I like light. But on some windows, you really don't want total transparency. You want frosted glass or glass brick. But you might not be able to do that, for whatever reason. I do hear that there is now a film you can buy that 'frosts' your windows, similar to tinting your windows. (And I've seen the tinting film at K-Mart. I can only imagine the many clever uses for that. Wouldn't you love to have a square of it that you could reposition wherever you needed to as you drove, when the sun is at an impossible angle? Like a giant, tinted post-it.)
Anyway, I have tried a couple of things here.
1) Waxed paper. If you hang this well and cut it neatly, it's not bad. It is narrow, though. I have a strip hanging down the center of one of my tall, narrow windows. It looks decent, but as I've given it no special treatment, you could easily say, "Hey, isn't that waxed paper?" But the beauty is, it's not actually that noticeable so no one says anything. It just quietly does its job, taped in place. It does kind of blister where moisture gets it, so if the window gets condensation on it, it will be the worse for wear. If you did this well and it hung a couple of inches away from the window, it could look really very nice. It's smooth and kind of sleek, with its verticality. If you put some trim at the top and/or bottom (presumably through the artful use of tape), it would hang well and look quite nice. BUT: wouldn't tolerate much breeze, I fear.
2) Parchment paper. This is better looking, as it's thicker. It's also wider so it covers a bigger window. Problem: nothing sticks to it. I have taped a big piece of it over the window in our front door because I want light, but not transparency, and can't stand the miniblinds up there. (Tacky, dusty, noisy.) I had to use packaging tape and literally run it all the way up the sides with a very heavy hand, taped to the glass. (Yes, this does mean there is some transparency at the sides. I didn't want to tape it to the sill as that would look bad and catch lots of dirt and dust...) Bottom line: I really like it. It catches the light beautifully and looks a little Japanese. In fact, I think that's one thing that this has over actual frosted glass: it's a little more opaque and so it does actually catch the light and so the big white rectangle of light hangs there when the sun is striking it. I really enjoy that. It lights up that corner rather than the far wall where the light would hit.
3) Starch. I have used starch to stick tissue paper to my windows. I liked it. I wouldn't want to go too crazy with the colored tissue paper, as condensation really works on this and I picture dripping dyes tinting the painted sills. But for white, it worked okay. It would work especially well with good, double-pained windows. You can cut out all kinds of designs and embed them into the larger layer, or you can just starch shapes onto the window. WARNING: I did this once with snowflakes I had cut out of that silverized, space-tapey tissue paper. I believe I used canned spray starch on this. When we left that house, no one and nothing could seem to remove all of the silvery starch that remained after the paper came off. I partly suspect the spray starch. I didn't have that problem with starch that I mixed up from powder. (Available in the laundry section of the grocery store.)
You might try the starch on the parchment paper. However, I suppose starch is one of the main things parchment paper is made not to stick to. But it might be a case of, If you use enough, it can't get away.
You can also starch fabrics onto your windows! This has endless possibilities. I learned about this from my aunt, who starched a fun Noah's-Ark bedsheet to her son's bedroom wall and ran stained wood strips up the sides (and probably stapled them in?). So you can starch things onto walls too. Just really be careful that there are no dyes that will run.
4) Vinyl adhesives. I suppose that the first thing I mentioned is one of these. There are such beautiful vinyl wall adhesives now, that the starch trick is a bit old. BUT still much much cheaper - and at the moment, much more available, at least for windows.
6) Bubble wrap! I love this. You can just stick that self-adhesive bubble wrap to your windows! It does look a little weird BUT it provides SOME opacity AND -- drumroll -- a little insulation! How brilliant is that?
7) Wet-erase or dry-erase markers. Color your windows stained. Just be ready for stained sills. Wet-erase really drip and break apart with condensation. I haven't tried dry-erase for this. I believe they would be less intense in color. Why don't you try it and post your results?
5) Easiest alternative. In a pinch, if you're purely utilitarian, you can just buy a shower curtain and hang that. I have a nurse friend who did that for some light in her exam room. Also cleans well!
Post any other window tricks that you know of! (Mainly sticking to the idea of providing a 'frosted' effect that lets light through.)
Anyway, I have tried a couple of things here.
1) Waxed paper. If you hang this well and cut it neatly, it's not bad. It is narrow, though. I have a strip hanging down the center of one of my tall, narrow windows. It looks decent, but as I've given it no special treatment, you could easily say, "Hey, isn't that waxed paper?" But the beauty is, it's not actually that noticeable so no one says anything. It just quietly does its job, taped in place. It does kind of blister where moisture gets it, so if the window gets condensation on it, it will be the worse for wear. If you did this well and it hung a couple of inches away from the window, it could look really very nice. It's smooth and kind of sleek, with its verticality. If you put some trim at the top and/or bottom (presumably through the artful use of tape), it would hang well and look quite nice. BUT: wouldn't tolerate much breeze, I fear.
2) Parchment paper. This is better looking, as it's thicker. It's also wider so it covers a bigger window. Problem: nothing sticks to it. I have taped a big piece of it over the window in our front door because I want light, but not transparency, and can't stand the miniblinds up there. (Tacky, dusty, noisy.) I had to use packaging tape and literally run it all the way up the sides with a very heavy hand, taped to the glass. (Yes, this does mean there is some transparency at the sides. I didn't want to tape it to the sill as that would look bad and catch lots of dirt and dust...) Bottom line: I really like it. It catches the light beautifully and looks a little Japanese. In fact, I think that's one thing that this has over actual frosted glass: it's a little more opaque and so it does actually catch the light and so the big white rectangle of light hangs there when the sun is striking it. I really enjoy that. It lights up that corner rather than the far wall where the light would hit.
3) Starch. I have used starch to stick tissue paper to my windows. I liked it. I wouldn't want to go too crazy with the colored tissue paper, as condensation really works on this and I picture dripping dyes tinting the painted sills. But for white, it worked okay. It would work especially well with good, double-pained windows. You can cut out all kinds of designs and embed them into the larger layer, or you can just starch shapes onto the window. WARNING: I did this once with snowflakes I had cut out of that silverized, space-tapey tissue paper. I believe I used canned spray starch on this. When we left that house, no one and nothing could seem to remove all of the silvery starch that remained after the paper came off. I partly suspect the spray starch. I didn't have that problem with starch that I mixed up from powder. (Available in the laundry section of the grocery store.)
You might try the starch on the parchment paper. However, I suppose starch is one of the main things parchment paper is made not to stick to. But it might be a case of, If you use enough, it can't get away.
You can also starch fabrics onto your windows! This has endless possibilities. I learned about this from my aunt, who starched a fun Noah's-Ark bedsheet to her son's bedroom wall and ran stained wood strips up the sides (and probably stapled them in?). So you can starch things onto walls too. Just really be careful that there are no dyes that will run.
4) Vinyl adhesives. I suppose that the first thing I mentioned is one of these. There are such beautiful vinyl wall adhesives now, that the starch trick is a bit old. BUT still much much cheaper - and at the moment, much more available, at least for windows.
6) Bubble wrap! I love this. You can just stick that self-adhesive bubble wrap to your windows! It does look a little weird BUT it provides SOME opacity AND -- drumroll -- a little insulation! How brilliant is that?
7) Wet-erase or dry-erase markers. Color your windows stained. Just be ready for stained sills. Wet-erase really drip and break apart with condensation. I haven't tried dry-erase for this. I believe they would be less intense in color. Why don't you try it and post your results?
5) Easiest alternative. In a pinch, if you're purely utilitarian, you can just buy a shower curtain and hang that. I have a nurse friend who did that for some light in her exam room. Also cleans well!
Post any other window tricks that you know of! (Mainly sticking to the idea of providing a 'frosted' effect that lets light through.)
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