you're paranoid ;)

What happens if you remove those screws? I bet that window is just an insert and there has to be a way to remove the glass if it were damaged. I would take out those screws and see what happens. If the glass underneath is probably just one piece, and it probably is, you can buy window film which has a frosted appearance to cover the glass, then put the frame back on. You'll get the light, but no one can see in.

Have you considered purchasing some window film? It's inexpensive and you can cut your desired shapes with an exacto knife. We used it for our front door, which has a large oval window, so that we could preserve our privacy and still let light in.

There is spray(paint) window frosting that is sold at your local hardware store. I've personally never used it but I've heard/read that it works well. I've also heard that it's easy to remove with a razorblade or scraper of some sort. Just be sure to tape the door off really well so the spray ends up on only the window part (of course). Good luck with whatever you choose!

If you really want to creep people out looking in your window, replace the glass with a mirror!

You could get some fabric & pin it where the frame of the window and the door meet (so no holes would be visible when you remove it later).

A magnetic curtain rod. We had a similar situation in a rental, and I found a curtain rod (at Walmart of all places) where the brackets/rod holder parts had magnets on the back. a small curtain for a kitchen window, or maybe even a valance, should be enough to cover it.

I agree with @dustinstuckmeyer that this is probably the best solution. One piece of privacy film is much easier to apply than 5 oddly shaped pieces. Although once the glass is out you could try the spray on window frost.

I agree with dustinstuckmeyer. There is always a way to remove glass so it can be replaced. Take off the pieces holding the glass and apply one piece of window film to it.

I'd also say try to unscrew the frame first, and see where that leads you.

Another idea is to mount a panel curtain to cover the door, depending on your style it could be a fun accent to the room. http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/60188612/. You could fix it with over the door brackets (looks like you already have one). Or suction cups? Or magnets?

My first thought (before I read the whole post) was window film. A magnetic curtain rod is also a good idea. My MIL has curtains on her back doors. She put one rod at the top of each curtain and another at the bottom to prevent the curtains from blowing around and getting in her way.

Taking a different approach, is there a way to interrupt sight lines on the outside? A tall plant between your door and your neighbours place? A pebble surface in front of your door to make standing on tip toe less attractive?

You could attach double sticky-sided tape to the exterior frame, and to the interior wooden cross pieces. Then you could cover over with anything you like, fabric, painted plywood, etc., cut to fit over just the half-circle window. Cheap, easy, and not permanent.

Should have added ... all to the interior of the door, not the exterior. By exterior frame, I mean the large surround. I should think before I type!!!

Window film!

twleidy....I think that would be great!!! Double sided mirror; you can see out but they can't see in

I would vote Window Film or the Spray Frost stuff. We used to use it to stencil snowflakes on our windows at the holidays, when I was a kid. You can get it from a holiday supply or hardware store. It comes off very easily with a razor blade. I'd masking tape the mullions though.

I would try cutting a piece of foam core so that it fits very tight in the recess of the entire shape of the window...leave it solid if you don't want any light coming through OR cut out the glass sections (just like the windows shape) and glue a rice? paper over it so that the light will come though.

AND does anyone even READ the post before posting their opinion? apparently not.

Maybe try this? I used it to give my french doored bedroom some privacy. It works and looks great and doesn't leave any marks.

@taherold - a lot of us read the post - that's why we suggested removing the glass prior to applying the window film. That way the process will be much easier than when she tried applying 5 different, oddly shaped pieces of film.

It looks like you have a wreath hanger on the door. Why not just keep a wreath over the window all year long. You can use spring/summer flowers, fall leaves, rosemary, and change out the wreath decor whenever you want. I did this in an apartment I lived in with a door like this - I bought a simple grapevine wreath and added whatever seasonal decor I wanted throughout the year. Obstructs the view and doesn't cause any damage.

At an art supply or craft store, you can buy corrugated plastic boards that are semi transparent and would be much easier to cut and then place with a dab of glue or tape. You would probably want to make a template with paper first and then use that to make the pieces. http://www.dickblick.com/products/corrugated-plastic-panels/

@taherold: I was thinking the same thing.

I don't think you're paranoid for no reason, that would freak me out too. I'd agree with the couple others who suggest seeing what you have when you remove that frame. If it's a solid piece of glass try the film again. If not I'd hang a curtain, skip the rod though just get yourself some 3M Command strip refills (for their hooks and such) and use them as double stick tape on your door to secure a nice piece of fabric. That way you can do any shape you want! Plus they come off super easy and won't leave sticky stuff all over the door.

Sheer fabric, painted on with fabric starch. (I learned about this on AT.) Spouse and I gained backyard neighbors when the landlord rented out the unit over the garage which overlooks our bedroom. To guarantee our privacy, I cut out fabric to fit the windowpanes and used fabric starch to stick it on. We get light, we get privacy, it's easily removable and cleans up with Windex (and it was cheap!).

I don't suggest unscrewing anything on the landlord's door. Those may be double pane windows and untold complications may ensue!

I agree with @TheJackster I used frosted spray that I bought at the equivalent of what would be a home depot, but where I live. works great because it allows the light to still shine in (you control how much depending on the amount you apply) but if someone tries to peek in they will only make out blurred contours.

I had the same issue at my last apartment but, I just covered it with a makeshift curtain. I bought some of those removable wall hooks and recycled a dollar tree jump rope to hang it with.

Using a magnetic curtain bar would be the most conventional & easy to remove, but if you could find a folding fan that is the right size & hot glue magnets on it that would be a unique solution. If you just want easy to remove, you could use fabric & liquid starch to adhere 1 piece over the whole window or fussy cut the pieces. You could even just take some craft paint or thinned glue & paint swirls or sponge it on for a textured glass look.

Dustintruckmeyer has the best idea I've read so far. I've actually taken a window out of a door before and it it's anything like the cheap door I had, the plastic frames come off and the window is just sitting in a cutout. Much easier to apply the film that way.

After you are done, I would put a fine bead of caulk around to prevent energy loss.

I would go with glass paint. It's flat on the window, leaves some light coming through in pretty colors, and can usually be removed when you leave (read the bottle carefully before painting). They even sell black strips that look like lead lines!

http://www.michaels.com/Glass-Painting%3A-Beautiful-Easy/ae0471,default,pg.html

It looks like I have the same front door with window. (Mine seems to be some sort of foam core metal door, with plastic window frames.)

I unscrewed the interior window frame (thick, 2" screws) and pulled off the frame in order to paint. The frame stuck a little bit, but wasn't glued on from the interior. As others have guessed, it's a single piece of glass underneath. So whatever you choose to do, it'll be easier with a single piece of glass.

Incidentally, the exterior part of the same frame was indeed glued onto the window, so that would be more difficult to pull off. When painting the exterior part of the door, I spent a long time putting tiny pieces of painter's tape around the curves of the window. Such a pain! Glad I figured out that was unnecessary for the interior part of the door.

Good luck.

I've used the Frost spray and it works. A few light coats are better than trying to get it totally opaque in one spraying.

You can scrape it off or use a liquid paint remover when you move out. I think any kind of window covering on that door would be awkward.

Lowe's has mirror window film, it's a mirror from the outside but you can see out. As @dustinstruckmeyer suggested, take out the plastic grille (I'm sure those are not real muntins), apply the film and smooth it out with a little plastic squeegee or credit card and screw the grille back on.

You are not paranoid, I live in an urban area as well and all the basement apartments I see have covered windows and sidelights and alarm service stickers.

HEY! an alternative to window film, that does the exact same thing, is far easier to apply flat, is much much cheaper, comes off in a jiffy with plain old soap-and-water when you move out, and is way prettier: http://manhattan-nest.com/2010/06/01/the-doors/

Kind of like the quick Christmas spray snow idea; if it's yet available in stores.
The writer says they don't want film; why are so many suggesting it?!

First, it's a fair point to want ideas on window privacy; I'd ask the writer if the landlord is willing to install a security peephole. If so, then one option; get some tracing paper big enough to carefully press in and with a pencil, carefully trace each window pane. Cut these 'patterns' out and then using color cardstock, fabric, whatever, cut out a pair of each pane. Double sided tape or low tack glue the pieces on each side of the glass.
But again, I'd question covering the window if you are also not able to see who's outside.

The magnetic curtain rod is what I'd use. They're cool! I saw them at Lowe's and wished I had a place to use one.

Metal curtain rods with your choice of solid, sheer or whatever fabric indoors. Lace has been popular for decades for a reason.
On these rods, make sure the magnets are heavily covered to protect the door.

A nice exterior wreath changed seasonally with a "no solicitations" sign built into it. ;)


One of my neighbors never bothered to answer her door for any solicitations. They could see her in the house and she'd shoo them away from her chair. They did get the message. She did reach for the phone on one persistent salesman. Friends and family knew to call her if they chose to drop by.

When I first moved into a house, Dad reminded me why people have lights at strategic places around the outside of the home at dusk to dawn. The lights pull your eyes to the brighter areas on the architecture and make it very difficult to be a casual window peeper and see details inside the house.

Starched fabric can also work on windows, as noted here:


You could check with the landlords about some added security lights to lower their property insurance and increase the exterior security. I'd also mention the peepers, unless the landlord is part of the problem.

I have noticed for the salvation folks that treating the ringing doorbell as a reason to convert them to your own beliefs tends to have them rethink ringing your doorbell. ;)

Politically, I explain that I vote when undecided "on the candidate whose party contacts me the least, and what party are you with? Oh, yes, so many calls and knocks, already."

Most areas have regulations on sales folk, pan handlers, salvation and charities. Check with your city or non-emergency number. Our old neighborhood had a string of interesting things happen and we all began watching from our homes during the day and reporting to the police. People peering into a neighbor's window had me calling the police. Did learn that in that town they must have the permit. Permit costs a fraction of the fines without it and were insanely easy to get. Thefts, fires, and scam artists vanished together.

Sounds like a tiny video camera might be worth your effort on the doorway as well. A small sign with a camera picture saying "smile, please" might cure the peeper as well. They stare, they are on tape doing so. Handy should you need to report anyone to the police for peeping or stalking.

I like the idea Dustin is suggesting, you can buy some that has like a stained glass pattern on it. If you can do a plain frosted option on one side to still allow some light through but keep the privacy up, and a stained glass style on the side that goes in, for the pretty factor, that's honestly what I'd do, BUT you do need some kind of peephole situation, and you need to call your landlord about that. In fact I'd see if the Landlord can replace the entire door altogether with a more private option that has a peephole and then you haven't got to cover anything.

Why not just paint the glass with removable glass paint? My aunt did this in her old bathroom and made it look like a painting by Klee - and it all washed away when she decided to move out.

It looks like you have a wreath hanger on the door... Have you tried hanging a wreath approximately the diameter of the window so it lines up at the top of the arch? It might look weird, but you won't know until you try. And hey, at least I didn't suggest window film... ;)

She said she's tried film but didn't like the look of it because of the difficult spaces to fill. People are suggesting that taking off the fake mullion cover and applying the film would be much easier than the way she's already attempted it, and would yield a much better result.

You could paint it with homemade window frosting. My students used to paint it on class windows for Christmas. I just looked up "make your own window frosting" and this is one site I found :
http://raisealittleelle.wordpress.com/2012/03/27/make-your-own-window-frosting-how-to-for-less-than-5/

I'm using Japanese Washi paper glued on with an eggwhite beaten with some water. It stays on really well - mine's been on for about three years, and the light coming through the translucent paper has a nice, warm ambiance.

What about asking your landlord if the glass couple be replaced with frosted glass? Call up a couple of places and mention what you need and see what the cost might be. The landlord might be all for it if you explain what is going on.

You aren't paranoid. I have that some door type and there are some windows on my porch nearby the door so that people can see into my home if they really want to. When people come that I am not expecting I have literally hid behind the door so that no one can see me. Why anyone would think it was okay to peer through that top window I don't know but it sure is frustrating isn't it! Good luck!

"Stained glass" window paint: http://www.klutz.com/paint/Window-Art

Peels right off when you're done with it.

I have a door like that and I hate the half lemon slice window. I am on the lookout for a wall hanging that would ideally cover most of the door. That would mean less light, of course, but it seems like a minor sacrifice to me.

Window Film! You could even use Glad Press 'N Seal, I've heard...

this window looks like it was made for a family with kids. you can make it into a sunrise, with sunbeams of different colors of the rainbow, and you can choose some other material for the sun. you already have many good suggestions for different materials, so your design choice is many. feel free to reply:)

You can get that film that you adhere to glass at home depot. I comes off without any damage. That's what I did at my urban ground level apt. Who said you're paranoid? You're not.

Soap! You can "color in" the glass using a fresh bar of soap and it will produce a waxy, whitish finish. Then just use damp cloths to wipe it off when you are moving out.

(My other thought was window film, or even that nice architect paper that is semi-translucent, help up with a few carefully positioned and discreet bits of tape)

@taherold: it sounds like some posters are not reading the second paragraph of the post after the big picture.

Good luck!

(I vote for the magnetic curtain rod or the washi paper and egg-white glue. In case you are counting!)

Try this - it is posted by a fellow Apt TH person:
http://www.crestviewdoors.com/browse/products/fancy-panels.html

These are all great ideas, but I think you should talk to your landlord about it. You say they are nice people. Maybe they will understand and help you with the problem. In my last place, there was a privacy issue from one tenant's deck to another one's windows. The landlord built a privacy screen on the side of the deck. Problem solved.

Your landlord might actually WANT to help you with this rather than having you taking the door apart or applying any other solution. Maybe he/she just didn't think of how that would make a tenant feel a lack of privacy. Or if they own several properties they might even have a solid door they can switch out for it.

Granted, they might just say you are on your own, but in that case, you have all the wonderful ideas above to fall back on.

Faux stain glass paint. When needed. U scrape it off with a razor blade. I had a window in my basement apartment shower. Worked well. Can easily do nice designs too.

What about a roman shade? I live in an urban area and my front door is the 9-pane where it's half door and the top half is glass panes. I added a roman shade from JCPennys I purchased a few weeks ago (cheapest roman shades I could find that still offered a privacy backing) and I feel so much more at ease. It's also cute from inside and no one can see in through the door.

i like the magnetic curtain rod idea. the privacy film is great (especially the removable kind, since you're a renter), but there will be times where you want to see who is outside your door. The film will just let you see a shape of the person outside, so the curtain may be the best solution for your problem.

When I had a door like this, there was no way to detach the frame, so that might not work for you either. If you want to try the film again, you might want to cut patterns first. Once they fit perfectly, trace them onto the film and cut.

The paint idea sounds fun. If it was me, I'd get some lacy looking paper doilies and hold them up to the window when I sprayed the paint, so that there would be a lace pattern in the window.

There are magic markers made for drawing on windows, if you can think of something good for this space. Probably easier to use than stained glass paint, but not as classy-looking.

Good luck!

There is some kind of very easy soap stuff you make for stenciling designs for holidays onto your windows. Go to a craft store to get a foam brush for stenciling designs, a nice stencil and just pounce a neat design onto the glass that matches the flavor of your interior design. It will wash off easily when you move.