Options for window facing a neighbours wall?!

[Givemepickles]

I'm in a detached house with neighbours close either side. We want to get more light in downstairs and have decided to add a window to the west facing wall. This will be straight onto our neighbours house and the fence that separates our gardens so an awful view!

My question is how can we make it work so that light comes in but without a ridiculous view straight onto the side of their house? I'm really keen the sun comes in and have found window film blocks the sun and some light. Do we just have to go frosted glass or are there other options?

Are you saying that’s the only place another window can be created, that west wall?

A window box and/or nice planting growing up the fence or light planters hanging off it?
Also be careful with frosting as I’m sure the one I have in my bathroom blocks some of the light.

Do you need planning for a new window opening?
It might be that opaque glass is required.

Or what about a triangular oriel window, so you get some vision to the sides.

I think, other than the window, I'd paint a mural on the visible part of the fence. Make it light and bright.

Yes!

Like that idea! We are time poor at the mo but maybe a nice bright paint colour would do the trick. Would still see a lot of the neighbours house though unfortunately

Yeh I agree the films do block the light. We have frosted windows in the bathroom that do let the sun in but I'm worried about committing to a frosted window and it looking odd in a ground floor kitchen diner. The other windows and doors are not frosted. But then if I don't go frosted and the view is just awful I'll have to put film on and may regret not going frosted in the first place 😅

Plans and window boxes on the wall all the way. Or a trellis and grow something lovely up it (although you might have to warn/ask the neighbour because if they are anything like mine they send us texts every time a plant looks like breathing in their general direction).

Would stained glass be an option,? I've seen a few examples of this done and it throws different shades of colour in a room.

Doubt whether you will be able to put in a side window without frosting. I suspect it will need some sort of pp but maybe not.

High probability your neighbours will not be wild about the idea.

You can't paint or attach anything to a fence or wall that you don't own without the permission of the owner.

Unlikely to need planning permission if at ground level, but you may need approval under the Building Regs.

Could you get a wide window that's quite short in height? Like the attached?
It would let light in but keep the privacy a little bit more.

There are a lot of rules about windows facing your neighbours so make sure you are sure if you are within planning requirements etc (obscured glass can be required if not above a certain height etc to avoid needing planning permission).

I know someone who recently put a sky light in at the top of their stairs. Did absolute wonders for the light at pretty low cost.

I'll double check of course but as far as I know frosting is required for upstairs windows but not downstairs. They have no windows on their wall and we have a 6 foot fence between us so not sure why they'd mind. We already have windows on the other side of the house facing the other neighbours house and these are original. Also a terrible view!

That looks gorgeous! That's the kind of thing we're thinking. We have a chimney breast in the centre of the room though so our window would only be about 100cm wide for the glass. We thought we'd need to increase the height to make it worth while putting in. Initially we were going for something just like in that photo.

Alternatively, you could also consider a really high up and wide window, non-opening, more like a skylight. So purely for the light not the view. But I think ultimately it all depends on your physical surroundings and how they affect the angles for lightfall and sunshine. I might consider shelling out for an architect to take a look. Or at the very least meticulously observe light conditions on your outer wall at different parts of the day. If there's a fence does it block light and sun to lower down on your wall?

Ground floor windows can be put in under permitted development without frosting as joint as you have permitted development rights (check, conservation areas can remove them, as can planning permissions).

Also check building regs including fire safety if near the neighbour.

If it's your fence you could paint it or better would be to grow a climber. East facing fence wouldn't get much light, maybe a clematis?

Do consider that your neighbour might put a window in too.

There must be a passageway down the side of the house - how wide is it? And who owns the fence? The view is only as horrible as the fence is - if you keep it well maintained it's never going to be a terrible view, it just might not be the most beautiful you have. It's quite normal to have windows facing onto side passages though. I think you're overthinking it a bit.

We’re putting up a fence between us and next door. Instead of looking out onto the fence, my plan is planters with palms and lovely leafy plants so I can look out and imagine I’m on holiday somewhere.

Part of the renovation/reconfiguration of our existing house means that we will have a window where our old back door was, overlooking the alley and fence between our house and our neighbours. Their back door is opposite ours, but they don’t have any overlooking windows and the don’t use that door since they had bifolds fitted at the back.

I spent ages trying to find a way to improve the outlook and eventually came across an article that suggested a garden mirror with lots of tall foliage in pots placed strategically in front of it. Annoyingly I can’t seem to find the link, but essentially it has the effect of looking like there is a long, leafy garden, opposite the window. We own the fence, so I was thinking of trying a large arched garden mirror (some even have opening doors so they look like an open window. Then probably using tall ferns and other plants that thrive in shade.

If you can’t attach anything to the fence, you can buy planters with mirrored trellis on the back that you could just place in front of the fence. If you do a google image or pinterest search there are loads of ideas.

We're selling a house that has 2 windows in the downstairs lounge that face towards the next door neighbour & the fence, they both have level 1 frosted glass and look fine.

I have a long narrow window with opaque glass. It is above head height and makes a real difference to light in the room.

The mirror with plants in front of it is an excellent idea, plus it will bounce more light into your window. How much room do you have between the house and the fence OP?

If there is room, I would put a vertical garden on/in front of the fence.

Something like this:

https://topdreamer.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/wall-garden-7.jpg

or this
https://pimphomee.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Popular-Vertical-Garden-Wall-For-Outdoors-Decor-25.jpg