If you have your living room lights on at night, you might feel exposed, as passersby can peer straight in. Privacy curtains are made just for this, but many won't protect your view as intended. The amount of visibility obstruction depends on fabric, lining, color, and other factors like aesthetic, as well as how you hang them.

What Makes a Curtain Private

The amount of privacy a curtain offers can be assessed by how tightly the fabric is woven, the presence of a lining, and the color of the curtain.

Fabric density matters most. If you can see distinct shapes on the other end of a curtain, that curtain won't hide much, regardless of all the other factors. Tightly woven fabrics block views because light can't pass through the small gaps between threads, while loosely woven fabrics will let even thick curtains look and feel more see through.

Opaque lining is a valuable asset. A medium-weight fabric can gain significantly more privacy when backed with a lightproof lining. It doesn't even have to be black, but thick lining is the most effective in light barrier. Some curtains come with linings while others are sold as single layers.

In what ways can color effect privacy? People most likey do not think about the color of the curtain cloth when they think about privacy. Darker colors absorb light, making them more difficult to see through. On the other hand, light shades, especially whites and creams, may work in opposition to your benefit in the dark. If your room has a light and is brighter than the outside, light colored curtains become more translucent and can give outside viewers a view inside your room.

If you intend to purchase curtains, you might want to do a simple test in the store first. Hold some of the fabric against your phone's flashlight. If the light is not blocked and shines through then it is safe to assume the curtain will not give you complete privacy when it is dark outside.

Best Fabrics and Linings for Privacy Curtains

High-Privacy Fabrics

Velvet is a really good fabric when it comes to privacy. The way velvet is designed it is dense and has a pile construction that blocks any light from getting through it. velvet is especially good for bedrooms or living rooms.

Thermal curtains are intended for insulation, but they also add privacy. The foam or felt backing is effective at blocking temperature transfer and is also effective at blocking views. These thermal curtains are practical for any room where you need both insulation and privacy.

Medium-Privacy Fabrics

Privacy performance of cotton and polyester blends is variable but tends to be in the middle range. The permeability of the fabric is determined by the weave tightness and weight. A heavy cotton sateen will block more light than a lightweight cotton voile. When you're evaluating a blended fabric, make sure to check its opacity before you assume that it will adequately block light.

Fabrics to Avoid

Some fabrics provide little to no privacy, and that includes sheer fabrics. Lace, voile, gauze, and lightweight linen constitute a fabric group that are defined by the ability to see shapes and movement clearly, both day and night. Filtering light is an application that some homeowners use sheers for but they will not provide any privacy and are not intended to serve as window treatments where privacy is a concern.

Lining Options

Blackout lining is the only lining option that would prevent any light and views from breaking through the curtains. These linings are a thick, white backing that will make any face fabric completely private. Blackout curtains are a perfect choice for bedrooms, bathrooms, and even street-facing windows.

This kind of cotton fabric adds some privacy as well as reduces transparency, although it does not block light completely as the blackout curtain does. This is suitable for rooms where some privacy is still needed, but a little light glowing through the fabric at night is not an issue.

Privacy with unlined curtains is completely dependent on the face fabric. If the face fabric is something that isn't opaque, such as velvet or a heavy canvas, unlined curtains often disappoint people expecting full coverage.

Day/Night Privacy

The privacy requests change between day and night. Many people don't take into consideration how their curtains work differently throughout the day.

During the day, the sun's brightness exceeds all the interior surfaces. This means lighter curtains actually reflect light and conceal the interior. Even a white sheer curtain at noon provides decent privacy when the interior is dark.

After dark the equation reverses: the interior lights make the house relatively bright, and those white curtains now are a one-way mirror. People outside the house can see the silhouettes and movement inside the house and sometimes even easy images, while someone inside the house only sees the surface of the curtains and has no idea they can clearly see outside.

This is probably the main reason people are under the false impression that they have curtains that provide total privacy, and the neighbors aren't even surprised when they see them. Most people seem to think the curtains work the same at night as they do in the day.

For curtains to give you 24-hour privacy, you need something that can't be seen through and blocks light too. That often means velvet curtains, Blackout-lined curtains, or medium-weight, dark-colored curtains. Curtains that can have light shown through them are useless when the sun isn't out.

For a layered approach that includes light curtains, we recommend a system that includes daytime sheer curtains, and, at night, heavier curtains that can be used for complete privacy.

Privacy Curtains by Room

Bedrooms

The bedroom is the one place that needs the highest level of privacy every night. Blackout curtains are a perfect choice to give you privacy while also improving the quality of your sleep. Pick a blackout fabric that is heavier weight so they hang closed, and be sure the curtain rods are positioned so the curtains will be able to close 4-6 inches past the width of the window on all sides.

Bathrooms

Bathrooms have specific blackout curtain needs due to the window and privacy issues. It's important to have something that won't get mildewy. You can trim both sides of the window with curtains, and add a frosted window film that gives a permanent window covering for when curtains aren't needed. This gives something that is mildew resistant and helps when you need extra privacy.

In a humid bathroom, you should also avoid curtains with cotton and linen since they are natural fabrics that can absorb moisture and lead to odor and mold.

Living Room

Living rooms balance competing needs best. You want natural light during the day but need privacy during the night, especially if the window faces the street. Layered sheer curtains combined with a heavier blackout curtains work well here.

Think about the viewing angles as well. If you have a ground floor living room that faces a sidewalk, you will need more coverage compared to a second floor room that looks over a private backyard.

Street Facing Windows

Any window that looks out onto streets or public spaces needs extra consideration. Ground floor sidewalk facing windows have the most direct sightlines. Upper floor windows that face neighboring buildings should also be taken into account if the neighboring building is at a similar height.

For these more exposed windows lean towards heavier window treatment fabric. Blackout lining or more room darkening curtains will work best.

Installation and Layering for Full Coverage

For curtains, installation position also affects how much privacy will be granted.

Width is a big factor here that most people don't consider. Curtains that only just cover the window also leave gaps at the sides when opened, plus they don't stack neatly when closed. For full privacy curtains should be at least 1.5 to 2 times the width of the window. This extra fabric will let the curtains be closed with full coverage and some overlap at the center.

Mount curtain rods 3 to 6 inches outward from the window frame on each side. This lets the curtains cover the frame edges completely when drawn closed. This eliminates the strips of light that would otherwise show around the edges of the window.

Length influences bottom gaps. Curtains hung several inches above the floor allow light to spill underneath and create a visual break that can expose feet and floor activity. To maintain privacy curtains should reach the floor or puddle slightly.

Layering Window Treatments

A double rod system allows for two layers of curtains on one window. In the back you place your privacy curtains and in the front you place sheers or decorative panels. This gives you the flexibility to change the opacity of the window treatment during the day.

Another option is to combine curtains with blinds or shades. For privacy you close the blinds and draw the curtains over top for complete coverage. This is a great option for the day-night shift since the blinds can provide daytime privacy while curtains are used at night.

Improving Your Current Curtains

Replacements can be costly, so before replacing all your curtains, try to make these improvements to your current ones.

Lightweight curtains can be improved with the addition of a lining. Blackout lining fabric can be bought by the yard and attached with clip rings, iron-on adhesive tape, or regular sewing. Behind your existing curtains, the lining will provide opacity and there will be no more issues with privacy. This is a great way to keep the curtains you like while solving privacy issues.

Gap issues can also be solved by a simple adjustment of the rod placement. Make sure your curtains extend past the window frame; if they don't, install a wider rod or add extensions to your existing hardware. In addition, moving the rod up toward the ceiling also increases coverage.

Doubling up is a common practice, hanging a sheer set behind a decorative set serves as a privacy barrier and doesn't block light. Together they provide a fuller window treatment.

If none of these adjustments have worked, your next best option is a new set of curtains. Signs that you need to replace rather than modify your curtains include fabric that is visibly worn thin, a set of curtains that are too narrow to ever provide full overlap, or a set of curtains made from fabric that lacks a lining so that a lining can't ever be added.

Your Privacy Checklist

When hanging new privacy curtains, be sure to match the fabric weight, lining, and color to what you need specifically. Any curtain can be tested against a light source so try before you buy. Consider daytime as well as nighttime situations. Be sure the rod is hung wide and high enough for full coverage and check for easy pin tricks with curtains you may already have to help in closing the light gap.