The desire for both privacy and light often work at cross purposes to one another, but sometimes you can have both. If you treasure the beauty of light in your home but need a little privacy, etched glass or etched glass film might be a good solution. Keep in mind that etched glass is permanent while etched glass film is not.
While many folks in the country do not live as close to their neighbors as do city dwellers, privacy can still be an issue. If you have a great view, why not take advantage of it as much as possible, with a bit of a twist to conventional window treatments?
Privacy can be achieved in many ways, and most homeowners go straight to window blinds or draperies. Both covers can be great insulators of heat and cold; but if you prefer a more minimalist approach, etched glass might be just the thing for you. Etched glass is not new, and it is not difficult for the average person to obtain. Most craft stores carry etching compounds; and, with adult supervision there are plenty of child-safe craft ideas out there, but I digress.
If you have sidelights to your front door that are clear glass and you feel a bit too exposed, or even the lower portion of a double or single hung window, consider adding an etched film, you can purchase at your local home center. If you are more creative, you can create a design yourself and make your own stencil, but there are plenty of film designs available. Simple designs will give you a more modern feel, while something botanical will give you a more cottage feeling.
Another good use of etching compounds is to change the look of mirrored closet doors. While these doors are common in many households, they are not always a favorite of homeowners, and are usually merely tolerated. While they do reflect light and that is a good thing, you might not want a total reflection of the room. One idea is to run bands or stripes of etching across the bottom third or two thirds of the closet doors, giving the doors a more designer look. Or also can defuse just half of a full length mirror on both sides of a double closet or only one side of the double closet door.
Windows that are difficult to reach are equally difficult to treat, this is an ideal application for an etched glass or film. Expensive fan shaped wood blinds or pleated shades are usually the only option, while a simple and fairly inexpensive etched film might be a better idea, even if privacy isn’t an issue.
French doors that separate private rooms from more public rooms is another good use of etching without the heaviness of blinds or drapes, while still allowing the light to come through day or night.
If one of your windows has a less desirable view, the window becomes another good candidate for either etching or film on the window without sacrificing valuable light. Think of the possibilities.