It may be fulfilling to show off your gorgeous house to guests, but you don’t necessarily want the entire world to peek into your home all the time. At the same time, you don’t want to make your home seem easy to enter for any would-be thieves. This doesn’t mean that you have to completely wall off your entire residence, though. If you want to stop feeling like you’re living in a fishbowl, try installing some of these home features to help make your living space feel a little more private.
- Honeycomb Shades
Also called “cellular shades,” honeycomb shades have long open channels that can trap hot or cold air. This means they can provide energy-efficient insulation during cold months while keeping hot air out during the summer.These shades also provide excellent light control. Light-filtering cellular shades can help prevent your furniture from fading due to exposure to sunlight. For people who can only sleep in complete darkness, blackout honeycomb shades are the best choice.There are also cordless options, which means they’re safe for households with pets or children.
- One-Way Blinds
If you don’t want to completely block off your home, you can opt for one-way blinds (also called magic screens) that let you see outside while preventing strangers from seeing the inside of your home. Keep in mind that these won’t work at night because the light from inside your home will make you visible through the fabric. With that in mind, make sure to pair this with additional window treatments, such as curtains or shades.
- Fencing
Fencing is one of the most effective and classic ways to wall off your backyard. One great option is a board fence since you can stain them to match the rest of your home. To make a fence look less cold and uninviting, you could add a lattice top or plant some flowers to liven things up. You could also go for stone walls topped with short picket fences, giving your eyes a little room to breathe while still keeping prying eyes out.
- Privacy Plants
You don’t have to rely only on stone, wood, or metal to cover up your home, as you can use plants to decorate your home and deter trespassers. Some options include hedges, raised garden beds, or big container gardens, to name a few. A well-placed evergreen tree may be enough to block a neighbor’s view from a second-story window.If you want to avoid people listening in on you or your guests, you can try planting some ornamental grasses. They’re great at masking sounds whenever they rustle due to the breeze.
- Soundproof Insulation
For total privacy, you’ll want to keep the neighbors from listening in on your personal conversations. You can use acoustic ceiling and wall panels to absorb the sound within your home. When it comes to your floor, hard material—such as hardwood or tiles—can bounce sound around a room. Thus, you may want to go for softly padded carpeting for soundproofing. You could even use acoustic deadening tiles, though you may have to completely re-do your entire floor to install them. There are also sound-blocking curtains you can buy that can both reduce outdoor and indoor noises.
Above all else, you should be able to feel safe and comfortable inside your own house. It should be the first place you can think of to sit back, relax, and do whatever you want. With any of these options, you can finally stop worrying about having outsiders eavesdrop on you. Give some of these home features a try, and enjoy a more stylish and private living space.
