To really wish net curtains were back in fashion

[Acrackineverything]

Currently looking for replacement blinds for my house. The ones we have are ancient and a couple of them have fallen apart recently. Having looked around at houses in my neighborhood I see that the only "different" style of blind is venetian blinds, which lots of people tell me are a pain to keep clean.

We always had nets when I was younger, they're great for privacy, and I really wish they were fashionable still. I do notice though that any houses round here with nets appear to be rented, and look a bit shabby generally.

Aibu to wish they'd come back into fashion? And yes, I know that I can buy whatever I want but... I'm finally doing my house up nicely after years of child-rearing and working, and I really want it to look stylish for once!

www.blinds-2go.co.uk/enjoy-roller-blinds/11271/enjoy-dimout-silver.html

Just get them. It’s your house. Bugger what anyone else thinks.

They were incredibly popular for years because they were so practical.

Get the patterned ones from somewhere like Next. Lovely designs in all colours, I had mosaic translucent nets in my old place that matched the sofa and rugs. I could see out but if you looked from outside you could only see movement, nothing else.

I also had white ones with a silver leaf pattern in the bedroom. Think they were from Dunelm. You just need 2 nails and a wire (voile wire) to hang them up, very easy.

What’s the difference between net and voile? I thought they were the same?

@StrangeToSee

What’s the difference between net and voile? I thought they were the same?

They are really, just people don’t want to admit they have nets. The main different is the thread is thinner.

Not the best picture but we went for a simple window film but across the window so there is a gap above and below but eye level (from outside) is obscured. It actually looks really good.

Again, not the best pic!

Voile is the fabric, it is a soft sheer fabric and usually plain.

Net is made from a knitting process, thread is usually thicket than in voile, tend to be stiffer and most usually you see patterned designs.

So the difference between net and voile is the actual fabric and voile is usually plain and net patterned.

I know net curtains are out of fashion but it never occurred to me that they're "bad taste" until I read it on Mumsnet. I suspect that may be mostly a Mumsnet thing and the average person walking down the street won't think anything of your house having net curtains.

I think they look really nice, much nicer than just an empty window or curtains drawn all the time. In my area 75% of houses have them. They only look shabby if you let them go yellow or too worn.

YABU to try to decorate your own house for something you think will be "fashionable"

instead of doing it for you.
You will never please everybody for a start, and you are the one living in it!
Unless you are planning to put it on the market in the next 2 months and you really should make it as sellable as possible,

@ohthatbloodycat

Nets are the epitome of bad taste. Voiles are fine.

a) they are the same thing b) they might not be of YOUR taste - or mine - but bad taste?

who cares.. your house, your rules.
as a whole a home works better when it reflects your taste and character, not when you are trying to imitate p23 of a trendy catalogue.

My dh wanted blinds up , they are a pain to keep clean and I don't like them much ( the fabric ones are a bit better , but the ones he bought have narrow slats and collect dust so easily)
Nets need washing etc , but at least you can do this and put them back up again within a day.
I like the wooden blinds , but you lose your window sills with those types.

@PinkPlantCase

I think nets look vile and feel depressing from the inside.

When we rented the first thing I would do is go round taking down all the nets.

I'm pretty sure your house would look more depressing on the inside after somebody's peered in through gaps in the blinds, seen there's stuff worth nicking, broken in and ransacked the place.

I didn't bother with anything but wooden blinds when I had a top floor flat, but as soon as I moved house, the number of people I'd see walking by, stopping and looking directly into the houses with no voiles/nets meant that I got some plain ones pretty sharpish.

They were also a lot cheaper than buying window film to cover all but the top two foot (the windows are fairly large), never mind the practicalities of balancing up there with soapy water and a squeegee to get the film smooth.

Stuck film on the front door windows, though, as they were offcut sized - and found that the nets let in far more light (and the plants liked it better).

If you want nets have them, don’t give a crap about what everyone has on their windows

I've got plain, non patterned voile curtains in place of nets, and they are coloured to match the rooms they are in. Looks fine to me.

I prefer a voile roller blind and like to have them slightly open to let more light in

Everyone round here has those big thick venetian blinds that are also shutters. Haven't seen a net curtain for ages!

We have venitian blinds but not the posh shutter ones, just bog standard, and they are definitelya pain to clean.

I've noticed quite a few houses which are directly into the street have privacy film on then bottom half of the window. Voiles done well are perfectly fine.

Well I am old and had nets up to about seven years ago. What a relief to get rid of them. Like the clear vision and no washing of nets that quickly go dingy.

Our house is like a goldfish bowl so voiles are a must, they look fine. Unlike vertical blinds. Why, just why?

We have nets/voiles on the street side of the house, in sheer champagne colour. They let light in and give privacy. The only downside is ironing them.

On the garden side just curtains as nobody can see in.

I think it’s hilarious people are worried about whether nets/voiles are fashionable or not, when they’re a practical item. It’s like debating whether it’s in fashion to have curtains or not. If by nets people mean grubby white lace edged things I can see the point, but most modern shops are full of different choices of sheer voile/net curtains.

I'm so glad I don't care about appearing "stylish" to some imaginary arbiter!

I had the same predicament a while back, and was told to try day and night blinds. That's what I went with (from b&q) abs love them!

You can get stick on stuff for the windows which has little star or bee cut outs which looks really great.

Or just plain white linen will work. Go full length rather than half if you want it to look stylish - longer curtains always look better.