Obscure glass for living room window?

MikeyPGT

I had full length voile panels on both my downstairs windows in a similar situation - worked a treat 

Sarahspangles

I’ve worked in an office with one way mirror film.  Provides privacy and when you’re bored you can pretend you’re a detective and comment on passers by. 

Silvertabby

donutandbeer said:

Looks like stick on films option is the most popular!

MikeJXE said:

Have you looked at new windows with blinds between the panes of glass ? 

I have seen some photos and the window company that came yesterday actually also suggested it. He did say it’s quite expensive but I’m not sure by how much. He has not come back with the quote yet.

We looked at these when we had our conservatory/garden room re-built.  The designer - a true spoken northener - didn't recommend them.  Apart from the cost (a lot) he said they were a 'right b*gger' to fix when the mechanism jammed.

donutandbeer

Silvertabby said:

donutandbeer said:

Looks like stick on films option is the most popular!

MikeJXE said:

Have you looked at new windows with blinds between the panes of glass ? 

I have seen some photos and the window company that came yesterday actually also suggested it. He did say it’s quite expensive but I’m not sure by how much. He has not come back with the quote yet.

We looked at these when we had our conservatory/garden room re-built.  The designer - a true spoken northener - didn't recommend them.  Apart from the cost (a lot) he said they were a 'right b*gger' to fix when the mechanism jammed.

Great, thanks for sharing that! Good to know before I ask the window company arriving in 30 mins about it. 

frankersBri

I installed some obscuring film myself on my living room window. It was easy to install, will be easy to remove if I want to (or future owners do) and does a great job of giving me privacy when I'm in the room, letting in natural light still and enabling me to see outside when I want to. Old photo, living room is much comfier and complete now! 

Alderbank

Silvertabby said:

donutandbeer said:

Looks like stick on films option is the most popular!

MikeJXE said:

Have you looked at new windows with blinds between the panes of glass ? 

I have seen some photos and the window company that came yesterday actually also suggested it. He did say it’s quite expensive but I’m not sure by how much. He has not come back with the quote yet.

We looked at these when we had our conservatory/garden room re-built.  The designer - a true spoken northener - didn't recommend them.  Apart from the cost (a lot) he said they were a 'right b*gger' to fix when the mechanism jammed.

There was a thread about these blinds here last year.
The OP's cat damaged the cord and they said it was indeed a 'right b*gger' to do the normally trivial job of fitting a new cord. I think the installers eventually had to replace the unit.

Slinky

Sarahspangles said:

I’ve worked in an office with one way mirror film.  Provides privacy and when you’re bored you can pretend you’re a detective and comment on passers by. 

I temped in a company which had mirrored glass on the windows. Nobody parked behind the office, so I think a workman who drove his van round the back and got changed in the carpark thought the building was unoccupied. It wasn't; we were all on the otherside of the glass having a good old giggle!

Ectophile

The trouble with mirrored glass, is that at night when you have the lights on inside, and it's dark outside, then the mirror effect reverses.  Everybody outside can see in, but all you see is a mirror.

theoretica

I was thinking of this as I rode the bus home today along a road with lots of windows.  Noticed lots of obscured glass with clear above which I thought was stick on film (both plain frosted and patterned), one with full height frosted glass that may have been obscured glass and not a stick on, both full and half height net curtains, one window with half height horizontal blinds - from the mid sash bar down only. I guess you could do this either with the hanging point halfway down or by removing the upper slats so the strings start from the top. But you would need something else for the night time.  And lots which were either unobscured or had full length blinds or had curtains drawn.  And one window where the bottom was entirely covered by colourful decals of birds and butterflies...

ThisIsWeird

DN&B, please don't fit obscure glass - the very thought of it is making me depressed.  I'm trying, I'm really trying, but, no, I cannot think of a single thing more utterly hellish than being in a room with a window that you cannot look out of during the day. 

You have 1.5m high hedges and a small garden? I guess there must be a reason why you don't let the hedge grow another half-metre? Or, plant a few frondy plants to give a light screening. Even if they'll end up close to - even touching - the window, it'll still be therapeutic to look out on them.