We live on the water. It takes getting use to. At night, with the lights on you are in a fish bowl, without question. There are many passing boats, widelife, birds, etc that entertain us. Most people here do not cover the water side for complete privacy. We do cover side windows for the most part because we are close to our neighbors mostly at equal levels. We are not in a McMansion, so visibility in & out sometimes involves the entire floor or rooms. Elevation also plays a big part in the privacy factor, or lack thereof.
I found that wood blinds provides the privacy w/out obstructing the view. They are easy to close when needed, but mostly remain at a slight slant.
The bedrooms have treatments for privacy and sleeping. The public areas of the house have decorative top treatments on the waterside only. You get used to not walking around at night in just your undies (or less).

You could do the shutters that stack back. That's what we have, not because our house is a McMansion but because when we moved here, although we had a privacy fence, the houses beyond us sat "up" and there was a wooded area on the other side, where we found out, some escaped convicts had camped out and not because they just wanted to see this old prune eating or cooking, but because they were "scoping out" the houses in this area for exit and entrance and times convenient for burgling.

we live in the country and have a private wooded backyard and I still can't get use to the lack of privacy with my new french doors. The front of our home has window treatments, but those doors in back just make me feel "exposed". I'm sure I will get use to them in time but it's been 5 months now.

I do not have any covering on my sliding door to the deck. I live in a townhouse so my neighbors can see in if they want to when it's dark out. The slider is in my diningroom which is connected to the kitchen.

If anyone wants to look at us eating dinner or cooking I don't care. I do however, have blinds on the bedroom windows.

Thanks you guys for posting! I should have added that I am a scaredy cat and I think what really might bother me is if I get up in the middle of the night and think someone could be looking in at me-SHIVER!! LOL! Okay, I think I just talked myself into getting window treatments. I'm leaning towards drapes that can be drawn back and forth with a cord. I will definately leave them open during the day, love the sunshine!

We have no window coverings to speak of on the front 120" bow window in our living room, nor on the kitchen windows. I wouldn't have them in the family room except that DH needs something to keep the glare off the tv. LOL

We live in a normal neighborhood, with people right next door and across the street. If they want to look in and see me at the computer or see me washing dishes, so be it. I hate covered windows - makes me claustrophobic.

Also makes me wonder why some people put in windows and then keep them covered all the time. Why bother? Not speaking of anyone here, more thinking of some folks in our neighborhood who always have their drapes and blinds closed.

We have blinds in our bedroom, and pleated shades in the kids' rooms, but that is for light control. I prefer them open, and that is how they are most of the time in all the rooms.

In our bedroom we have shutters that we can pull back from the window. We have drapes on a travis rod in back that we can open all the way but close at night. I like to be able to have privacy at night.

Les, I keep my windows covered most of the time these days to keep the heat out. In the winter my windows are uncovered from dawn to dusk though. I grew up in a house with a huge picture window in a small front living room. I always felt like a fish in a bowl. Even now when we go to mom's house, I avoid that room, especially at night when the lights are on. I like my privacy.

Another approach is to have drapery panels, but in instead of opening/closing them daily, add cellular shades as another layer. They stack so tightly when in the open position that they're barely noticeable within the window trim.

When down, they'll give you all the privacy you need.

I find that if you have lights outside on the property, it takes away that look of blackness outside the windows and makes you feel more secure.

We also have a house full of windows and I love them. At night, however, I do not like that fishbowl feeling, even though there is no one behind us...just that feeling. I keep the patio/porch lights on outside the family room while watching t.v. When I read at night I either read in bed or in a cozy den which has a curtained window. I hate the idea of reading by an uncovered window, under a lamp, with the black outside...creepy to me. Living room with its big windows and dining room with French doors stay uncovered at all times. We do have woven woods in f.r. and kitchen to protect floors and furniture from morning sun and glare.

Yes, I can see how lights outside the property would be much better, thanks!

We were out there in the dark for a short time tonight, and, it wasn't as bad as I thought. Maybe I could get used to them. But, I guess I may as well get drapes to go all the way across, since I want the added color anyway.

I think on the other 3 windows in the same room, I will go with a roman shade of some sort. The cost of all these window treatments will be enormous! LOL!

I know :>( Window treatments do seem a bit outrageous in cost. I find them confusing, too, while picking paint or furniture arranging is a snap in comparison. Simply lighting up the outside with low voltage works for some...uplights for trees, walkways and shrubs, path lighting, etc. Our windows are too large for this and reflect the inside lights...big glaring panes of glass. Not attractive, IMO, and surely doesn't feel cozy to me.

You might want to try living with nothing on the windows for a while. When we built, I immediately ordered wood blinds for all the windows thinking about the privacy issue, even though we are on three acres. I thought I would get the creeps. Turns out I never, ever close any of the blinds. They're there, just not being used at all. Our main living area is away from windows so even as we watch TV at night I doubt anyone lurking outside could see anything inside. Also, I have tremendous faith in my security alarm system. If I had kids at home, it might be different. I know when my 20 Y0 daughter came home to stay while we were away, she had everything shut up tight!

Here is a link that might be useful: Nouveau Stitch Home Dec Sewing Forum

I agree. You can always add them later if it bothers you.

We're like Les. We live in the city with neighbours and have no window coverings in our main rooms. Just the bedrooms. (And not even the master right now, because we just repainted and I can't find curtains I like :-)).

We do have some privacy from trees and angles, but people can certainly look in if they want to bad enough. I don't worry about the neighbours across the street because they NEVER open their drapes. It's so strange. We live on a dead end street with a small ravine on one side, so they have quite a nice view. I swear the lady who lives there only sees daylight about twice a week.

I love waking up to a house full of light, instead of having to run around and open all the curtains to let the day in.

Have you considered sheer drapes (lightweight woven cotton, linen, or other)? I'm in a standard suburban tract and have no window treatments on my back wall at all (but I do have a 6' block wall). I have sheer curtains on my front windows. I just like light. I once had a house with a master bedroom in the front -- HATED it!

You know, you all have really made me think that I am strongly leaning towards no window treatments on our dining room and living room. I think I will see how I like them without first. We have a trim carpentry business, so the windows will be trimmed out really nice.

I will, however, put the woven wood shades as I had planned in the den, so I will have a place to read or watch TV. I think I will spend more money on the landscape lighting instead.

I am SO glad I asked you guys!

If you were to use blinds, or anything with a series of slats, you could angle them up or down a little bit and block off the view of someone at a distance while retaining your own view (or some of it) of the scenery.

We are in a very private setting and have a minimum of window treatments. In fact, my front door has a large panel of leaded glass that freaks out my city friends! But I love it because we have a gorgeous view and it lets in lots of light.

The only window treatments we do have is to control the harsh sunlight in the home. After fifteen years I finally put some sheer panels in my master bedroom, just for looks. Oh, and we are not completely nuts, we do have a double cell shade on the bathroom window!