What about shutters? We have tall, narrow windows and I didn't want the heaviness (for me) of curtains. Shutters were a leap of faith for me but I really like them.

Sheers. Either by themselves or with drapes that stay open all of the time. Hang rods that are wide enough to keep the windows unobstructed by the drapes.

My brother and his wife have Top-down/bottom-up blinds in their front windows. Their house is fairly exposed to a busy street that also gets a lot of foot traffic. It seems to work for them.

IMHO the mechanisms seem a bit fussy, and might not hold up well to little ones or window-interested pets, but they're definitely an option.

Here is a link that might be useful: Top-down/bottom-up blinds

Double post! Not sure how that happened.

This post was edited by jakabedy on Mon, Jun 17, 13 at 16:52

Definitely nothing wrong with using cafe curtains.........and you don't have to have a country theme for them to work. Check out the link below for lots of photos showing how they can be used.
If you want full covering, I'd layer with sheers, then for privacy at night you could close the side panels.

Here is a link that might be useful: [windows half covered[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/cafe-curtains-phbr0lbl-bl~l_236)

First thing is to take your DH outside during the day and show him how little is seen of the inside. At night, of course, it is a different thing and privacy would be of concern.

In addition to cafe curtains, or bottom up shades, you might consider privacy film which comes in all kinds of styles, patterns, colors, degrees of privacy, but still lets light in...easy to apply and inexpensive.

You could also get patterned roller shades that add privacy but allow light through.
{{!gwi}}

Recently I saw these hunter douglas luminettes which are very nice...an alternative to the old fashioned vertical blinds....these are nicely shaped at the top, and have vanes in them like vertical blinds so you can control the amount of light and privacy.

Panels over the bottom half that can be pulled open and closed aren't dorky if done nicely, people just think they are because they're currently out of style. Our standard group-think, especially foolish when it's proscribing something this functional. And (formerly) very attractive.

So, be brave. Be independent. Save your marriage by going dorky. :)

Can you send a photo of the windows in question?

Diamond paned windows were part of the neo-Elizabethan style (also referred to as Tudor) early in the 20th century, and if yours are anything like those, you will probably want a solution that is compatible with the style.

I don't think patterned translucent things will do at your windows.

If you do consider shutters, tier on tier shutters would give you both light and privacy. And also fit the style of your window pane's.

Full shutters will darken a room unless you open them all the way out from the window, which is a pain.

One of my favorite looks are panels (which aren't out of style) with only a lower tiered shutter. You can open both or open the panels and keep the shutters closed. Lots of options.

Panels with cafe style lace curtains works well too.

Wow, thank you all for so many great ideas! I like the light airiness in many of the pictures, would the half curtains work in this room? Obviously, my dated roses have to go. But I still like the color in there. It is something like Wythe blue, when not blinded by the window. The top of those diamonds are at shoulder level to me, so I probably would want to start there.

https://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/p240x240/1010911_10201215953785559_514871411_n.jpg
Here is my other problem. These dogs LOVE to watch the world go by and scare off burglars and tear up my window sill. I even had to put in a piece of plexiglass to keep them from breaking the window. It would break their heart if I put in shutters!

Such beautiful beautiful windows and lovely woodwork- what a shame to cover them. So much character.

Whatever curtain solution you come up with, hang the curtains so they don't cover any part of the window when they are open - rod wider than the windows by at least a foot, maybe 18 inches each side, and hung up near the ceiling. I'd skip a valence entirely - let all the focus be on those beautiful leaded panes. Maybe sheers for the day, and opaque curtains for night but I would never cover the windows in the day.

Saving the marriage - take a walk in the neighborhood with your husband - can you really see in people's windows during the day? Would he consider taller plantings near the curb? Can curtains stay open until the lights come on in the evening? It doesn't look like a busy street.

Dogs - plexiglass sounds as good as any solution. Just as our children got big enough not to cause too much damage, we got a dog. Better a house full of love than perfect decor.

Such pretty windows...a shame to cover them.

Dogs are a whole 'nother thing... They will scrape off window film and tear sheers and destroy bottoms-up blinds. If they are tearing up the sill, I don't think there's anything that will stand up to them unless you move the plexiglass out to protect the sills and window treatments too.

I don't know if a window film can be applied on the outside and be durable enough...you'd have to check with the mnfctr. After seeing the windows, I agree with Bronwynsmom that a pattern would not be appropriate, but perhaps a frosted or sand blasted look will do. They make a zillion kinds. (In fact I'm glad you asked as I went there to see and it looks like they've come up with a dogwood pattern that might look great in my bathroom window!)

Then again, if you block the view, maybe they'll move to another window....

Here is a link that might be useful: Decorative window film

White cotton sheers and better lighting in your rooms.

IMO, in every dark room, you need a torchiere lamp in which the bulb is pointed up. Then you replace the bulb with a flood light. You can use a standard 65 watt flood, or a $20 LED 100-watt-equivalent flood light. It will shoot the light up on the ceiling and bounce around the room.

Gray, I'm going to check into buying a torchiere lamp. Do they give off nice light? Better than an overhead light?

Also, my ceiling is vaulted, will the torchiere still help?

I'm one of the few who has good overhead lighting in the LR, but I only use it when I'm writing.

Should the torchiere go in a corner?

Music, those are beautiful windows! I agree about getting panels that won't hide the windows when open, but I do think panels are your best bet.

Oh my gosh, you just can't cover those glorous windows! They are absolutey drop dead gorgeous. I wouldn't do anything to cover them and would only add a valance if you need to add interest. Birdgardener had a great idea to plant tall hedges to block the view in but keep your windows uncovered.

My DH is always grumbling about me getting curtains and we live in the country on 3 1/2 acres with nothing but wildlife close by so in my opinion drapes and curtains are not utilitarian just decorative. I can never find window coverings that I like!

Those fabulous windows shouldn't have a thing on them! Love the idea of planting a hedge outside. Can you put some tall plants in front of the windows indoor too? Maybe topiaries or palms?

You might have to get silk if your dogs like to dig but I think it would look better than covering the windows.

Here is a link that might be useful: Home Decorators

This post was edited by deee on Tue, Jun 18, 13 at 12:45

I agree with doing some landscaping to limit the view into the bottom part of the window. What about something like this? You could do it with plants in the ground, a built up planter box (not too close to the windows) or in beautiful pots like these.

[Contemporary Exterior[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/contemporary-exterior-home-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_736~s_2103) by San Francisco Architects & Designers Mark English Architects, AIA

Oak, I don't like the glare that comes from overhead lights. A torchiere gives a wonderful soft light around the room. This is a cheap torchiere that I have moved from room to room.

Even though the windows are beautiful, if there's no covering of some sort people will see in..easily.

I have panels on my front windows that I never close. I have indoor palms in front of the windows and the fronds from my outdoor palms are also in front of the windows.

People can see light through my windows at night but can't see what is going on inside the house. Too many fronds! I know because I have gone outside and checked.

musicteacher, this link isn't working for me:
https://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/p240x240/101091 1_10201215953785559_514871411_n.jpg

A vote for simple fresh sheers -- on a dark wood pole to work with the style of the room. Hang them quite close to the ceiling to create a higher, lighter look ...

Then you could always add darker woven roman-style blinds -- if necessary! :) Hang them over the top molding of the windows to -- again -- add visual height to the room.

Graywings, copying and pasting the URL inserted a blank space where it is broken.

Here is a link that might be useful: {{!gwi}}

Here is another planting idea I found using pots...with taller plants of course for your purpose. I'm thinking this would work for daytime screening and then you'd simply pull your draperies closed at night.

[Contemporary Porch[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/contemporary-porch-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_726~s_2103) by Seattle Landscape Architects & Designers ModernBackyard