A window film is that frosty layer over glass windows that lets light in without letting everyone else's eyes in too. It is a great solution for glass in bathrooms and other areas that are exposed to lots of light. Design-wise they have come a long way. You can get funky patterns, colorful tiles, and all sorts of nature-inspired themes now. They can cost as little as $10 per sheet and are relatively easy to apply.
I sure could have used these when my apartment faced an office building. My first day there I neglected to buy curtains, and the next morning I regretted it as I stretched and yawned in front of a business audience of 12 across the courtyard. No harm done, other than my slight embarrassment, but these handy window upgrades could have saved me a lot of trouble looking for odd-shaped blinds.
Learn how to DIY at Design*Sponge!
(Images: Daystar Window Tinting, Design*Sponge, NMotion, Stained Glass Window, screwfix, Window Film Design)
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Our last apartment had bedroom windows on the first floor facing the sidewalk of a NYC street. I looked into window films, and every one I liked was pretty expensive. Instead we used corrugated plastic panels from a craft store. They were way cheaper, and you don't have to worry about sticking them to the window without any bubbles or wrinkles. Just tape them to the window frame and you're done. Obviously, this is not appropriate for every setting (it's tough to cut curves in this type of board, and sometimes taping to the frame is not a practical option), but for straightforward rectangular windows, this was perfect.
I *just* did this in my bathroom! It let in way more light than the cellular shade did. Expensive? I think it was $11 for a huge roll at Home Depot! (pics at blog if you follow my profile, search for "frosty"). I'd say it was 10 minutes to install, but I did a poor job cutting the edges, took an hour to remove and do again (45 min of that was letting the baby shampoos soak in to loosen the adhesive).