apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

I love the shade store's website and catalogue. It's a great source for inspiration.

I think shades that lower from the top would look great here - You could keep them about 2/3 - 3/4 of the way up and still get a ton of light in from the top of the window.

Nice space. I agree with suzie those top-down shades would look great.

Do you want to see out? That would preclude window films, if so. You can always hang curtains and pull them back. Or mini blinds and lever them up.

It's essential that you get a system with not only bottom-up capability, but also top-down, so that you have the benefit of keeping in and out what you want.

You have such a deep window that you can also have multiple layers. The best thing for the daytime would be a solar shade. The right quality solar shade is amazing to block out all the glare but still provide great detail looking out. During the day, no one would see through that into your apartment.

The combination of those two things should serve every purpose you have!

what about bamboo blinds? privacy: check. allows (a certain degree of) light in: check. cost-effective: check.

Very nice space indeed... It's just the ceiling that bothers me, it looks like it goes straight into the window, like an afterthought.

Anyway, why not use a window privacy film such as these ?
http://i20.ebayimg.com/06/i/000/9a/0a/9faa_1_b.JPG
http://i2.ebayimg.com/04/i/04/dd/da/1f_1_b.JPG

There are even some with motives (if you are into that), like these : http://www.2jane.com/images/EJ1001-W_lg.jpg

Show us your final choice :)

A decorative film, most of the way up the window, would offer privacy but let light in, and preserve your ability to throw some cushions on that bookshelf and use it as a bench. It looks so lovely!

Beyond curtains/coverings, you could put up this removable semi-transparent window cover:
http://www.improvementscatalog.com/product/id/101021.do
They also have tinted, fake stained glass and other patterns, if that's your liking. Even clear Plasticor sheets (semi-transparent and ribbed similar to cardboard) can look really nice as a way to let light in, not be permanent, and be really cost effective. Since it's made of plastic, it's pretty rugged and can even be cleaned. You can get them at any art supply store in NY.

A quick warning - bamboo blinds offer next to no privacy - you think they do as they look solid on the side the light is on - but after nightfall anyone can see inside once you turn on a light. Lots of free shows have been put on by making that mistake...

I'm with 20SEVEN's comment.

If you've got the money, layers are the way to go. I'd do white solarshades and then curtains for 100% privacy.

If the budget is tight, then find a opaque top-down, bottom up solution. In my previous place, I had honeycomb ones that let a lot of light through and I left the top was down about 2-feet to see the tops of some trees - the rest of the view wasn't so great. Even this approach won't be cheap but I found it simple and non-fussy.

i would suggest 2 1/2'' colonial wood (or polywood) blinds - they'll look fantastic and provide great light control. you can tilt them to allow for privacy without sacrificing too much light -- also, because the slats are wide, when they're not tilted you hardly notice them. (with a curtain or shade you only have the choice of open or closed - so you get light and no privacy or dark and private). curtains can be used to compliment the look and provide total darkness when needed. (i know a good/inexpensive referral only guy for this in west village)

i would not go with mini-blinds -- they'll bend and break and will cheapen the look of your new place. use them temporarily if needed so you're not living in a fish bowl.

I've used this frosted window film before -- nothing required to apply or remove, just water. Might work really well for blocking out a portion of your window if you don't want to cover the whole thing. I love this stuff:

http://www.wallpaperforwindows.com/Products/FrostedP/FrostedP.asp#top

For total privacy and the ability to allow a lot of light into the room, there is no better option than top down bottom up shades. This link gives you a run down on all there is to know about this type of window treatment. I think blinds / shutters will be two "heavy" for the window and not give the flexibility that the shades will. Normally I would suggest some type of film, but given that you're near the bottom floor, I think the shades afford better privacy.

Best of luck!

BlindFINDER.com

"All you could ever want to know about window treatments"

http://blindfinder.com/2008/04/25/window-treatment-guide/

I have silk Indian saris on my windows. Because the silk is thin, they let in lots of light, but people can't see through them.

Saris in pale colors would work almost like sheers, light-wise, while providing privacy. But jewel colors cast wonderful beams of colored light around the room.

You can find them on eBay for $30 - $100 bucks.

I once lived on a bottom floor apartment with big windows. People were constantly walking by and kids would even press their faces to the window to look inside. I did a couple of very cheap (and pretty nice looking things). The first was I got semi-shear white curtains. Light came in during the day and I could see out, but people outside couldn't see in. At night I lowered some additional blinds because otherwise I couldn't see out and others could see in. Another thing I did was to paint the windows with a mix Elmer's glue and water. When it dried it gave a nice frosted look. When I moved out it peeled right off.

Layer with solar (you can see out, but they can't see in very well). They come in different densities. Get samples and hold it up to the window to see what you like. Smith and Noble and the Shade Store have some interesting designs that go beyond white, black etc. You can get roller shades and then layer another shade or panel on top. Top / Down are also a good idea - I would assume that it is done in solars too. A panel on the sides would look nice too. I put fabric roman shades on top -they offer a black out scenerio for me and also look nice up. And they keep my bedroom warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer.

i have the same exact problem. what i'm going to do is install flowerboxes outside my window and grow same shrubs with a decent height and flowers. that way it will be a nice faux forest view from the inside out. and the privacy is subtle