Front Door Privacy Ideas

Elegant front doors often come with an ornate window at their center. Sometimes long windows flank the front door, streaming light into the entryway. Though bright and beautiful, windows in or around your front door create a privacy problem. How can you cover the window without reducing the beauty of your front door? Here's a handful of simple ideas.

Removable Painting

Hang a painting over the window in the middle of your front door. Look for wall decor at a home decorating or craft store. Art created on wood (or imitation wood) looks especially good when hung on your front door. You can remove the painting in the day, when light can stream into your entryway. And at night you can cover the window for complete front door privacy.

Window Film

For absolute front door privacy, buy window film (found at home improvement stores and online). Cut the window film to match the size of your window. Then use water to adhere the plastic film in place. The window film can simply be peeled off if you later change your mind and want to keep the window pane clear.

Small Curtain

Buy a beautiful fabric at a craft store. Cut two pieces of fabric to match the size of half your window each. Use no-sew hemming tape to hem the fabric all around. Then attach the fabric to the top of your window using tacks. Tie these small curtains to the sides of your window using ribbons, with small screw hooks in place of curtain tie-backs. Then just draw the curtain at night for complete front door privacy.

Window Cover

An elegant tablemat will often be just the right size to cover the window at the center of your front door. For a permanent mount, use tacks to attach the tablemat over the window. If you want to raise the cover in the day, attach the tablemat to the top of the window only. Then roll the mat upwards when you want to uncover the window and use ribbons to tie the mat to the top.

Beaded Curtain

Though a beaded curtain will not give you complete front door privacy, it may be all you need. At a craft store you'll find beautiful glass beads. Select a range of colors and sizes. String the beads on fishing wire that matches the length of your window. Then hang the beaded strings side-by-side on a wooden dowel (or stick from your garden). You can hang your beaded curtain over your door window using screw hooks.

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