I have plantation shutters and don't think they take away too much natural daylight.

Dorothy

I have been looking at a similar solution for a large bathroom window. Here are some pics that I found for myself. I really like how they look.

Here is a link that might be useful: cafe shutters

Your solution sounds fine, although I'm not sure what kind of shutters you'd put up if not plantation. At any rate, IMO interior shutters never go out of style.

Before you do anything, though, I would wait until evening, turn on the lights in that room and then go across the street, as well as standing on your sidewalk, to see how much of the view inside needs to be blocked. I think that problems involving an exterior view are best solved viewed from the outside.

olychick - Thanks for the photo's they helped me to "see" what they may look like on my windows.

sable ca - I can see into my neighbors house - and one night I did leave lights on - came back to the house and you could as clear as day see everything in my kitchen. Our houses only sit 20 feet back from the sidewalk/street.

They tradionally came with small slats - but from going on line and olychicks pictures you can get them in a wide plantaion style. Since my dining room is also in the front - I would have to "dress" it the same way. The houses are a craftsman style so plantation would probably look best from the outside.

I guess if you mount them on the inside (which my windows/sills are deep) they should when folded open not stick too far out. Too bad they aren't made with "tracks" to slide them all the way back into the window frame.

I think I'll have someone come out and bring me some samples. I've always hated window blinds/coverings my last house had very few, but the house sat far back off the street and was private in the back of the house too.

Down sizing and change is still difficult for me. And just the "feel" of someone that might be looking at me - gives me the willies.....

I love the look of shutters only covering the bottom half of the window. I agree about the light issue. We have exactly what you describe, but they aren't mounted yet. May never be since our trim is not deep enough for the hardware needed to attach the shutters. We do have wide sills, so I just prop the darn things up for coverage at night.

Another solution might be blinds that open top down as well as bottom up - that way you could have some privacy without closing off the window during the day.

My only thought about the cafe shutters, which I think are very nice) is that on a window expanse that wide, I am not sure if you can do that - they need to have enough support that they wonâÂÂt sag from their own weight.

As you said, best to have a pro come and give you some ideas and pricing.

One other thing I want to mention, tho. Being concerned about people looking at you needs to be put into perspective. Do you sit and stare into your neighborsâ windows? Do you walk around the neighborhood and try to stand and peer into othersâ homes? I am guessing not - and you need to remember that likely no one is really âÂÂlookingâ at you all the time. Not that you shouldnâÂÂt want window coverings, but more that I want you to stop feeling so creepy about it. :-)

les917 - Not that you shouldnâÂÂt want window coverings, but more that I want you to stop feeling so creepy about it. :-)

Thanks for the encouragement ! In my last house I had a ton of windows but none that were to my back. Most were in front of me or to the side.
I'm now living alone so that's part why I feel "creepy" about it.
Also, my new neighbors do seem alittle to nosey. I was there the other day and since I didn't have a doorbell installed yet, I looked up and there was one of my neighbors looking into my window to get my attention. Another neighbor said, Oh I see you have your kitchen installed - well, the only way you can see that would be too look into my window. PRior trips to my home I would arrive and people would be inside looking around. I had to tell the realtors of the plan that I do not want people coming into my home!
Now that I am living alone - I've become more of a private person. I don't want people to know where my bedroom/bathroom/family room is located. I think it's more of a security issue for me. I'm now more on "display" in this new housing plan and I don't feel comfortable w/people knowing my business. God forbid when I actually start dating - they will probably question me about that too.
When I was renting in one of the condo's - people would even ask why I leave a window cracked, why do I tie my dog outside, who that man was, etc.