Making windows very pretty and hard to see through

PotatoNinja

I've recently moved into a new one bedroom apartment that I like quite a bit, but its lacking one important detail: No blinds, no drapes, no curtains, no nothing on the windows. I have two windows with enough exposure that I feel the need to have some way to cover them, and I'd like something cheap and, ideally, nice looking (blinds are functional but awfully ugly). I'm not above using second-hand equipment or a bit of improvisation, but I'm no tailor and anything more complicated than "screw this thing in here, hang that thing there" is probably going to be lost on me.

Ideally options that don't put much stress on the apartment or walls would be nice, I doubt the owners would have trouble with me adding to their apartment, but that doesn't mean they want me to tear apart the walls to do it.

Any advice for ways to cover up some windows on the cheap?

skettios

i've always just used bedsheets. cheap and can be pretty

-Phil-

You can frost the glass, they sell cans of it at your local hardware store.

Also, horizontal blinds are cheap and easy to install. Also, they can be trimmed to fit your dimensions.

Improvolone

How cheap are we talking? Curtains can be done cheaply. Check out Marshalls, TJ Maxx, etc for good prices.

riz

There's also vinyl stuff that does what Phil suggested, it's like translucent stickers you apply to the glass so people can't see in but some light is still filtered through. Like http://www.decorativefilm.com/ for example, but I know they sell cheaper, less decorative kinds at home improvement stores too. The benefit of this is you just peel it off when you leave, so it doesn't affect the windows permanently at all like sprays or drilling for curtain rods.

If you want to be able to block ALL light, it's really not going to destroy the walls to put in some cheap curtain rods and hang whatever fabric you like off of them, or cheap curtain panels from Walmart or whatever.

PirateJon

a $2 roll of glad wrap will set you up. Cut to shape, press on window.
http://www.glad.com/plasticwrap/pressnseal.php

PotatoNinja

PirateJon wrote: »

a $2 roll of glad wrap will set you up. Cut to shape, press on window.
http://www.glad.com/plasticwrap/pressnseal.php

That is remarkably cheap and I imagine would be INCREDIBLY ugly. Kind of overshot the mark on the former, but if I end up destitute and needing windows covered in the next few months I might try that.

FyreWulff

Just get a rod and some curtains if you're really not liking blinds. Get some dark, light-opaque curtains so you can control the outside light when you need to.

Also you might want to clear this with the landlord.

Trillian

You can get some very pretty translucent scrapbook paper and go to town with that.
That's how I've got the light blocked off for my frog tanks and it works perfectly and looks lovely

SwashbucklerXX

If you've got an IKEA nearby, they've got a large selection of affordable curtains. If you go that route, I recommend using a curtain rod over their funkier stuff that involves metal wires and such. The rods are a lot sturdier and more foolproof.

Deebaser

Word of warning. Cheap bamboo blinds don't cover much. I have the blue dot over my apartment to prove it. (jk)

underdonk

You can get plastic horizontal mini-blinds at Lowes for < $10/ea in standard sizes. Bed sheets cost more than that.

http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=143166-79074-143166&lpage=none

+50 Privacy!

PirateJon

PotatoNinja wrote: »

PirateJon wrote: »

a $2 roll of glad wrap will set you up. Cut to shape, press on window.
http://www.glad.com/plasticwrap/pressnseal.php

That is remarkably cheap and I imagine would be INCREDIBLY ugly. Kind of overshot the mark on the former, but if I end up destitute and needing windows covered in the next few months I might try that.

Eh.. I've done it. Looks like frosted glass and was cheaper than the real deal.
http://www.amazon.com/White-Frost-Window-Film-Continuous/dp/B0012NH1QA

Backstop

Most of the usual curtain rods will put a total of four small screwholes in the wall. Landlords won;t have a problem with that. Hit Target for a couple of thick Window Panels and you've got a darker room for $25 each window.

Look at the fabric, you might want the translucent fabric if you like a lot of light, or you might want a thicker one if you want to block the light. Make sure to get a pair of curtains so you can pull them apart in the middle, some packages contain a pair, others are just one larger panel. Remember that the width of the window isn't the same width you want the curtain to be, unless you like it to be stretched taut. Most people like curtains to be ruffled.

Look at the top of the curtain too and make sure to pick a curtain rod that goes with it. It your curtains are "Tab Top" you will want a curtain rod that is straight and not ugly. If your curtains are going to cover the whole rod then it doens't really matter.