How to Balance Privacy and Views with Privacy Screens

If you’re lucky enough to have a home with a balcony or deck, you’ll potentially find yourself facing a dilemma. Which do you value more: your view or your privacy. Unless your home is completely screened, it can be difficult to enjoy relaxing outdoors. On balconies in particular, it can feel almost as if you’re on a stage. And that’s rarely a comfortable experience. But then, what’s the point of sitting outside if you completely obscure the view and light with partitions? Privacy screens could provide the answer.

How Privacy Screens Can Help You Balance Your View and Your Privacy

What is a privacy screen?

As the name implies, privacy screens are devised to provide a barrier between your property and any prying eyes. On a balcony or deck, they can be used to either cover the entire circumference of the space. Or they can be strategically placed to protect the areas where you are most overlooked. They come in a range of materials. And you can find or commission privacy screens in almost any size to suit your needs. The trick is to find the right style of privacy screen to complement your home, and protect your modesty, but not to block out all of the light or interrupt your view. It’s a big ask. So, there are a few considerations for you to take into account if you are thinking about investing in privacy screens.

What to consider when striking the perfect balance between privacy and your view

Materials

From living plants and solid wood to filigree metal and glass, there are so many different styles of privacy screen available. But they all provide different benefits. Living plants and solid or louvred wooden panels can look beautiful in the right setting. But while they provide privacy, they can also completely block the light and the view, making the experience of being outside less enjoyable. Filigree metal screens partly provide an answer to that problem, by allowing the light through the design. However, they offer no protection from the wind, and they’re not always easy to see through. With obscured glass privacy screens, you can block the wind and let in the light, but you may not necessarily be able to enjoy the view. Which makes placement paramount. With tinted glass privacy screens, you gain all the benefits of obscured glass, but you can also see through it from your side.

Placement

The placement of your privacy screens impacts both their effectiveness and your enjoyment of the space. So, it’s something you need to put real thought into. On a balcony in an apartment block, for instance, you may simply wish to place privacy screens on the side of your seating area, to stop your neighbours looking in. For homeowners with balconies on the upper floor of a house, you may prefer to use privacy screens instead of a railing – covering the circumference and reaching to above waist-height. On a small deck or around a pool, privacy screens work well when placed in areas that are overlooked. All of these approaches can enable you to enjoy your view, without sacrificing your privacy.

Planning permission

In most cases, planning permission will not be required for privacy screens. However, there are exceptions if:

– You live in a listed building.

– Your screens will block your neighbour’s light.

– They’re being placed on a party wall.

– Your screens will be seen from a public highway, pedestrian footpath, or within a conservation area.

– Or in the unlikely event that your screens will be more than 2 meters high.

If any of these points apply to you, you will usually need to seek planning permission from your local council.

Privacy screens can change the way that you use your balcony, deck, or garden. They allow you to enjoy the space without feeling as if you’re being observed. And if you choose well, you can do so without compromising your view.

If you need support finding the right privacy screens for your home, get in touch with Origin Architectural.