Privacy from street - help on frosting windows

[iloverhubarbcrumble]

We've just moved in, and the front breakfast room is dark as there's a large bush in the front garden keeping out all the light. So the bush is coming down, but that will take away all our privacy. Small front garden, people passing all day - and our attached neighbour runs a (morning only) car servicing outfit from his front 'patio'!

So, we don't want shutters or net curtains, and I'm trying not to spend much money. I'm thinking of buying the frosted film which I think you stick onto the window, perhaps onto the bottom half only. For people who already have this, does it work? Do they still let plenty of light in? Do they stop people seeing in? If we have the lights on would people see in even with the frosted windows? Tips on where to buy also much appreciated - I'd like something reasonably stylish if it exists.

Thanks for any thoughts. We sit having breakfast with the blinds closed despite the beautiful sunshine, bit sad really!

I don't have any personal experience of this stuff, so don't know if it works, but Brume is one of the places that's always mentioned when programmes/magazines talk about it.

Some of the DIY frosted film can look a bit crap if not applied 100% perfectly (air bubbles, creases etc).

There is also a spray version but I think that can also be a bit difficult to get perfect.

You can buy some glass already frosted with designs but it can be a bit ££££. We had a beautiful one in the bathroom in our last house -it was frosted with tiny clear stars on it.

There was a thread on where to get it here.

I haven't used the film but did use a spray on a small window once which had the same effect as film and did seem to work well - no one could see from outside and enough light came in at the top of the window.

I also had shutters on a bigger bay window; during the day I used to leave the bottom half shut or just louvred open and the top wide open to let the light in. I really liked them but they were expensive!

I second Brume - by far the best...

I painted our plain glass toilet window with white emulsion paint and it looks fine, maintains privacy and does not block out the light.

It can be washed off very easily.

I think that window film looks a bit bathroom-y, not sure it would look great in a kitchen.
COuld you have cafe shutters (ei only the bottom half of the window)? Would only work if you have a window which is divided in the middle horizontally, but I think this would look more stylish.
Another option is a wooden venetian blind, there are some good deals on-line if you google (and do an archive search here on MN).

Ikea do it at a couple of quid a roll.