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I need creative ideas and/or solutions to a problem I am having. I have a window that is small but tall that faces the street. I want to block the view of the street, so I dont have to stare out at traffic or so neighbors dont want to stare into my window. I dont want to block the air flow so I can open the window and get some breeze. I have window film on the glass, but when I open the window, it is just a simple screen so you can see right in from the street. It is a brick wall so I dont want to nail into the brick or concrete. Metal frame window, cant do anything with that either. It has a small slanted brick window sill. I was thinking about building something outside a few feet away from the window and then tall out of wood. Maybe a trellis, lattice, one of those bamboo roll curtains kind of a contraption. Dont want it to look hideous, but I want it to block a lot of the view without people staring and wondering what it is. There is also a neighborhood cat that likes to get up on the ledge and I want to deter it somehow from sitting on the window sill and staring in my house. I was thinking vines on the lattice thing, but dont know if they will work. Is there any option that even if it takes a little elbow grease and creativity to make that I'm not thinking of? I can build whatever I want as I have a privacy fence some feet away from house, but the house/window is on a hill that slants down to the privacy fence and then down across the yard, and then down onto the street. Any serious ideas are welcome. Thanks.
Anything in front of the window is going to block light. I suggest white, horizontal, 2in, faux wooden blinds (maybe plantation shutters). They can be angled to allow privacy, allow air flow with the window open, and not block that much light.
I'd suggest some sort of window garden box that you can put inside, either on the window sill or on a table in front of the window. You can have plants that will block the view while not blocking airflow. If you're not into plant maintenance you can go with silk plants.
You may want to consider changing out the regular screen for a sunscreen. Sunscreens are typically made from fiberglass or polyester and have a dense weave. It probably blocks a small amount of airflow due to the tighter weave, but IMO it's not a noticeable difference. Because of the tighter weave, you can see out clearly but nobody can see inside during the day. (However, at night it appears as a regular screen and you can see inside clearly if you have an interior light on.) This won't hinder your looking out at the street, but it will prevent others from seeing in during the day at least. (You could then just put something pretty outside that you want to look at, without being concerned about others being able to see in.) Depending upon the screen's placement, it may solve the cat problem too.
A sunscreen works by reflecting most of the sun's heat and glare so it would decrease most heat gain, if you look forward to that in the winter.
If you go with Hopes' idea, you could also use a top down/bottom up shade.
I have the same problem with an antique storm door on the second story that looks down into our yard and an ugly ally. I put some sheers (4 panels) on a tension rod and it allows for plenty of air flow and affords privacy at night with the light on. I'll take the cat. My old neighbors cat used to climb a tree to the second story and wake me up every morning to come in. I miss that.
Anybody ever use those bamboo roll shades outside? They are supposed to provide some relief from sun, but I was thinking maybe they would block some view? Dont know how I would hang them though. The window is strange and a strange size. Thanks.
Anything in front of the window is going to block light. I suggest white, horizontal, 2in, faux wooden blinds (maybe plantation shutters). They can be angled to allow privacy, allow air flow with the window open, and not block that much light.
I have 4" plantation shutters on all my windows. I leave the ones in my front bay window open at a steep angle during the day -- I can see out but no one can see in. You might be surprised to learn how inexpensive one shutter, installed, for your needs costs.
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