-10" away from the window. Where they overlap, the cats can use the 6" space to walk into the back space and sit and watch out the window. From your front view it will look like sliding screens which overlap fully, same fron the outside. And the shoji panels will let light in. It the panels are too big, you could probably cut them down.

If the ledge isn't dep enough for those dimension, you could prob do it with less - whatever the cats can squeeze in past...

The hardware store also has spray on frosted glass effect for $6. I'm not talking about "Holiday Snow" in a spray can. This stuff, if applied evenly, looks just like frosted glass. Just spray it on the glass like spray paint and remove with Goo-Off before you move. It is meant to be sprayed on the inside face of the glass, but you could try spraying it on the outside face if you think the cats would mess with it.

Hunh, it ate my comment... let's try again...

Try putting a horizontal panel of shoji screen from the left to a little (a foot?) past midway. Then another from the right to a little past midway. Install the first one about a foot out from the window, and the other about 4-6" out from that one. The cats can walk in through the front to back gap to the back area and sit. From the front it will look like a sliding shoji (you won't see the gap except from the side). And the shoji should let in light. If the shoji panel is too long, you can probably cut it down...

I think they also make films that are one way privacy films. But they are usually tinted as well.

Buy some plasticor (if you're not familiar with it, it's like translucent plastic cardboard) and just tack into place or build a little frame to fit into place flush with the interior wall. Leave 6" on either side so it would be hard to see around, but perfect for kitty entry. You can get plasticor at many art supply stores or online. It's cheap but fairly rugged and can actually look elegant. I bet the cats would love the semi-private space even more!

If you don't care for the frosted film, you might try the film designed to reflect the heat of the sun. It makes it much more difficult to see in but you can still easily see out (at least during the day) and it has the added bonus of cutting down on summer cooling costs, if that is an issue. It's a little finicky to work with, but you can install it yourself and it's easily removed when you're ready to take it down.

so i know a lot of people have posted frosted film... but i have another option that's sorta the same!

we had the same issue with a townhome we lived in in houston... it was like living in a fishbowl. super modern and beautiful windows, but also a big frame to see in through.

we tried the frosted film, and a.) it was difficult to cut it exacly straight in the exact size for our windows, and b.) it was a little old-school for my liking (nothing against anyone that uses it! just wasnt our style) and c.) there were too many bubbles in it when finished. we scratched the whole project and went a different route.

we bought some square decals w/rounded corners from blik (normally for a wall, but they work on glass too) and put four squares in each of our windows. they had enough space around the outside of each to let in tons of light, but they blocked the main view from our neighbors. we had SO many compliments on it, and the new owners even asked if we would leave them up because they liked them so much.

so i would recommend checking those out and see if there are any designs that you like! there's plenty to choose from!

good luck!

oh and to add one more thing:
we also had a cat that did the same thing, thats why we opted for the decals so she could still look out and watch the world pass by.

Totally different idea -- I once hung Chinese Kites in front of windows. It didn't totally obscure the view, but it mostly did. It let in a lot of light, left the bottom of the windows uncovered (for the kitties), and looked wonderful. Don't know whether it would work with your room.

This question has actually already been answered, and is one of my favorite posts that's why I have it bookmarked.

Privacy without shutting out the light

I used the spray on frosted glass treatment on my front door (with a couple of striped around the borders made with different widths of masking tape. It looks exactly like professional etched glass, but you do have to be careful about cleaning it (plain water and a soft cloth with a gentle hand) and scratching it (not much you can do once it's scratched except scrape it off and do it again). It takes about 6 coats according to the can I got.

i think sheer curtains are the way to go. i have some cool, 60s mod sheers in my bedroom. i just tried E-Bay search "vintage sheer curtains" and they have all kinds of delights.

Thanks so much! There are so many great ideas (and maybe some that are simple or obvious, in reflection.) I was having a mental block to these creative solutions. I definitely have a lot of options to consider.

This may not be appropriate for your style, but three framed stained glass casement windows hung over the opening - with enough space on either side for cat access - would allow light in, but keep voyeurs away.

Yes, the cats will make them swing, but good eye hooks will keep the windows safe.

Just to share a random thought, I am the complete opposite of my mother. Growing up in our traditional Polish home every single window had both miniblinds and shears. Of course, verticals and shears were used in both the huge windows of the dining and living rooms. I always had this urge to sit in between the vertical and the window. Now that I have my own apartment, I refuse to put anything up because I want to be free! haha. Recently I have been considering some kind of fabric since the winter wind in Cleveland seems to blow right through my windows.

What do you do during the winter months to keep the cold wind out?

Thanks,
Natalia

The cats would have a field day with a bead curtain. I wouldn't recommend it. The frosted glass film sounds like a great idea.

The only wide windowsills in my house wide enough for my five cats are in my bedroom. During the day, they windows are not covered so my furballs have an unfettered view of the birds and any other wildlife wandering by. At night, I drop the mini-blinds for privacy. The only windows with coverings are in the bedrooms and coverings are only used at night. The rest of my windows have nothing: no blinds, no drapes, no curtains, no sheers, nada, nien, nyet, rien, zip, zilch, zero. Just the way my cats and I like it.

you can get this film that frosts the window. it's like $15 at lowes. there is a cheaper one at ikea, but it's not as good. there are also designer ones w/ pretty patterns. they are awesome if you want some privacy, but want to keep the look of a plain window. i've done it a few times & i think it actually seems to scatter light in a way that makes it even brighter.

*if you do this, have someone help.