Can You See Through Blinds?

by Product Review Lad | Last Updated: December 19, 2021

Most people purchase blinds with the ultimate goal being more privacy. You might hang blinds in a room to get more privacy while you are working, or maybe you have a window that faces the street in the bathroom. Therefore, when you choose a window treatment, you want to know whether or not it can do its job. Can you see through blinds?

Let’s find out.

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What are Blinds?

First off, we need to discuss what blinds are and how they work. Blinds work the same way shutters, shades, and curtains work, by allowing a certain amount of light into the room and also preventing passersby from looking in. There is something about an open, uncovered window that draws people’s attention.

Blinds are one option for blocking light and eyes. Blinds have a panel design, where strips of material (usually plastic) hang horizontally or vertically. As you may have guessed, they are called blinds because, back when the design was first introduced, the window covering was meant to block people from looking into private spaces. Blinds are and have been for years, a symbol of privacy.

For instance, in an office, when the blinds go down or are shut inside an executive’s office, you know it’s time for work.

Can People See Through Blinds?

Blinds are a flexible option because you can control the amount of privacy and light you get in a room by moving a wand or pulling a string. Cellular shades, roller blinds, and horizontal blinds can all provide a great amount of privacy when the slats are tilted closed.

However, if the panels remain open, or are even tilted the wrong way, people will be able to see past the blinds and into your home.

Blinds Up or Down—Which is Better?

Can people see through blinds? It depends on the positioning of the panels, first and foremost. Vertical blinds are best for security, whether the panels are turned inward or outward because they lay flat against one another. Horizontal blinds, however, have two directions in which the slats can be rotated.

Take a close look at horizontal blinds. The panel is curved, with a concave and convex side.

Turning Your Blinds Up

If you rotate the rounded (convex) side of the blinds towards the outside world and have the concave side turned towards you, this is ideal for shutting out the light. However, a lot of people do not think this is very aesthetically pleasing. That said, privacy is also enhanced.

Turning Blinds Down

Turn the rounded edge so that it is facing the room, and you get a more pleasing look. Yet, is the aesthetic worth it? When doing this, gaps open between the slats or around the sides. Not only is heat directed to the center of a room, but people can also see inside.

What About Blinds in Multilevel Buildings?

Which way should you turn the blinds when people can look into your windows from multiple positions? Can people see through blinds when they are looking down from another office building or floor?

Here is the general rule of thumb:

• If the blinds are covering a window on a lower floor, turn the blinds upwards so that people looking from above are blocked.
• If the blinds are on a window on a higher floor, close the blind slats downward to reduce people’s line of sight.

Wrapping Up

So can people see through blinds? It depends largely on the positioning of the slats. You can get much more privacy by turning the blinds so that the rounded side is facing outward. However, most kinds of blinds are indeed created for privacy. You can find many varieties out there designed purely to block prying eyes.