A few weeks back my husband mentioned that he felt as though we were living in a fish bowl. Um, come again? I was a bit lost until I understood that he was referring to our shortage of window treatments. Yes, it is true: Over half of the windows in our home have been bare since last spring. I guess the fact that we live on a quiet street only makes me feel a little more at ease than I probably need to. The quantity of solitude we have is really quite abundant, aside from the window concern. However, what about those of us who are not so lucky, or maybe just want something that differs from the standard? Luckily, there are a lot of easy, budget-friendly alternatives to help remedy a lack of seclusion.

I really adore this porch. Not only can it be colorful and fun, but more significant, the owners have been able to pull off an equally personal yet airy space. Using a roller shade outdoors makes so much sense! Along with the painted corrugated sheet metal goes a long way in adding solitude.

Fougeron Architecture FAIA

Since we are on the subject of being outdoors, I am totally digging the slatted wall right outside this home. While it may not seem to provide much solitude, it does still provide a significant little mental rest. My favorite part about this is how easily it could be replicated. You might even put your own twist on things using shipping pallets hung side by side!

Steven Miller Design Studio, Inc..

Alright, so perhaps shipping pallet privacy isn’t your thing — I wouldn’t expect it to work in every home. How about something a little more sleek? This sandblasted window provides an eye level view while still providing much isolation. A DIY alternative to sandblasting would be to employ frosted window movie. When it will not look as sharp, it will certainly still make an impact.

Hugh Jefferson Randolph Architects

Whenever you don’t particularly want to shelter yourself from others, it is still nice to provide yourself with a sense of calmness, even if it’s subtle.

Erin Lang Norris

A fast and enjoyable way to create it so that you don’t feel so exposed is to draw a pattern on the windows with a paint marker. This specific door leads to my garage, and although nobody is able to view in, it was sort of weird having a dark window staring at me all of the time. I didn’t wish to bring a dividers, so I chose to draw horizontal stripes rather.

PS: There are paint markers in varying widths in your local craft shop.

Randy Thueme Design Inc. – Landscape Architecture

Alright, let’s go back out. These outdoor photos are making me anxious for summertime! Although this specific method may fall somewhat from this”easy and budget friendly” range, it feels and looks really cool! I’d really like to get a tunnel such as this in my yard. Oh, I will choose the stone bench too.

Escale design

This is another fantastic example of an area that feels comfortable and welcoming even though it may not be entirely obvious at first glance. Try to envision this exact same terrace with no canopy or the screen. Big difference, right? Sometimes we just need to trick our brains.

Exteriorscapes llc

You may feel as though your yard needs a little more than a tiny screen or canopy, but the notion of a weathered privacy fence type of bores you. This may be an enjoyable option to the fences you have seen at all of the backyard barbecues you have already been to. Especially if you are of the artfully inclined sort.

Frederick + Frederick Architects

A couple big plants can go quite a distance. If you don’t live in an area having a lengthy season that is warm enough to grow crops this big, consider putting a few pots on a ledge or a desk to help with vertical height.

Ray Johannes Landscape Design

Bamboo fencing is amazingly inexpensive and easy to install compared to a full blown wooden fencing. How it still lets light through yet blocks any incoming views from afar is a plus.

Summerour Architects

I really like how curtains look in an outdoor space and also that it can be changed easily based upon your requirements. Perfect for when the mood of the party shifts from rowdy to calm. Or vice versa.

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