Getting net curtains, what should I know?

dekaspace

I want them for living room and bedrooms as I live in ground floor flat, I could possibly get away with not having them in main bedroom and maybe even in living room because I have garden in the front saying that though I have big tv and computer in view, back badroom though theres a path as well as back door to block of flats right outside my window.

I was trying to balance out blocking people looking in and looking outside if I felt like it.

I also see different colour nets so assumed light ones will be easy to see through and darker ones hard but white nets with white painted walls (and gray carpet) will look bland, back bedroom has red curtains and brown carpet, didn't want room to look like a boudoir!

janb5

Dare I say it- dont get net curtains!

I live very near the street too and I now have blinds which are great. They are the online version of Hillary blinds and I am very pleased with them. I would pass on a suggestion to get reverse roll when they are fitted as they fall better...

I`ll probably get shot down in flames now but you did ask!

mcculloch29

I gave up nets many, many years ago, but if you are on a very limited income they are a good solution. I always had white nets, coloured nets just looked cheap and tacky to me.

Remember that for the nets to drape effectively the curtains must be much wider than the window. Screwing in the hooks and threading curtain wire through the headers can be "fun" - especially if the wire keeps catching on the net every half inch.

If you have an alternative, go for that instead. Decorative nets can look very pretty on small windows but a big expanse of net does look old-fashioned now.

ariarnia

What you should know is that they work like one way mirrors - you can see from a darker space into a lighter space.

So, if you're inside during the day then it's light outside and (relatively) darker inside (as you don't have your lights on). This means you can see out but passers by can't see in (without trying).

But, if you're inside at night (in your bedroom for example) and you don't draw the curtains across, your lights make it lighter inside than out and everyone can see your pjs.

Same as frosted windows being on the same wall as an over bath shower. I had to have a conversation with a neighbour about being careful when drawing across her shower curtain when she was in the shower at night... mortifying, but I think she was grateful to know quite how much you could see from the street of an evening.

dekaspace

I already have roller blinds in main bedroom but its more I don't want people to be able to look in and I want to look out as well as get light in day time without worrying someone can see whats inside, I can then put roller blinds at night and curtrains.

Vertical blinds seem very expensive and as I have large windows would cost even more plus theres the hassle of fittng them, I got my normal blinds put up by a family member and it took a while.

The option option is to get roller blinds for the inside windows but then its still a case if I can't see out.

PasturesNew

Blinds are better, but a lot pricier and involve waiting to have them fitted - whereas nets could be up at the windows for under £5 and fitted using an expanding pole if you're useless

If you're fitting nets inside the recess, to go down TO the windowsill, avoid a scallop bottom else you'll have bits that can be "peered through" at the bottom.

When I was not settled/moving about I travelled with a selection of net curtains and expanding poles and they were the first thing I popped up "for privacy". It's not so much the person walking past with their dog at 4pm, it's the thought of somebody outside at 4am that's more of a worry - and people outside being able to tell that you've gone away overnight/not because they can see you're not in, or that your curtains are closed 24/7.

Livelongandprosper

Nets are good if you are on a limited budget

Measure the width inside of your window and then multiply it by 2 and a half. That will give you the gather which makes it harder for people to see in through. Don't forget to measure the drop ( length). You may not get the exact drop but an inch shorter is better then an inch longer

You can buy rods which fit tight into the space that don't need fitting


I have voiles in my upstairs bedroom windows as they are on the gable ends and passing car users could see in.

monnagran

My goodness deckaspace, it seems hardly any time since you moved into your flat and here you are fitting nets!

I agree with what has been said so far, nets are the cheapest option but may I make a plea on the basis of tastefulness.
Please get plain white nets, no fancy patterns or colours.
Also I think the opposite to Livelongandprosper. I always think that an inch longer looks better. If extra length bothers you you can always pin up or, if you are clever enough sew up, a hem. I think curtains that are too short look a bit odd.
Last, and most important, WASH them occasionally. Grubby nets just look sordid.

As regards white and grey looking bland, well, those colours are very fashionable just now. It's all a matter of personal taste but bland is a good background. You can always introduce colour with curtains, cushions, throws, pictures, books and ornaments.
You do have to keep things squeaky clean though. I know what young blokes are like and that might be the deciding factor!

Good luck.

Callie22

I have white voiles at my windows, and I don't think it looks 'old-fashioned' - I live in a 60s built house that has quite big windows and if we didn't have something over the windows then the neighbours would see far, far too much! When we moved in there were peach-coloured vertical blinds which were awful so they had to go. I'm not keen on roller or Venetian blinds in general, I think they get grubby easily and they're a pain to clean, and the 'plantation' type shutters are annoying to dust. At least with voiles I can chuck them in the washing machine every so often and they're fairly easy to keep looking bright and clean.

I also like the quality of light that they give to a room. Most of our rooms face either west or east so the house can get a bit bright at times. The voiles keep it light but make the light a bit more diffuse so there's less dazzle. I do agree that colours and patterns can look at bit tacky, but plain white is fine. I used an online company that cut them to the exact size and overlocked the edges, and it wasn't too expensive at all.

luvchocolate

I do not know the name of them but I call them "strings"
They are bought singly in different lengths you still get daylight and can see through to outside, but block looking in, they are a bit more stylish than nets.

ItchyFeet

I have voiles at my bedroom windows and i really like them. Theyre floor length and i hooked the wires between the curtain rod supports as tight as possible so theres no sagging. I also have two voile panels per (narrow) window so that theres plenty of fabric to look more hotel style and also reduces the ability to see in from outside. As Callie22 says, the light through them is lovely. Mine were white ones from argos. No need to spend a fortune on them.