I used to have California style shutters on my kitchen window, but with a new high goose neck faucet put in to replace our old leaky faucet, I realized I could no longer open the shutters to access my window. Since I like fresh air when I can get it, off came the shutters and on went my thinking cap for some solutions.

Worst Window View Ever

Love my neighbors, but I’m not in love with the view I got of them. With the shutters off, I saw their brick wall and right into their dining room. Not my definition of fun times. It would be nice to make the view disappear while getting some of that morning sunlight stream in. With that goal in mind, I began to create a window treatment solution.

Easy Sew Solution for the Worst Kitchen Window

Here’s an easy step-by-step sew-it-yourself solution for a window covering that lets in light yet obliterates a terrible view:

  1. Measure your window.
  2. Talk to the people in the fabric store, and they will help you get the correct amount of width for your window.
  3. Buy a material you love.

  1. Hem the lengths of the fabric.
  2. Hem the top width of the fabric.
  3. Your bottom hem might already be decorative and/or weighted, therefore might not need hemming. Bonus!

  1. Now that the edges are neatly hemmed, make a tentative plan on the layout.
  2. Pin fabric according to your plan.

  • Before sewing, check to see whether you can insert the rod according to your plans, and make adjustments as needed.
  1. Before sewing, ensure your plan works with your window space.
  2. Put it up, pins and all, stand back, and take a look.
  3. This took me at least 5 tries before I got what I was looking for.

  1. Start sewing.
  2. Sew both above and below the area where your rod will fit in.
  • Oh yeah!

Optional: Adding a Film to your Window

No doubt about it, my view out this kitchen window above the sink was terrible.

I really wanted natural light while hiding the view.

I chose a very sheer fabric knowing I would also add a decorative film behind it directly on the glass. I chose a square patterned film, which worked perfectly reflecting the fabric’s square design.

Check out the finished look. the daytime look is light and airy with the neighbor’s brick and mortar view gone! To my great surprise, I have a lovely dramatic yet elegant nighttime view. When my neighbors turn on their lights, the effect is quite magical. The symmetry between the two sets of square designs really pops out. I just love the finished result.

Here are my daytime and nighttime views.

Now that’s the beautiful result of knowing how to sew a few straight lines!