ᐅ Shading / Privacy Solutions for Windows, excluding Venetian blinds and office-style options

For the area around the windows, we need to plan some kind of privacy screen or shading. I’m not a fan of traditional curtains, where you have sheer curtains and then different colored drapes over them. Above the window, there’s the mounting, a section of wall, and then the ceiling... I just don’t like how that looks. But my wife also doesn’t like blinds, as they look too much like an office.

What other options are there? I also don’t want bare windows.

Hello Basler,

If you like textile privacy screens, there are several alternatives to the usual curtain styles.

If you like curtains but not the common curtain rod attachment, you can plan for a concealed fixing. In this case, the curtain rollers run hidden within a gap in the ceiling. However, as mentioned, this needs to be planned in advance to ensure that a sufficient gap can be created.

There are also panel track curtains, which are wide fabric panels (without pleats) that slide in front of the windows. This looks modern without feeling like an office. Depending on the transparency of the individual panels, you can create color and light effects. You can also slide two or three panels on top of each other—fully overlapping, partially overlapping, and so on—completely hidden.

I have sliding curtains in different levels of opacity. The sliding panels run on a three-track flat rail, which is barely noticeable. Depending on the need, I can either cover the entire window or only the areas where privacy or shading is required. The ability to slide up to three panels over or rather in front of each other allows for varying degrees of opacity. I am very satisfied with this solution.

Vertical blinds! At first glance, they may look like typical office window coverings, but they are very practical and come in many colors and patterns. The track is slim and can even be concealed within a suspended ceiling.

The blinds can be positioned parallel to the window for good shading, with smooth adjustment to any angle for precise light control. Even when the slats are perpendicular to the glass, they still provide privacy, as the room is not easily visible from an angle while maintaining a good view outside.

The usual curtain and drapery setup felt too old-fashioned for us.

I am a fan of curtains, and there is truly a wide variety available here. We also change them throughout the year, and right now we have winter curtains. These create a cozy and comfortable atmosphere. The curtain fabric is thicker and in a nice light brown color. In spring, the colors are more vibrant and the fabric allows more light to pass through.

I don’t like bare windows either. We have curtains on every window. They are regularly replaced. We also change them between summer and winter. In winter, we also use an additional layer of curtains.