Soft fold made to measure Roman blind handmade by Katherine Brown in London

What Are My Options For Window Treatments That Offer Privacy Yet Still Look Super Stylish?

Many people view privacy window treatments as a functional afterthought rather than something inspiring. But privacy window treatments open up wonderful opportunities to add joyful and stylish detailing to enhance your home.

‘There is definitely still a way to go to change perceptions from, “it’s just something I have to have out of necessity” to “something I really love, which brings me joy each day”‘, says Katherine.

This article will help you choose the best option for your windows, and list the crucial questions to ask before committing. By the end, you’ll see privacy as an exciting creative opportunity, rather than a dreary necessity.

byKatherine Brown/April 13, 2026/inLearning Centre

Why Is Privacy Such A Big Concern For London Homeowners?

Quick Answer: Victorian properties built close to the street and new build flats packed tightly together both create serious privacy challenges.

‘Victorian houses are often built quite close to the street, so you may have passing traffic and pedestrians as well as neighbours from across the street looking in,’ Katherine explains. ‘There’s also new build flats that often literally look straight into somebody else’s apartment. Or a neighbour adds an extension and you are suddenly overlooked.’

Traditional planning guidelines recommend around 21 metres between facing windows, but modern developments often push these boundaries.

But privacy isn’t just about being overlooked. There’s also what Katherine calls the ‘perceived security concern’. ‘Many of our clients aren’t overlooked, but they don’t want to see a black hole outside at nightime or worry about suddenly seeing a face at the glass.”

What Questions Should I Ask Myself Before Choosing A Privacy Solution?

Quick Answer: Determine when you need privacy (daytime, nighttime, or both), whether you’re overlooked across the whole window or part of it, whether you still want to see out, how much space is available around the window and your budget.

These questions will help determine which solutions will work. For example, if you need privacy only during the daytime, your options will differ completely from those for round-the-clock coverage.

Then there’s the nighttime trap. ‘You do have to consider what it’s going to be like when the lights are on,’ Katherine warns.

A sheer giving perfect daytime privacy can become transparent when interior lights are on. ‘In most cases, people would have lined curtains or Roman blinds for nighttime, then a lighter privacy option for during the day.’

The view question matters more than people realise. ‘Most of our clients want privacy but still want to see out to enjoy a beautiful view or just to keep the depth of vision. Which is where half-height solutions, such as café curtains or café-style shutters, can be brilliant, as you can still look up and see the trees. Alternatively, if you need full coverage of the window, choosing a sheer fabric that still allows you to see the shapes outside is a great option,’ Katherine notes.

The style and shape of the window and the space available around the window will determine which options are feasible, especially if you are having a daytime privacy option alongside heavier curtains or a blind for night-time use.
The costs vary depending on the amount of fabric required, how labour intensive it is to make and if additional hardware and fitting are required.

Katherine’s Key Takeout: There are so many great options available and the key is finding the best option to suit the window and the room to give that layered and finished look.

What Privacy Options Are Available and How Do They Compare?

Quick Answer: There are five main options: sheer roller blinds, sheer unlined Roman blinds, café curtains, full length sheer and semi-sheer curtains and shutters. Each balances cost, style, functionality and feasibility differently.

When clients first come to Katherine, they often don’t realise how many stylish options exist. The choice comes down to ‘functionality, aesthetics, feasibility and budget’, as she describes it.

Privacy Option 1: Sheer Roller Blinds

Sheer roller blinds are an excellent privacy option and one of my favourites as they are so versatile and can add a really nice layered look when combined with heavier curtains or roman blinds. When used with a heavier lined roman blind or a pair of curtains with a pelmet the top of the roller is hidden giving a really nice, simple and contemporary look.

The choice of fabrics available is vast and so there will definitely be an option that suits your privacy needs and design aesthetic. Sheer roller blinds are flexible, easy to use and depending on the fabric come with added benefits such as UV protection and heat insulation.

Sheer roller blinds are a cost effective option as there is no further hardware required and they are quick and easy to install. They work well in both contemporary and more traditional settlings. If putting roller blinds in more traditional settings it’s worth asking about sewn hems, shaped bottoms and decorative centre pulls as these details can make a huge difference to the look.

Privacy Option 2: Sheer Unlined Roman Blinds

Sheer unlined roman blinds are a great step up, if budget allows. They are more expensive than roller blinds as they are handmade and much more labour intensive, but you get a more sophisticated look and much more scope for customisation: soft style romans are very popular at the moment and adding trims and borders can really make these special.’

There is a limitless choice of fabrics from plain sheers in sophisticated colours to more decorative sheer fabrics. As such, an unlined sheer roman blind can be a great choice for windows that only warrant one window dressing, that needs to let light through but also be decorative, such as in bathrooms and cloakrooms.

Similarly, for character properties, unlined sheer Roman blinds really are a brilliant choice as they can look more tailored than a roller blind.

What Our Clients Say:
‘Katherine made some great suggestions about what would and wouldn’t work, such as borders on blinds.’

Sophie G., London

Privacy Option 3: Cafe curtains

Unlined sheer cafe curtains on slim metal cafe rods are a great option for rooms where you don’t need the flexibility of being able to open and close your privacy curtains and where you may only need to cover the lower half of the window. ‘Half height cafe curtains mean you can still look up and see the trees,’ Katherine says.

In most cases café curtains cover the lower half of the window whilst leaving the top open, but that said we do also make full height cafe curtains where full coverage is needed, for example in bathrooms or cloakrooms.

Cafe curtains continue to grow in popularity as they are super effective but also look great and offer lots of opportunity for customisation depending on the style of your home.

For a more modern look choose a slot heading (the cafe curtain has a slot for the metal rod to pass through) and either flat panels or panels with only minimal fullness. If you like a slot heading but want to add a little more detail then add more fullness and an upstand.
For more traditional settings opt for a fuller curtain (two times the fullness) and a more traditional curtain heading such as a pencil pleat or a double pinch pleat, which attach to rings on the cafe rod. Think about the proprtions and don’t be afraid of making the heading nice and deep to give a more tailored look.

Cafe curtains work well on bay windows and single sash window and there are so many great ways to customise your cafe curtains to create a stunning feature of your window. In recent projects we have used broderie anglaise and also added trims.

Katherine’s Key Takeout: Think of the details too – brass curtain pins for a brass rod will mean your curtains look great from the outside too and deeper curtain headings will make your cafe curtain really special. If you put enough thought into your cafe curtain it can be enough to dress a small window all by itself.

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Privacy Option 4: Sheer curtains

Full-length sheer curtains or voiles are having a resurgence of late, providing a great privacy option and done well can really dial up the drama and style in both contemporary and more traditional settings.

Full-length sheers work really well on discreet ceiling-fixed tracks in modern apartments with floor-to-ceiling windows, where other privacy treatments would kill the clean lines. They can also help with temperature control where there is lots of glazing. And in more traditional settings, the long soft folds can add a romantic feel to a room, especially if hung from a metal curtain pole.

Full-length sheers need more fabric and hardware than other privacy options, so costs do step up, especially if sheers are a secondary treatment alongside lined curtains, for example, in bedrooms. If this is the case, it is worth considering how much space there is around the window, as having two layers of curtains does take up quite a lot of space (22-25cm), which can overpower a smaller room.

For living rooms and kitchens, semi-sheer curtains can be a great way of having the best of both worlds – one set of curtains that offers privacy during the day and that is substantial enough for night-time use also. There are so many great semi-sheer fabrics on the market now in sophisticated textured neutrals that it can be hard to choose between.

Katherine’s Key Takeout: Think carefully about your curtain heading – double pinch pleat, Euro pleat and wave headings are a great step up from pencil pleat and will add structure and elegance to your sheer curtains.

Privacy Option 5: Shutters

Although shutters are declining in popularity versus curtains and other more decorative window treatments, they are still a useful and stylish privacy option in certain circumstances. Shutters offer a neat, space efficient and flexible privacy solution. They provide privacy during the day and full closure at night making them particularly useful in street facing rooms and bathrooms where a high degree of privacy is needed,’ Katherine notes.

Long gone are the days where we would see a whole house of shutters, but it’s not uncommon for most of the projects we do to have a shuttter somewhere in the house. Although not one of the more economical options there are a wide range of materials available to suit different budgets.

Katherine’s Key Takeout: Shutters are a great option where flexibility and aesthetics are priorities, and have come on a long way in recent years with the colours and finishes available. Avoid pure white and opt for softer neutrals to work sympathetically with your paint scheme.

Does My Property Type Affect Which Privacy Solutions Will Work?

Quick Answer: Yes. Victorian and Edwardian homes tend to suit more of the options, whilst new builds can face challenges with full height glazing and inward-opening windows.

‘There’s quite a lot you can do in Victorian homes: roller blinds, Roman blinds, shutters, café curtains, full-length voiles,’ Katherine notes.

Whereas new builds face different challenges. ‘With new builds, it’s all about the volume of glazing, often floor to ceiling and typically windows that open inwards, ruling out many of the options that we have mentioned.

Katherine’s Key Takeout: New builds tend to suit full length sheer curtains on ceiling fixed tracks for bigger windows and benefit hugely from floaty fabrics to soften all that glazing and help with temperature control.

What Should I Realistically Budget for Privacy Solutions?

Quick Answer: Costs vary from a few hundred pounds for a roller blind to several thousand for layered solutions.

‘Where does the cost come from? Hardware, installation, fabric and making,’ Katherine explains. Roller blinds are the cheapest because they have no additional hardware. Roman blinds cost more as they’re handmade. Café curtains and sheers require poles, fitting, fabric, and making. Shutters probably sit somewhere inbetween. If layering privacy with nighttime treatments, budget for both.

Ready to Find Your Perfect Privacy Solution?

Privacy doesn’t mean sacrificing the joy and beauty of your windows. Whether you’re overlooked from the street, facing neighbouring properties, or simply want the security of knowing you’re not on display, there’s a stylish solution that works for your home, your property type, and your budget.

Get in touch with us via our website and we’ll arrange a design consultation to assess your windows, understand your privacy concerns and lifestyle needs, and create a solution that works beautifully whilst giving you the peace of mind you deserve. Your home should feel like a sanctuary, so let’s make that happen together.

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Read: Blackout Curtains & Blinds

Read: Blackout Blinds Questions

Privacy Window Treatments FAQ

Will privacy blinds work at night when my lights are on? 
Some sheer privacy solutions become transparent when interior lights are on, that said it does depend on the position of your lights. If that’s the case you’ll need either thicker fabrics or a secondary window dressing (curtains or blackout blinds) for nighttime privacy.
Can I add privacy solutions to windows with existing curtains? 
Absolutely. Layering is common and often gives the best result. Many clients have curtains for nighttime and add sheer blinds or café curtains for daytime privacy.
What if my windows open inwards? 
This rules out recessed blinds. Your options become ceiling-fixed or wall-fixed tracks with sheer curtains, or face-fixed blinds outside the recess.
How do I know if my windows can accommodate these elaborate treatments?
hat needs a proper look. Window position, how they open, what’s above and below, your room’s architecture—it all matters. Definitely worth getting a professional assessment and help to execute flawlessly.

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About The Author

Katherine Brown began her career project managing major house renovations, giving her a rare mix of creative design ability and deep technical understanding of construction, hardware, motorisation and installation. For the last decade, Katherine and her team have delivered bespoke window dressings and soft furnishings for homes across London and the UK, including large heritage properties, complex architectural spaces and full-house projects where every room demands a tailored approach.

She works with some of the UK’s most respected interior designers as well as private homeowners and her work is recognised for its precision, considered detailing and a calm, collaborative design process rooted in trust and craftsmanship.

Katherine is particularly known for her thoughtful use of trims and layering, and for her belief that well-designed window dressings can quietly transform how a home feels—bringing clarity, comfort and a sense of ease to everyday living.

Katherine: 07954 377 927
Sara: 07398 734 937