AT Los Angeles reader and Koreatown resident, Celeste, wrote in with a window privacy solution she wanted to share with everyone and that may inspire others to beautify and protect their windows with the affordable wonders of window film:
My Koreatown apartment has three big windows that look out onto a busy sidewalk. The building is all brick, so hanging curtains for privacy proved to be a bit difficult. For a solution, I used window film adhesive on all three windows. I chose the "Otto" printed film adhesive (previously featured on Apartment Therapy) from 2jane.com on the main window to add a graphic pattern, and standard frosted adhesive on the two side windows. I only used the adhesive on the bottom half of the windows, so the top half is still clear and open.
The living room seems twice as large now that I don't have to keep the blinds drawn all the time! The films were very easy to apply, and has adhered to the windows beautifully! They really have transformed the room. I would recommend this solution to anyone who wants a little privacy and a beautiful, subtle design element as well.
Thanks Celeste! Looks lovely and has us inspired to tackle our own privacy issue in our small bathroom where we'd like to ditch the curtains for some light filtering window film too.
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i second that! i got emma jeff's "orba" through 2jane.com about two years ago to cover a big glass pane in my back door. it provides privacy, lets light in, and looks cool. when i first was looking for a solution i came across lots of patterned films that ranged from horribly gaudy to ones that gave the effect of a shower door. stumbling on emma jeff's window films made all the difference, and since then i have successfully recommended these to other people.
Very nice...I bookmarked the website. The window films at Home Depot are horrible! Thanks
Celeste- Beautiful job. When I first moved into my place- I was BROKE. AND window coverings were such an investment I wanted to make THEE right choice. So I took my time- but in the mean time I refused to put up sheets or some other tacky substitute. I opted for a plain film from Ikea - (a super cheap option vs. the 2jane.com films). Then when I finally decided on window coverings, I had gotten so used to letting the light pour in, but keeping privacy, I kept the film. It's such a great solution for close building proximity of big cities.
I used Emma Jeffs' 'Otto' for a privacy screen on my bathroom window and love it. It felt like an expensive purchase at the time... but I think about how great it looks almost every day and have zero regrets. The shadows it casts are particularly gorgeous at night. I bought mine from the Australian stockist; Safari living in Malvern Rd Melbourne.
Very nice - would have been much better to use the ones with the design on all the windows instead of using the "Vaseline in your eyes" on some of the windows.
Gorgeous! And perfect for the inner city place we are just about to move into. I want to keep as much sunlight as possible, yet still have privacy. Thank you.
Thank you for reposting the source. I put a pretty Japanese paper on the bottom half of my bedroom window two years ago, but tape and paper start to sag over time. I look forward to finding an alternative now.
This is a great idea. I'd love to use it im my bathroom. Does anyone know how it holds up to high humidity? TracyJ, do you know if Ikea still carries the film? I haven't seen it in ages, though I admit sometimes I get tired of looking and there's not always help to be found.
i remember a comment on another post about window film where the person stated that the film looked great from the inside but when they stood from the street and looked in, it wasn't as private as they thought it was. does anyone know if that is the case with the jemma film?
hmmm this may be exactly the solution i need! my husband and i bought a house friday (yes, last friday, yay!) and there is a window in the shower. a big window. we have a towel in it right now. i second that humidity question. anyone know?
I bought a roll of the film at IKEA last month. It is tucked in the back corner of the window coverings section
And it works well with humidity. far better than fabrics do. I have had it in my bathroom window for over a year and it hasn't moved
creative*type - the film that i got is private no matter where you're looking at it from. 2jane.com does offer a pack of samples if it is something you are worried about - the orba film is a white design on a partially opaque background but i think others might have clear parts to it.
hope that helps!
Eh...looks great in the apt pictured, but all those patterns are too much for me. I've currently got plain frosted in most of my windows (it's been there for about five years with no trouble). I'm about to scrap it in favor of glass paint applied straight from the bottle in a squiggly-lumpy build like stained glass windows -- but in clear and/or frost, no colors. PlaidOnline.com. Comes in tons of colors, easy to use. If you want to do the water-applied film thing but want a different pattern, wallpaperforwindows.com has dozens. Outwater.com (my fave catalog in the whole world) has dozens more.
I have this same issue with my bathroom. It has a lot of windows, including a full length one in the shower that's not the least bit frosted! I found some great prints on www.Decorativefilm.com. I bought the "translucent rice paper" for the bathroom, and I'm going to try something with the "structure" print on my french doors. The plaid, metal linen, & jacks prints are also great. The jacks one would go perfectly with our Eames furniture, but my boyfriend doesn't like it :-(
What's really ironic considering the house's location in Koreatown is that in Korea, almost all apartments use those same types of frosted window decals!