We have a regular door, but sidelights. I love/hate them. I love I can see out..but, hate that everyone can see IN. At night, when it's just me in my pjs, curled up on the sofa watching my soaps. I start to get the willies. I'm just SURE someone is on my porch, peering in at me. I'd never know it unless I got up, turned on the porch light and looked out. I end up running to my room in a panic 9 out of 10 nights :(
So, yea. I feel ya on the no privacy. Not to mention my dogs bark their rears off every time they see a leaf blow by.
The neighbors have something on their sidelights. Looks like some kind of peel and stick tint, but it's kind of frosted. But, not cheesy as I thought it would look.

Check into glass frosting kits -- you could frost sections (maybe large squares ) of the main door -- and the middle section of the sidelights.

Or check into automotive window coatings -- might work here too!

Or simply frost the main door and use sheers on small rods for the sidelights?

Or if there is room -- add a decorative plant pot and tall plant (real or faux) in front of the sidelights?

Just some thoughts!

Jan

I have the same problem and I have never learned to deal with it except to have blinds made to fit. The problem is my door is mahogany and the blind people do not make mahogany. My sidelight wood is painted and that is no problem but the bright white of the blinds looked awful on the mahogany door. I agree with you that it is a problem and if I had my druthers I would change the door out but DH thinks it is beautiful and he was told how expensive they are and he is scottish, so you know the rest of the story.

LOL! I get the willies knowing everyone can see in too. Okay, here's the thing. As much as I'd like to just change out the door and might very well end up doing it in the end, the "glass" in the doors is actually leaded crystal custom made by the original owner and they sparkle and look very beautiful. It would ruin the appearance of the doors by putting blinds or that sort of thing over them. Since posting last night, I checked out a drapery book and saw some very nice heavy drapes on rings that can easily be pulled to both sides. I don't have a lot of room on either side of the door so the sidelights would probably be partially covered even with the drapes open.

If someone will give me a tip on how to insert a piccie into a message without having to switch to the gallery, I'll gladly scan it to show everyone.

Thanks for your comments, I really appreciate it!

Same situation here except unfortunately our door is assymetrical with only one side panel, but same problem.

We solved it by having a plantation shutter put on it (the rest of the room has the shutters too). At first I thought this would be ridiculous on such a tall narrow opening, but the designer said do it, so we did. It is fabulous, and adds a lot of architecture to the look as well. I can open it and see out (open louvres, which is what I always do -- or open the whole shutter "door" if I want), or close it and have 100% solid wood privacy.