To wonder why people have no blinds/ nets at the window ?

[CTRL]

I’ve always grown up with news and curtains at the windows and have always had nets and curtains or blinds at my window however I have noticed when I pass other people’s homes some homes don’t have anything covering the window.

Surely if your house is on ground level and people pass by they can stare and look right inside your house ?

Do you ever worry about privacy ?

I get it’s not invasive during the day but surely when is nighttime and the lights are on indoors it must feel like everyone can see you ?

[nokidshere]

I prefer undressed windows whenever possible as I like to feeling of light and space it gives. However, our living room is south facing so the sun is always a problem. In the summer the room is boiling hot and the rest of the year we can barely see the tv because of the glare.

I've tried all sorts of window dressings to stop the problem but none have really worked until now, we either couldnt see anything or we lived most of the year in darkness.

So now my front windows (7 individual panes of glass) have Perfect Fit horizontal,blinds and they are fabulous. I can have them entirely open or closed, partially open or closed or, as I do most days, open and close them in relation to where the sun moves to. They don't move, flap about in the wind if the window is open, or block out light. Because they are individual fittings I have 7 options to choose from.

They look minimalist, let me see out but no one can see in, they are neat and tidy, don't take up any space on the windowsill or window surround. Perfect indeed.

[motherheroic]

I have blinds. I don't like being exposed. I want to be able to walk around in my underwear without having to completely close my curtains every single time.

[HangryPants]

This thread premise reminds me of The Twits.

[ghostmouse]

I have nets. Cos I'm poor and I live in a council house on minimum wage and I can't afford blinds nor get the permission to put them up.
I couldn't care less.

[PinkSparklyPussyCat]

Some of our neighbours have slatted blinds and I look at them and think sod cleaning them! They also cost a bloody fortune! I like daylight which is why I have voiles (not traditional nets) as they let in the light but stop people seeing into my bedroom and can just go in the washing machine.

[Justgorgeous]

Net curtains are one of my absolute hates. Shutters for us.

[AlpacaGoodnight]

Nets are loke crocs for your house! I never understand why people still have them. Slatted blinds I can understand if your house is over looked or on a main street. For me though I like daylight and to see the world and it would feel dark and depressing not having that

[notso]

I hate net curtains. Our old house had virtually no front garden and was a busy street used as a thoroughfare to several estates. I was never bothered if anyone saw me watching TV etc for 30 seconds as they walked by.

However the street had some grant work done on it around the time I had DS3 and when the work started on the houses opposite one builder in particular would stare when I was breastfeeding DS. I mean really stare, sitting down on the scaffolding to actively watch.
DS was a fussy feeder and often I had the whole boob out but still. I flicked him the v's a couple of times but he didn't seem to be put off. So I resorted to frosting the widow with spray.

[karigan]

*out

[karigan]

I love being able to see how and sitting with the curtains drawn or net curtains would limit that.

Also we live on a corner plot on a quiet estate so the only time people can see in is if they are already on our drive and walking down it. There is no thoroughfare past the house at all.

Also....the cat likes looking out the window. :p

[VioletCharlotte]

I hate net curtains, they make me feel trapped in. I like being able to see out the windows and the for the light to come in. I don't do anything in my lounge that requires privacy so I'm not really bothered if people want to look in. My bedroom window isn't overlooked.

[StarlingsInSummer]

@wanderings I love this too! Or looking into people's houses when you’re travelling on the train on a winter’s dusk....

[Saracen]

I just don't feel strongly about privacy. I guess I might care if someone nosy was annoying me or there were some other specific issue but generally no, I don't mind passersby seeing me on the sofa in my PJs!

Ongoing dispute between me and DH. He wants the curtains closed in the evening and I want them left open until the very last of the natural daylight is gone. I love light. I am willing to have the curtains shut when it is fully dark outdoors, but if it weren't for DH I don't think I'd bother to ever close them in the living room even at night. Oh, maybe for warmth in the winter.

[wanderings]

One of the best things about Christmas is seeing into the houses, especially on the evening of 25th December. When the Nintendo Wii came out, living rooms were full of people waving their arms about!

[Windbeneathmybingowings]

Privacy glass is great if you don’t want nets. Or you can get nice transfers that cover the lower half of the window if you are that bothered. They do very plain or patterned ones.

[Mamamooligans]

@50shadesofblackclothing
Old lady patterned nets here and I love them! I think they look gorgeous, add character and give a lovely vibe! As in my post above even in run-down blocks of flats I always think the ones with net curtains look so much better. I'd like them even if I lived in middle of nowhere. Voiles look awful IMO. Blinds I think look nice but aren't as practical as either have them open/get light, everyone can see in. Or closed and light shut out!
We all have different tastes I guess. And doesn't anyone have toddlers that strip off after 10 seconds?!

[50shadesofblackclothing]

I think it'd be interesting if we posted 1. What we consider 'nets' to be, it seems some pp don't have nets but have voiles which is what I was talking about when I said 'nets', not old lady patterned affairs! And 2. Our home set ups, some have mentioned living rurally, in cul de sacs, not having anything to hide other than being naked/ having sex etc, passers by only seeing them watching telly. Which makes me think we're all coming at different angles and some not realising why others do/ don't want to have them.
I'm not saying anyone else must do the same but I'll say- I have voile curtains that I call nets because I can take them down but not open them because I live in a ground floor flat in a purpose built block with a taller block across the road so anyone standing on their balcony/ looking out of their window overlooks me, their front doors are on the other side again. So my living room, kitchen, dc's bedroom, my bedroom are all overlooked by those flats, people walking past can't see in because of the 8ft fence. So if I didn't have nets I'd need to have the curtains closed during the day when dressing/ wandering around in bra and pants.
Anyone else?

[Huncamuncaa]

It can also be a cultural thing. My Dutch friend questioned why all the houses on our street had the curtains closed and said it looked like we all have something to hide!

[VivienScott]

In the old days, no nets was a sign of wealth, ie my house is so big and so far removed from roadside because if it’s large frontage, no one can see in so I don’t need them. Bit of that, bit of wanting the light in as well maybe

[Mamamooligans]

Watch out @MeadowHay according to some mumsnetters if you like privacy then you must have something to hide

I'm also in my mid twenties and love net curtains!

[MeadowHay]

Haha, DH and I are mid-twenties and got our house about a year ago and we have nets . I hate blinds because I am like the OP and hate people being able to see in. I feel uncomfortable if I know people can see in my house and with blinds, unless they're closed, you can always see in! And I wouldn't want to sit with them closed or mostly closed all the time. Nets let all the light through but also means you can't see in. Also think they are easier to keep clean as you can just wash them rather than having to clean and dust blinds which I find takes ages but that is just lazyness on my part like. Everyone else finds it hilarious that a young couple have bought nets for their house but I like them and hate blinds, so that's how it is.

[CraftyGin]

We have curtains on our front windows (no nets or blinds) and nothing on the back.

I am not my mother.

[howwudufeel]

I like net curtains too. A million times better than houses with vertical, office blinds. I can’t understand why anyone would want those

[Mamamooligans]

Oh I must be in the minority, but I LOVE net curtains. I think they look so quaint and add character to the property! Even when driving past council flats that are designed to look awful I think the ones with net curtains look 100000x better than the others and assume they're nicer and well taken care of on the inside too.

[PinkSparklyPussyCat]

Old fashioned nets (or voiles) May well be but my choices are let everyone see in my bedroom, have the curtains closed every time I go in there or go out or have nets!