Cover Those Ground-Floor Windows!

Check out several ideas for getting a little privacy in the evening while enjoying your ocean view windows during the day—

Inexpensive, a cinch to install, and no maintenance? Yes, please. Privacy film quickly adheres to glass and will last a long while.  It allows the sun to shine in — but no peering eyes.

Before you order your privacy film in the pattern of your choosing, be sure to measure your glass, and check the size against the dimensions of the film you’re buying. You don’t want to end up short, since seams tend to look terrible between sheets of film.

Here are some application tips —

• Clean the glass. This is crucial for the film to adhere well.
• Use a plastic scraper to remove any remaining dust, particles, or dirt from the glass. You don’t want to use anything metal that can scratch or cause abrasion.
• Mix water and a bit of dish soap in a spray bottle. Spritz the glass so it’s just barely damp. The dish soap allows the film to better slide into position.
• If the film is significantly larger than the glass, trim it so there’s only about an inch of overhang around the window. This will make it easier to install.
• Remove the clear backing from the film.
• Gently and carefully apply the film to the glass, starting with the top edge. This reduces overhang and prevents dirt from getting in between the film and the glass as you finish the install.
• Spray a light layer of water over the film, and use a rubber-edged squeegee to flatten the film from the top down, to clear any air bubbles. (The water allows the squeegee to slide smoothly over the film.) You can use a credit card or something similar with a hard plastic edge, but a squeegee will glide better and prevent rips.
• Trim the final edges with a sharp razor blade. You can do it freehand, but holding a plastic card or bowl scraper in place as you trim will help you get the smoothest, most consistent edge.

These Roman shades have four modes: top open, bottom open, completely open, and completely closed.  These translucent fabric shades were purchased from Blinds.com.  Confirm that the item you’re ordering has top-down capabilities so it can cover the bottom half of the window and leave the top open.

 

 

Hang a double curtain rod with sheers for daytime privacy and thicker blackout curtains for evening.  Or just mix your sheers and darker shades – just squash the sheers right in the middle of the curtains.

 

 

Install a shelf to create some privacy in kitchen or bath using houseplants and trinkets, without sacrificing light.  Bigger plants, like fiddle-leaf figs or monsteras, can be great for spacious living-room and bedroom spaces.