If you want to dress your windows without traditional curtains or blinds, you can use privacy window film, decorative screens, plantation shutters, or temporary stick-on shades. These options provide excellent control over light and privacy while completely changing the aesthetic of your space.
Curtain alternatives offer distinct style, light control, and privacy options. The most popular choices include window blinds (wood or faux-wood), roller or Roman shades, interior plantation shutters, or frosted glass films for a sleek, hardware-free look.
Some of Stewart's homes utilize interior blinds for light regulation and privacy. Others feature windows framed by exterior shutters, operable versions of which can also be used for light control, ventilation and privacy.
Dressing windows without curtains opens the door to cleaner lines, architectural focus, and creative textures. The most practical alternatives include installing blinds or shades for adjustable privacy, applying frosted or decorative films to obscure views while maintaining natural light, or framing the glass with custom-built valances and shutters.
Yes, you can absolutely have blinds without curtains. Using only blinds is a highly popular, modern choice that provides a clean, tailored look while offering excellent privacy and light control.
Trending Window Treatment Ideas for Every Room
Thankfully, Stewart was quick to ease our curtain concerns. She says, “They're beautiful, I don't have anything against them, I just don't live with them… I like to look outside. Every window [in my home] looks out to something nice, and it's just all open to the view.”
Types of window treatments include blinds, window shades, shutters, curtains and drapes. Blinds tilt open and closed using a wand or remote device. They have louvers or slats made of various materials.
To get a clear view outside while blocking people from looking in, you can apply a one-way daytime privacy film. These reflective or tinted films create a mirror-like effect on the outside during the day when sunlight is bright, but allow you to see out perfectly.
The cheapest way to cover windows is by using peel-and-stick window films or disposable pleated paper shades, both of which cost between $2 and $10 per window. For a DIY approach, you can create pleated blinds using a roll of wrapping paper and double-sided tape.
Window films, such as opaque, blackout, and decorative films, provide effective solutions for nighttime privacy while allowing natural light during the day and protecting against UV rays. You can also opt for textured or frosted glass and glass bricks. These can enhance nighttime privacy.
Even though ornate valances were once a staple in traditional-style homes, they are now considered outdated. "Avoid overly ornate valances, which can feel dated and heavy," says interior designer Danielle Chiprut. "They can feel at odds with today's preference for light, airy interiors."
Martha Stewart, 83, has nothing to hide. She's always been unabashedly candid about her life and career, including her divorce and her 2005 stint in prison for insider trading. And now, the lifestyle guru is opening up about being diagnosed with the autoimmune disease vitiligo for the very first time.
Replace traditional window drapes with modern alternatives like window films (for a sleek, frosted privacy look), interior plantation shutters (for timeless elegance and light control), or woven wood and Roman shades (for texture and a soft, tailored fold).
Using voile or lace to dress a window
They hang like you'd hang curtains – usually on a curtain pole with curtain rings. However, the semi-transparent light material filters the light slightly, creating a soft, airy feel in your room.
Curtains are definitely not out of style. Instead, they are highly valued for adding essential texture, warmth, and color to a home. However, heavy, formal drapes and stiff grommet styles have been replaced by modern, organic designs that prioritize natural light and a relaxed elegance.
The best free software alternative to WindowBlinds for Windows 10/11 is Windhawk. It is an open-source modding engine that allows you to deeply customize system UI without patching core files. For aesthetic UI theming, pairing Windhawk with Retrobar or Open-Shell provides the ultimate classic Windows look.
Curtains that allow you to see outside but prevent people from seeing in rely on the science of light. They work best during the day when it is brighter outside than it is inside your home.
Peel-and-stick window film is another brilliant option. It offers privacy and style—with frosted, patterned, or even stained-glass designs—and removes without any sticky residue. For a super quick fix, temporary paper shades adhere right to the window trim and peel away when it's time to move.
Curtain alternatives offer distinct style, light control, and privacy options. The most popular choices include window blinds (wood or faux-wood), roller or Roman shades, interior plantation shutters, or frosted glass films for a sleek, hardware-free look.
Current window covering trends focus on blending smart automation with sustainability, with an emphasis on natural materials, warm neutral color palettes, and minimalist, low-profile hardware.
Blinds. Blinds come in various materials, styles, and colors, offering a versatile option to dress your windows while controlling the amount of light and privacy you desire. Blinds are also simple to clean, making them a low-maintenance swap for heavy fabric curtains.
Martha Stewart recently went on the In Bed with Paige DeSorbo Amazon livestream and dropped a hot take about how often she swaps her bedding. Stewart revealed that she has her sheets changed every two to three days.
Key Points. Vinyl blinds and honeycomb shades now feel dated in modern interiors. Cafe curtains in lace or florals can make a space look old-fashioned.
Martha Stewart's boyfriend of 15 years was billionaire software developer and Microsoft executive Charles Simonyi.