What does the window look into? why do you need "privacy"? I only need privacy in the bedrooms and the bath. I think the most attractive homes are those with uncurtained windows and lighted lamps or candles.
Get a fabulous chandelier and don't worry about covering the window.

The issue is what can be seen of the upper hallway. Sometimes there is a direct view of the hall bath. If people are walking between hall bath and bedroom in robes and towels, they may not want to be seen from the sidewalk.

Is this the problem you are thinking of?

well the foyer will be looking into the stairs, the hallway between bedrooms and little bit into master bedroom.
What are my options here?

Also, where can i find a nice chandelier?

ThankYou

How about hanging a large stained glass piece over the window? There are many places to look for chandeliers. I'd start with your local lighting store. In addition to their showroom, they should have many catalogs to order from. Lamps Plus is a good store and in most locations as well as online. The choice of chandelier should go with your overall style for the home: traditional, contemporary, transitional, etc.

Just looked for Lamps Plus, i am in the MA area. Any other store??

Thanks...

What kind of window? Is it flanked by walls? Could you use draw draperies? I think a picture would help.

I agree with Andee, a picture would help. It's impossible for me to give you advice without seeing the space in question.

Linda, do you leave your curtains/blinds/shutters open at night where people can see in?

Even here in the country we always close everything. We've had strangers show up on our doorstep at 10pm before. VERY scary.

aahhhh,.... this is making me scary.
Will post a picture soon guys. Thanks...

I'm guessing you are talking about a two story open foyer. If so, we used to have one with a large palladin window and the same issue. The only thing I have seen done with these are mechanical shades or blinds that are controlled remotely.

Liz

Oops! I meant palladian.

Liz

We used to have a home with a very tall palladian window above the front door that created the problem Palimpsest described. My inexpensive solution was to buy a clear acrylic arch rod (Kirsch, on sale from JCP) and some patterned sheer curtain panels (on clearance.) Not having the patience to sew a hem that would match the arch, I just cut the fabric in place to about 3 inches longer than the window, turned it under and duct taped it to the window sill (which no one could see.)

The panels were still up when we sold the house and the new owners have never removed them. (We moved back to the area a few years ago and I recently had to drive by the house to drop off something - it was a bit of a surprise.)

I added plantation shutters to the front windows of my home. That way, I can open them to let light in or close them to provide privacy.

With such a grand foyer you don't want duct tape and unfinished edges! It is hard to say what to do without seeing pictures, but I would recommend that you use the "Ask the Expert" tool on Bali Blinds Facebook page. They get right back with answers to your questions. I always say "you don't know what you don't know". The experts know what all the possible options are. Give it a try.

Here is a link that might be useful: Bali Blinds Website

"Linda, do you leave your curtains/blinds/shutters open at night where people can see in?" I'm not Linda but I do leave many of my windows bare at night. If someone gets their jollies watching us doing our routine evening activities (get your minds out of the gutter. lol) then so be it. I don't want to feel like I'm in a cave.

I don't have a solution to your problem waav but I wish you luck. I just toured a new construction that had HUGE windows all the way up the wall in the open stairway from the first floor to the second. Windows that face the, very close, house next door. What the heck? Who would want that? So you can wave at the neighbor in the morning as you head downstairs in your bathrobe? Maybe the person who buys that house will be posting *Help!* here in a few months. lol

lindac, just because you only need privacy in the bedroom and bathroom doesn't mean that EVERYONE feels that way. Sorry, but... geez.

OMG, I think that you might have scared off Waav!

Waav, if you're still around you might consider one of the following for your specific foyer window:
~ tension rods top and bottom with a semi-sheer(or more) curtain. You may have to adapt it to your window's dimensions, but that's just a simple straight hem.
~ as Valinsv mentioned, a stained glass piece can be bought and hung from 2-3 eye-hooks mounted in the top of the window frame. There are still quite a few stained glass artists around at craft shows. I've talked to several and getting one made to fit isn't too expensive.
~ there's also clingy vinyl made to look like stained glass . . . or just frosted glass for windows, that will do the job, but for a lot less money.
~ shutters or blinds are another 2 options.

As for chandeliers, since I live outside Santa Fe, New Mexico, I can't recommend any specific places in Massachusetts, but have you checked out the consignment stores in your area? I like them myself because I enjoy finding unique, well-made pieces that you don't see everywhere else . . and for reasonable prices.
Online, I've seen some nice ones at Bellacor. Another place you might check out is One Kings Lane.

I wish you good luck finding some unique ideas that will work for your place. Please come back and try us again. We don't bite . . . well hardly ever (LOL!) and we're actually a nice group of helpful people.
Lynn

I didn't mean to scare waav away- sorry waav, if I did! :)
The post I was referring to just sounded so... I don't know. Never mind.

Nancybee: Actually . . . I thought that your post was really funny AND made a valid point. I liked it and I don't think that you scared off Waav at all.
Lynn

I love the stained glass idea. Makes me wish I had a grand foyer with windows now!

We close some blinds/curtains at night and leave others open. The kitchen/dining are always closed because it's the west side of our house and we can't see the TV otherwise. The back side of our house we leave those curtains open all the time. The other sides are closed most of the time as I don't care to see my neighbors trash cans or boat parked in the grass beside the houses.

Everyone has different needs or degrees of privacy, I hate to see anyone make forceful suggestions or comments that one way is better than another. Different strokes for different folks.....

Lynn, thank you for saying that. You are always so sweet.

itltrot, I think you said it just right!

I really hope waav comes back! There are some great suggestions here.

What I don't like about uncovered windows at night (we have some) is seeing my own reflection all night or guests seeing their reflections while they are sitting there talking- can be slightly uncomfortable or maybe that is just me.

Hey you Lovely people out there,
Thanks a million.......!! for these wonderful suggestions.
Not scared..caught up at work and thought who would care to answer my question. just thought of checking anyways and saw 20 follow-ups from 7 ..was like wow...
I think i am going to lookinto:
1. blinds with remote control
2. stained glass option
Also check the website mentioned by Mom2BoysWisconsin...

I know covering it is not a great idea .... but then that's just me.......

Just wanted to add into the mix....

When we moved into our house 10 years ago, I was freaked out by the foyer window (sounds like we have the same sort of set up). So I immediately got wooden blinds throughout the house, including the big foyer window. We couldn't adjust them, since they were up on a difficult to reach foyer shelf. They were left with the slats open, which still afforded a considerable amount of privacy.

Two years ago, while remodeling and painting the foyer, we took them down. And I haven't put them back up. I really like the open look better now. I have the foyer light on a dimmer, so the lighting at night is very dim. I also live in a safe neighborhood with larger distances between the houses. Plus the master bedroom is on the main level and no showers are by the foyer window.

Anyway, you have to do whatever makes you feel more comfortable at your stage in life. It's just funny to me how perspectives can change, especially since I started out so adamantly opposed to the open foyer window!

Best of luck. I'd love to see the stained glass options!

waav...I have the same setup in my home...big foyer window that looks onto the second floor stairway, hall, beds and bath. I live in a rural area, so privacy is not an issue for me, but I did get a large Dolan chandelier from Lighting Direct.com to fill the space and block the view from outside if in case someone did walk by at night.

There used to be some good lighting stores on Rt.9 in the Natick/Framingham area, heading towards Rt.128/95. I moved from the Boston area a few years and the economy has shut down many stores, so you might want to do a search online before driving around.

I hope you find what you need and like, waav.

I happen to like my privacy. In my opinion, staring into big black holes at night reminds me more of a cave than any closed window treatment. And I like to be comfortable in my own home, frequently walking around in only my pjs or a nightgown. I've occasionally been "caught" by a neighbor or acquaintance at my door when I am dressed like that, and I don't think anyone - them or me - found it particularly comfortable. :)

If you put some lights outside....there are no reflections in the windows.
I have no covering on my living room, diningroom, kitchen and upstairs bathroom. I have shutters in the den, because I don't like to look out at the neighbor's deck and shutters in the solarium because with all that glass it can get mighty cool in the winter. My front door has side lights and a fan light....no covering.
I have a small wattage light on in the portico over the front door and another by the kitchen door and a dog who lets me know if someone is outside.
The family room has draw draperies on the wide expanse of windows and shutters on the 2 small windows onto the deck....mostly because the sun can be blinding in the early and late afternoon. The bedrooms have secure and sun blocking window coverings and another bath has no windows.
I know some who are paranoid about people seeing then "walking around"....but I have had many many people say to me..."your house always looks so warm and inviting. I love it when I see candles in the dining room and people sitting around the table."
To each his own, I guess, but if I was afraid to have people see me "walking around" I would never buy a house with a palladian window that I felt I had to cover.
Linda C

Then, if you put that many lights outside your house, someone in the neighborhood is going to complain about the light shining in the bedroom windows. :)

Suburbia...less than large lots...a man's home is his castle, a sanctuary, a haven from the outside world - none of those phrases conjure up images of being on display for my neighbors. I don't want to feel like I live in a goldfish bowl, thanks very much.

Many people look for houses with large lots, or private backyards, etc., that afford privacy, but we just can't all afford houses like that in the city and 'burbs.

My palladian was in a house on an acre lot, but the way the house was situated on the lot you could still see in from the street or sidewalk. My window was much bigger than colorblinds and wasn't just an issue at night but also in the morning. And putting a shade on a palladian window that can be totally opened and out of sight when desired would certainly never keep me from buying a house.

Like bird lover, I, too, like to walk around in my p.j.'s or nightgown in my own home. I don't think not wanting to be seen by neighbors or strangers in that state of dress makes anyone paranoid or afraid.--just not an exhibitionist!

My foyer window is even bigger than one shown by colorblind1961.. Although it lets lot of light in but at night time i'd like to freely roam about in the house without worrying what I'm wearing.
Thx..

waav - please do not feel the need to justify why you want a window covering. Totally personal preference. It's like trying to justify why you want red accesories instead of blue.

Sorry, I must be very crabby today. I just don't understand how this turned into the OP having to justify why they want window coverings.

Having the same set-up as colorblind, I have all my lighting on dimmers. Yes, the lights can still be on, but w/o the brightness, I feel it doesn't attract as much attention.

My lamps only have 40W bulbs as I prefer ambient lighting, but in my bedroom have 3-way bulbs since that's where I do most of my reading. ;o)

I am totally enabling the derailing of this thread, but just wanted to chime in to say that those peepers you are thinking about outside of your house at night might have very different intentions than you might be afraid of. Leave your windows open at night, illuminating the cozy environment you call home? Go for it! Just don't be surprised if someday there is a knock on the door asking you what that wonderful color is you have on your walls. lol