5 Ways To Close the World Out for More Privacy In Your Home

Draperies, Window Treatments
Sunshine Drapery sliding glass doors window treatment

Drapes, curtains, tiers or cafe curtains or even sheers can provide privacy when you’re at home. You don’t want passersby to notice when you’re changing clothes. If your living room faces a busy street, you definitely need privacy that will allow you and your family to gather and relax here without fear that someone who’s feeling too curious will be able to see what show you’re watching.

In your bedroom, you want to be able to change clothes and sleep, knowing that you aren’t being spied on. In your kitchen, while you’re cooking or washing dishes, a little privacy would be nice, even though you’re just doing some work.

Blackout drapes or curtains can block out prying eyes—and a hot, summer sun. If someone in your family works nights, these drapes mean the difference between restful sleep and not being able to block out bright sunlight.

Panels

Panels can hide a wide view inside your home. These are drapes designed for those larger windows inside your home. Whether you have French doors or sliding glass doors, panels that cover the windows will do the work you want them to do. Buy them from the shelf or have them custom-made, especially if you can’t find the pattern you want in drapes from a department store.

If your living room or dining room aren’t very big, then panels that extend from floor to roughly one foot from your ceiling, will actually make that small room look a little bigger. Hint: See if you can find panels that are a little longer than the window you’re covering. by doing this, you’ll achieve your “bigger room” look.

If you don’t want plain white panels, these do come in several colors or even patterns. This way, you can add in any design elements you need that will make that room in your house look pulled together.

Blackout Draperies

These are popular in hotter areas of the country. Their original appeal was more functional—keep the hot sun out during the summer, so the house stays cooler. All thermal or blackout drapes and curtains are energy efficient. As they block the light, the home uses less energy, because the occupants use the air conditioner or refrigerated air less. Learn more about this HVAC company in Manassas if you need to maintain or upgrade your heating & air-conditioning system.

The larger the window, the larger the energy loss, no matter whether it’s summer or winter. That energy loss translates into dollar loss. Once you’ve put your blackout curtains or drapes up, you don’t need to worry about this as much.

In the Southwestern part of the U.S., the summer sun is more intense. It’s much hotter outside than in other areas of the country. Residents of Southwestern states habitually close their curtains and drapes during the day so they can keep their homes cooler.

Unfiltered sunlight can fade your upholstery, rugs and even your floor. To save a significant amount of funds, invest in blackout drapes or curtains, so that sunlight doesn’t have its way with your belongings.

If you want to keep the sunlight streaming in, yet still have the ability to block it out, consider layering your curtains. Install two curtain rods, one for a set of light filtering curtains and one for the blackout curtains.

Light filtering curtains are made of a semi-sheer fabric that allows some light to filter into your house.

In the winter, keep the blackout curtains opened to allow sunlight in. Use the light filtering curtains allow sunlight to come in without its full intensity. At night, close both curtains to seal the warmth inside. If you have a drafty window, both curtains can also seal your room against unwanted drafts.

Thermal curtains or drapes also work to keep heat inside during winter months. Here, homeowners or renters open their drapes during the day, allowing sunlight to pour in and warm their homes. Shortly before the sun goes down, they close their curtains so they can keep that warmed air inside for a longer time. This way, they don’t have to turn on their heat sources as early.

Blackout curtains or drapes are also designed to stay closed. Their weight makes it much less likely for them to peek open once you close them. This way, you won’t have any unwanted light slipping in.

If your bathroom has a window, you need privacy during your showers and baths. Look for privacy curtains sized for your bathroom window. Once you have them hung up, you’ll be able to take care of private business without worry for any snoopy neighbors.

This class of draperies or curtains are also referred to as “insulated.”

Tiers

These are the smaller cafe curtains that are so popular in some rooms of the house. Typically, they hang on curtain rods. They are made with rod pockets that allow you to slip the rod into before hanging them over your windows.

These are designed to cover only the lower third of your windows. Add an additional design element with a valance that hangs above the tier. In this way, you create more of a cafe or country look in your kitchen.

Kitchen Curtains

Kitchen curtains help to brighten up the room in which you and your family spend much of your time. You may not want a full set of curtains to cover those windows. This is where the cafe curtains will fit your needs.

With cafe curtains and a ruffly valance above, you’ll create a fun, unique look for your family kitchen. Even better, these curtains won’t break your home decor budget. Find a fun set of cafe curtains that have a sweet design on them. Perhaps coffee mugs, roosters or wine bottles will complement the colors and decor of your kitchen.

The rods for cafe curtains and a valance are simple to install. Just make sure you measure correctly so that both are level in relation to the ceiling and to each other. Place the lower cafe curtain high enough that nobody can see what you are doing. the valance can go about eight or ten inches above the top of the cafe curtain.

If you like the look of tier curtains better, these are also affordably priced and created in a variety of designs. Tier curtains have the cafe curtain on the bottom. The upper curtain has two longer sides; the center is short like a traditional valance. Once you have installed the rods and put the curtains on each rod, you’ll get the privacy you’re seeing along with some natural sunlight streaming in.

Sheers

Sheers also provide privacy. While they are airy, they can be hung behind a heavier pair of drapes. When the drapes are opened, the sheers remain closed. While the sunlight can come in, people driving or walking by will only see dim shapes inside. Looking at sheers as a design element, you don’t have to rely only on white ones. Pick a color in your room’s decor and look for sheers in that color, to make the room appear even more finished.

Some people enjoy the look of sheers paired with linen tie-back curtains. The look is simple, but it still provides desired privacy.

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