Why buy a house with huge windows - and then swathe them in blinds?

We have huge windows and plantation shutters. We have the shutters open so we can see out and it lets lights the light in but people can’t stare through the windows. I love my home but I don’t want everyone to see in and see the things I have. Before the shutters we had had comments about the size of the TV and nice sofa (windows are floor to ceiling). I wasn’t worried about the comments until a neighbour mentioned it was a shop window to a burglar.

The windows may give great views but they may also allow a lot of sunshine that can fade and damage furnishings very quickly. Sunshine can also overheat a room.

Light fades fabrics and wood.
Perhaps people are trying to protect these in their homes, and open curtains/blinds/shutters when they are actually in those rooms, so as to enjoy the view, but keep them closed when they are not in that room?

it does sound surreal!

Yes it's true Jane. It was surreal. When the first one hit the window my immediate conclusion was that a bird had been carrying it as a snack and had dropped it

It's like an oven throughout my flat in the summer.
Absolutely unbearable with the sun coming in every huge window all day.

I've been looking at blinds and curtains to try and sort it out before this summer.

Galaxy, is that true about the potatoes?

Bluebelle

BBbevan

Our house has large windows.Our living room has 8 windows on three sides. If we didn’t have blinds to cut out direct sunlight we would never enable to watch television.

... exactly!

Direct sunlight plays havoc with screens and monitors. It also heats up the room in summer.

There might also be times (having an afternoon snooze) when you don't want those outside to see inside.

Blinds give you the best of both worlds - you can see when you want to see, and protect yourself from the elements and nosy parkers at certain times of the day. So it makes perfect sense.

I would've thought this was obvious.

M0nica, guilty as charged! I don't like the feeling of living in a fish bowl - on display to all passers-by. I don't want a view of the street either.

I'm sitting here with the heavy curtains open - but the fabric blinds covering the window are always down - and (oh, the shame of it) the standard lamp is on next to me!

BlueBelle

As we become a more insular and isolated species the nets become blinds, the blinds become steel shutters that we sit behind on our phones trying to communicate with the world from inside our bolted doors making sure no one ‘pops in’ or sings or whistles

You know what?
You've got a point!
Too much Groansnet these days

I think it just might be Avaline just watching a video of how the black overseas students were treated at the Ukrainian border may have just put me in a dark place ( having CoviD when not at home may have helped either ) but thanks for asking I appreciate it

I agree with Allsorts - I see huge "shrouded" windows everywhere! I love, love, love, to have a light-filled home: we have some south facing windows and these, plus the bedrooms, have fine, white, opaque, roller-blinds (from Dunhelm Mill). These filter bright sunlight & give privacy but we use them only as needed, not all the time.

Are you OK BlueBelle? Life's not that bad.

We have extremely large windows with a lovely view. However, winter sun as the children call it means we often have to close the shutters.

We get Blinded by the Light as Manfred Mann might say

In our old house people despite our Venetian blinds people would stare in at me seated watching TV. I used to wave at them -that made them speed up to get past!

Just thinking, if I have enough people looking in at my 'valuables' there might be some donations left at the door!

As we become a more insular and isolated species the nets become blinds, the blinds become steel shutters that we sit behind on our phones trying to communicate with the world from inside our bolted doors making sure no one ‘pops in’ or sings or whistles

One of my great joys when I moved from my house to my first floor flat - was being able, once and for all, do away with net curtains.

At my house, the front bay window was so close to the pavement and road, and right opposite other houses, that I would feel like I was sitting in a goldfish bowl, particularly at night when I had lights on - so had to have nets on those windows to obscure things a little.Now, higher up, with a walled balcony in front of my large patio door and windows, nobody can see in at all.
I do have vertical blinds,as it is a sun trap and winter afternoons, often need to close these for that reason. But, come the summer, they are pulled right back and I can happily looked out (see tops of trees on main road,_ and nobody can look in.

One of the reason I chose this flat is that it has large windows in every room - found lots of flats had small windows and internal kitchens.

I live in a very middle class village, I have large windows, I rarely close the curtains. The other night, it was dark and I had the curtains open. For approx 10 minutes I had potatoes thrown at my window, I am now shutting the curtains, perhaps they too have a crazed potato thrower.

Nanna8 - I for one am grateful for my net curtains, which are hung in a modern home, in an upmarket area. I don’t like nosy people peering into my home as they walk past. A lot of others in this area do too, so maybe you need to get out more.
A friend at the other end of the village has a neighbour who doesn’t have nets and they walk around naked, in a Close with young families. Maybe nets should be made compulsory?
I’m not sure why people are criticising others who decorate their homes in the way they see fit to suit themselves which doesn’t impact others.

Maybe the fact the OP can see that their back curtains are closed is enough for the occupants to keep their curtains closed.

We have huge floor to ceiling windows in our holiday apartment, we have a film on the glass that prevents anyone from seeing in, we still have our view.
There are also blinds as we do have to shut out the sun at times.

I wonder if the foxes like these grand design houses? I actually had some interference from a fox last night. We'd had a chippy tea and I'd bagged up the rubbish and put it outside the back door and then completely forgot to put it in the bin....the rubbish was everywhere this morning but Mr Fox obviously doesn't have any cravings for left over mushy peas.

I had another though re closed curtains....maybe it is a modern phenomenon whereby it sends signals that aren't obvious to anyone.

We would only ever close all the curtains in the day if someone had died in our family - I wonder whether that's why it makes you uncomfortable Monica?

I agree Witzend. Those houses like aircraft hangars with hard polished concrete floors and acres of glass. All wow factor but no mmmm factor.
We have thick curtains as well as blinds as the building isn't well insulated.

OTOH I often wonder about those vast, minimalist houses with acres of glass on Grand Designs - with no blinds or curtains. All very nice when Whatshisname is back for a visit on a nice sunny day - what about after dark?
Maybe they like it - I wouldn’t!

We have floor to ceiling windows facing south. The view is wonderful but the heat and glare is awful when it's sunny. We have roller blinds and deploy them as required.
Additionally, we overlook a school playing field and on Saturday mornings, when I roll out of bed bleary eyed and wearing my huge fluffy leopardskin dressing gown, I have to consider the appalled faces of the teams and their poor parents and supporters.