Frosted glass isn't private enough, is it?

[QuantumWeatherButterfly]

As part of a refurb project at home, we want to take out part of a wall and replace it with a glass room divider with sliding glass doors. It should bring a lot more light into an area of the house that is currently poky and dark and doesn't get used as a result.

The room behind the current wall is our family room, which we need to use to accommodate occasional overnight guests.

The plan was to use frosted glass for the room divider for privacy, but looking at the architect's drawings, it's suddenly dawned on me that frosted glass really isn't all that private, is it? You might not be able to see detail but if guests put the light on after dark, anyone walking past would clearly be able to see in, right?

I'm going to need a curtain, aren't I? Or are there any other solutions?

Yes you'll need a curtain or blinds, or switchable (privacy) glass but that's expensive.

You could use switchable privacy glass also called intelligent glass......it goes opaque when you switch off a current that runs through it. I had it in a barroom in a previous house

It's considerably more expensive than normal glass though.

If it is just occasional overnight guests, you could have a foldable screen that you could bring out only when needed? Unless you have guests very frequently, it seems a shame to compromise on your day to date use of your home

Ah. As I suspected. I've searched for intelligent glass and asked for some pricing information, but I strongly suspect it's going to be out of our budget.

Curtains would look good, but not sure where the 'bunch' would sit when open, and I've literally just decided on roller blinds for the sliding doors at the other side of the room, so it could look really weird mixing and matching. Would roller blinds look strange pulled down in front of a divider? I fear they would. Sigh.

@Solasum I reckon it would be about 20 nights a year, max - but it's mostly family guests including our parents, and I want them to feel comfortable. I know what you mean about the screen, but I do agree that whatever we do needs to work for the other 345 days and nights a year! That's actually why we're doing the work - the room isn't a family room at the moment, it's our main guest bedroom, but it's such a bad use of space when it's barely used and we're bursting at the seems elsewhere in the house.

Oh blimey - I found an online quote for intelligent glass, and just the glass alone (never mind the frame and fitting) would be £4k! So that's just not going to happen. Hahaha!

We have opaque glass for our en-suite bathroom but it has clear class above and below it. You would want opaque all the way down and it’s perfectly opaque! You cannot really see through it.

You could have blinds mounted above but you would need strong ceilings for this! My view would be to get the opaque glass but have it clear above head height. Clear allows more light in. Maybe a bit clear at the bottom. No one will get on the floor to peer in will they?

Are you going to use the space as a separate room, or have the glass doors open and use the space as open plan?
Sounds like you could possibly have eg wood sliding/folding doors and just leave then open when no guests?

Another option might be glass with built in blinds between the panes.....probably more usual on bi-finds/outdoor facing glass though.

Intelligent glass is amazing though! I wish I had it in this house

I would just have the option of a curtain if it's not going to be used that much as a guest room or put a throw or blanket up over a rail

If you have DC they could do some massive drawings that could be stuck on the glass just when visitors are expected?

We have opaque glass in our en-suite bathroom and you can’t see anything detailed through it at all even at night when it’s lit up from behind. If I remember I’ll take a picture for you later!

I was going to suggest built-in blinds too.

For the sake of 20 nights a year I would get a couple of the gro company blackout blinds or similar. They attach to the glass with suction pads and will also make the room dark enough to sleep in.

Glass with built in blinds is the way to go

You can get very opaque glass, I have certainly used toilet cubicles with glass doors but it might effect light.

You could have a design at the top, above eye level, with part clear glass so that you get more light.

We have opaque glass doors and you can't see anything behind them. Even with a light on. They've really helped to allow light into a very dark landing.

We have a room that is mainly used as a playroom but we have guests sleeping in there 2 or 3 times a year. The door is partially clear glass. I bought a roll of removable pattern plastic film(not sure of the right word). Cut it to shape and attach it to the glass when we have guests.

Put up a curtain pole and only slot the tab headed curtains on it when you have guests?

Our office which doubles as a spare room has a glass panelled door. When we have people staying in it, I hang a length of wallpaper in front of the glass using magnetic poster hangers. I'll try and find a picture.

Window film is the easiest thing to install, if you don't like it you can just remove it. I have the plain frosted film on both obsured bathroom window glass and on my utility door.

www.purlfrost.com/frosted-window-film/

Purlfrost is better than other film products due to the way it is packaged, and it is flexible meaning getting it into the corners doesn't ruin or crease the film. You can have it cut to size for you. You wouldnt have to frost the whole glass pane, you can leave a clear bit at the top for more light.

If you don't like it, it is very easy to remove.

Here, the hangers are less than £20

@MsRinky's wallpaper is genius. Making the glass more obscure won't make the room more suitable for sleeping unless you go fully opaque - it will be too light.

Something like Perfect Fit blinds would be very handy if the window part of your sliding glass doors are the right type. The blinds are tucked away when open so you hardly notice them, and you could just close them when you have guests. Blackout blinds would be like having a solid door but you can also get ones to let some light through.

Can you just get a freestanding screen, something like this www.amazon.co.uk/Hartleys-Japanese-Folding-Wooden-Divider/dp/B019QA03JC?pf_rd_p=c37c2f66-e1dc-5223-a3f5-a0624db80fd9&pf_rd_r=Y8ST2HY2GH6ECB1FTQWQ&pf_rd_s=merchandised-search-10&pf_rd_t=BROWSE&ref_=s9_apbd_omwf_hd_bw_b36vnNf&tag=mumsnetforu03-21&pf_rd_i=2850831031

or something more decorative, which can just fold up out of the way for 345 nights

I have opaque glass and you cannot see through it. But I would advise top and bottom clear panels. Most other solutions are messy and take away from the clean look of glass doors. You don’t need the expense of blinds in the doors. After all, who exactly is going to be snooping on the occupants this room? It all sounds a lot of fuss for 3-4 weeks of the year!