Do you need to see out? If not a tint would work. I tinted all of my bathroom windows so you can’t see in or out but light gets in.

Yes, I like to be able to see outside. I like it the way it is, except for at night.

A privacy film (usually reflective) sounds like the solution. I found this--relevant items start at the one minute mark:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=An8c5zmz75U

A frost coating can do the same. I'd avoid any kind of curtains, as they'll wreck the modern look of the entry. I guess if you're really close to a pedestrian walkway, you could get a decorative wooden screen that could lean against the wall by day, and open across the doors at night. Landscape lighting might make you feel less exposed as well.

Lowe's and Home Depot have these window attachments with mini blinds behind glass. They are screwed to the door and sealed so dust doesn't get on the blinds but you can raise or lower them with a sliding bar. Another slide adjust the the slant to let light in but obscure the view in. They come in standard sizes for French doors and sidelights. (Sadly my French door is non standard.) There are also French doors with the built in blinds. When raised, the blinds disappear into the door. Maybe some of those would work for you.

I'd have the door glass frosted and leave the windows above clear. I think it's the easiest and most modern looking solution, and also allows as much light as possible in. you could get a peephole or camera if you need to see out.

personally, I would want that privacy even during the day! I hate solicitors and would want to be able to sneak by unseen.

What does one see when looking into the house at night from these doors? Do you have a photo from that angle?

Good question. Here's the view from the front door. It looks straight to the hallway to the living room, but since we always sit across from the TV, no one is visible from the street. That's why I'm not too concerned during the day.

What about an electric shade mounted at the ceiling that you can lower at night?

You know what? That's an excellent idea! I was only thinking of privacy on the doors but since there's no way to mount an invisible shade, it will need to come from the top of the wall or the ceiling. I'll research those. Thank you!

are you thinking of a shade that comes all the way down and blocks the doors?

Plantation shutters...open or close as needed. Have top half and bottom half separate and you can open close in quarters.

I never want to give visual access to any person coming to my front door, friend or unknown.

I covered mine with privacy film Solyx I think it was called. Super easy.

Those mini blinds encased in the glass, these came with our house. The slider adjusters that are external eventually break, or something breaks , which is the case for one side of a door in our house. We stayed in an Air Bnb and the mini blinds inside glass were also broken. I don’t put much faith in them.

Door curtain ?

We have an electric blind on our patio doors, it is open all day and closed at night. We love it. Sometimes at night the puppy wants to go out the back instead of the front, in that case it only takes a minute to open it with the remote. If you decide to go that route it might be able to be mounted on the top of the door frame, you could check with the blind company.

Sliding plantation shutters, or a curtain at the entry to the living room.

http://www.invisishade.com/

LED laminating film that switches from clear to opaque

Wow this is exactly what I'm looking for since I don't want to give up the view during the day! Thank you!

Your hallway is long and narrow enough to install a second set of solid doors, open in the day, and closed at night

It's 6 ft wide and opens up to a great room with 16' ceiling. I think installing LED films that go from clear to opaque is the best solution since we really don't want to change anything in the interior spaces. Thank you though.

THANK YOU for all your ideas. I've decided to explore switchable privacy glass or smart glass since this is the only solution that will keep the integrity and look of our entry doors and windows. Thank you Beverly!

I have the same problem but my doors look right into my living room. I made a roll up fabric shade in white for my doors that is mounted just above the glass so it doesn’t show when rolled up. Not only does it provide privacy, it softens the sound in my house with high ceilings and tile floors and complements the draperies on the opposite wall.

the LED film definitely sounds like the best-of-all-worlds solution. but I wonder if it's pretty expensive? I'd love to know -- in case I ever need this for a future project! please keep us posted!

@irynaq please share what you decided to go with. I'm in the same situation and need privacy at the entry but don't want to give up the open glass during the day. Thanks!