Stained glass window film is also referred to much of the time as decorative window film. Of course, there can be a subtle difference between the two. Stained glass reminds me of churches and the beautifully decorative windows that are often found there. Oftentimes the patterns are quite intricate—sometimes depicting religious themes or items. Decorative window film, on the other hand, can be plain or it can feature all different kinds of patterns; including but by no means limited to circles, swirls, linear designs, flowers and plants and so on.

Photo By: Asteegabo

It can be challenging to actually find stained glass window film if you are looking for something that resembles what most people think of when they hear the term. However, there are some places you can look online for it. For example, both Target and Home Depot have a great selection available online, as do many other places that sell regular decorative window film. It all really depends on making the right selection depending on what you want to do with it.

Ideas For Use
Sometimes you may find that a window looks out over a view that is less than pleasing to the eye, perhaps a neighboring house’s brick wall, or maybe an unpleasant garage. This is a great way to use this type of film; buy one that is fairly opaque so you cannot see out through it. Depending on the style and color used, your room will be backlit whenever light shines through that window and this play on lighting really can add an almost surreal dimension to any room.

You may also have a large sunroom, patio or other area that faces out directly onto the street where passersby can get a great look into your home. Usually, this is not what is wanted. The alternative then is to cover the windows with some type of film. If you use stained glass film, though, you may want to experiment first to see that it will add to the outside appeal of your home. Sometimes too much stained glass film may not be that great to look at from outside the house. Oftentimes, if you are planning on placing a lot of window film up you may want to choose something like frosted window film as that will not be as glaringly obvious from the outside of your home.

Of course one other main reason for using it is as a decorative item. You are not limited to placing it on windows; you can also put it on sliding glass doors; hey, you could even put it around the perimeter of a mirror for an interesting effect. Alternatively, you can place it on glass cabinet doors if you do not want anyone to be able to see what’s hidden inside the cabinet!

Installation Tips
I have written fairly extensively about installing window film here and here. There are a couple of other things to keep in mind if you are installing stained glass window film that are important to keep in consideration.

First of all, many types of stained glass film is very geometric and as such the patterns do need to be matched up, or if you are just installing it on one window you need to ensure that it is centered properly as if it is a little off it could really spoil the whole appearance. As with other window film, it is probably best to tackle it as a two person job; and make sure the person helping has a sense of proportion (I am terrible at that sort of thing, hence I would never attempt to do this by myself.)

You may want to try it on one window first, to see if you like the effect. Try installing it on the upper panes of windows also, if you are merely putting it up for effect, rather than over an entire window. That way the suns rays will hit the top part of the window at a certain time of the day, which can be very effective.

If you are looking for an installation kit, you can find a quite good one sold by Home Depot. Although you could always assemble what is needed individually, it usually is simpler to buy a complete kit prior to starting the installation. Here is a simple kit, Complete Window Film Application Kit which you may find useful to have on hand.

Some Stained Glass Window Film That I Like
Finally, here are a few samples of the type of window film I am referring to in this article. If you follow the links you may be able to shop around and find other types of window film that may be more what you need. Shop around and you will be sure to find something that suits.

First Stained Glass Window Film 24-by-36-Inches I really liked this particular design, but then again I do enjoy more earthy shades when it comes to this type of stained glass window film.

Abstract Stained Glass Window Film – 36″ wide x 27″ long: Sold in one continuous roll,by the pattern. This is a great choice for those who prefer a more geometric design, and suitable for a modern decor.

Magnolia Window Film 24-by-36-Inch For the flower lovers, this is a great, delicate and quite beautiful design that would look good on almost any window. Of course, you may want to make sure that your other decorative items will complement the colors in this window film.

Finally, here is a selection from Home Depot, they too have a great choice available online and it is fairly easy and simple to shop with them.

This first 24 in. x 36 in. Stained Glass Decorative Window Film is one of my favorites, every similar to one of the choices above. I love the way it really gives an authentic look to the window, and because the pattern is not so geometric it may actually be a little simpler than some of the others to position on the window properly.

This particular 10.5 In. x 7.7 In. Essex Amber Stain Glass Applique with 6 Ft. of Caming Lines is very authentic looking. When purchasing this film, it also come with the black caming lines which are useful when helping to align the film, and give it that very authentic stained glass window look.

Finally, here is another very similar style to the film above, the 10.5 In. x 7.7 In. Alden Blue Stain Glass Applique with 6 Ft. of Caming Lines. It is a great looking applique, which also comes with the caming lines needed for proper application.

While the whole concept of paper blinds might be relatively new to many people living in Western countries, it is certainly not new to those living in Eastern countries. Many Oriental homes have been decorated using rice paper for centuries.

Rice paper is specifically designed to be fairly sturdy and long lasting. It does not tear or rip very easily although as the paper at ages it can sometimes become brittle. You will find there many different designs of rice paper, and you can use it simply to add a little window decoration to liven up things around your home or you can go all out and line many of your windows with this Oriental rice paper style to create a definite Oriental or Asian appeal.

It is fairly easy to locate this type of paper. Rice paper blinds are readily available online and there is really a nice selection of different patterns to choose from. You’ll frequently see that the updated design for rice paper blinds tends to be based on nature and nature themes. You’ll often find there are birds and trees and waterfalls — this seems to be a very common theme when it comes to rice paper blinds and it is also very fitting as it really does blend with the whole Oriental or Asian concept and mentality.

This type of paper window blinds can also be used to decorate room dividers, adding a touch of Asia to them. Some people like to use them to line the lower panes of windows while keeping the higher panes unobstructed.

Rice paper blinds are fairly easy to install and easy to change when necessary. One tip, if you are purchasing blinds, paper or rice paper, is to maybe buy one or two extra so that if anything happens to any of the blinds and they become ripped or they begin to fade in one spot you will have some replacement paper to patch up the area with.

As they have been growing in popularity, more and more different styles and types of paper blinds are becoming available these days. Whereas once they were fairly standard and were only available in one or two colors, nowadays you can find them in colors ranging anywhere from white cream all way too black. You can also find some that are patterned, including some that can be used for festive occasions or celebrations.

The original types of paper shades were pleated. They look very neat and tidy and as with all types of temporary blinds they were very easy to install. These are probably still the main type of blinds that are purchased although now that there are increasing numbers of different types of temporary blinds available people are beginning to choose different styles as well.

When it comes to pleated blinds, you will soon find that you can purchase them with cords or without cords. It is usually more personal preference whether you want to cords on your blinds or not, although if you have small children or pets you may feel better about not having cords on your blinds. At least you have the alternative of deciding between the two — it will be up to you to decide what shoe purchase.

If you are interested in insulating your room you may want to check out the range of honeycomb paper blinds available. Just as with regular honeycomb blinds, and the cellular blinds will actually insulate a room fairly well which can be a real clustering very cold winters. You may not want to have blinds installed in a room all year round, but you may find that the added installation really is a plus during the depths of winter. Because they are temporary and very inexpensive you can simply take them down once the weather begins to warm up again.

If you need to keep your room dark for any reason you can also find temporary blackout paper blinds. They work in exactly the same way as regular blackout blinds — they will definitely keep the light out of any room they are installed in. These are often considered when you need to turn a room into a temporary guest room, or if your child is having trouble taking a nap during the day because this room is too light.

You will find there many different types of temporary blinds you can purchase. It should not be difficult to find something that is suitable and that also looks great in your room.

In case you are not up with the latest when it comes to window treatments, one new type of blind that is fairly new on the market, or at least that is really growing in popularity amongst many homeowners is the temporary paper shade. These temporary blindness are made from paper and in most respects they resemble a standard blind. They’re usually used to provide some sort of temporary window treatment in situations where people are moving home, or perhaps the renovating and simply haven’t decided what type of curtains or blinds they want to put up yet.

There are a whole slew of other reasons why people purchase temporary paper shades. For example sometimes you need to convert her room into a guest room temporarily and you want to make sure there is adequate window covering. Buying a paper blinds and installing it provides instant privacy and it’s also cheap and very easy to take down once you guest has gone.

No matter what type of paper blinds you thinking about buying, you will find that there is an excellent selection of different lines online. In the UK they are made by ‘Blinds in a Box’, and in the US they are mainly sold by a company called ‘Redi Shades’. Of course you can buy the blinds directly from these companies’ online sites. You will also find that they are sold in a great number of different home decor type stores such as Home Depot, and other similar stores. You can also find them fairly easily on Amazon.

You probably would not have any problems were you to buy them online. Just shop for a size that is either exactly the same size as, or maybe an inch or so larger than your window. Remember these blinds are made from paper and it is very simple to cut them to size. They’re usually sold with several in one box although in some instances you can simply buy one or two. Because they are so lightweight, shipping costs are not usually very astronomical making it very feasible to purchase these online.

Paper blinds are relatively new on the market and they have definitely filled the need of many people, as they have become very popular item. They’re relatively inexpensive and depending on the size of blind to purchase you can usually find them for under six dollars or even under four dollars in some instances. Once you get them up you will soon realize they look good even though they’re made from paper — they don’t look tacky or cheap and is suitable for almost any room in the home as a temporary window treatment.

You can find them in different styles. For example you can find the regular accordion blinds or you can also find cellular or honeycomb paper blinds. If you have an arch shaped window you can even buy a special arched shape that is made from the same paper your temporary shades made from and use that place at the top of the window.

They’re quite a few different reasons people opt to buy this. Many people, when they are renovating or moving house will choose to install temporary shades initially. This provides them with the light filtering and the privacy that they need even though they may not have decided on the final decor of any room and thus not be able to decide what type of curtains or blinds to buy.

You may also find that there are times when you need some sort of blackout blind, that perhaps only on a temporary basis. You do not want to go to all the expense of buying any blackout blind if you only need to use it for a couple of weeks or for a short period of time. A good alternative in this situation is to buy a temporary blackout blind. For example you may have to do a stint of night duty and find that you have trouble sleeping during the daytime. Perhaps you have a guest visiting and you need to convert a sunroom or some other room and temporary guest room. If you do not have proper curtains or shades you could always buy these temporary shades and install them in your temporary guest room, taking them down again after the person has left.

Another really fun idea with this type of shades is to buy some that have been made for a specific purpose. For example there are some that have a huge design of an American flag on them, you could easily buy that and install it temporarily while you prepare for your Fourth of July celebrations. There others that are suitable for a baby shower or for a birthday party — it can really add a little bit of life and spunk to the celebration to have some accompanying window decor.

Finally, especially the honeycomb blinds are quite good and insulating the room. If you have a lot of windows in the room and you find that during winter it gets quite cold because of all the glass you could always put up some temporary shades that would provide you with more insulation and keep the heat in the room during those cold winter months. Once winter is over you can always take them down if you don’t need them anymore.

Paper blinds are relatively new on the market in many respects. In other words, they are very much gaining in popularity these days and as such you will find more manufacturers are making them and more online and regular stores are now selling them. For many, the whole concept of paper blinds does seem a little odd at first — I mean, why would anyone want to install paper blinds in their windows? Well, there actually some very good reasons why people choose to do so.

But first a little about paper blinds: As the name suggests they are blinds or shades that are made from paper rather than being made from other materials such as plastic, vinyl, fabric or wood. They are designed in such a way that they look like and closely resemble regular blinds. They also perform a similar function, in that they are helpful at filtering light, providing privacy and in general making a room look tidy and neat.

Because they’re made from paper they are naturally quite cheap and inexpensive to purchase. You can buy a regular sized blind for around $4-$6 in most instances and it comes complete with everything that is needed to install it. Installation is very easy — simple and quick, in fact some sites state that you should be able to get your blinds up in under one minute. I have not tried it and as I am a little challenged when it comes to things like that it may take me a little longer but I’m not sure.

Again, because they’re made from paper you can very easily trim them so that they can be made to fit pretty much any window size you have. These of course you would need to buy them a larger than what you need as opposed to buying them smaller as it is impossible to expand them yet it is definitely very possible to trim them to fit.

Sometimes people are a little hesitant when it comes to installing anything that is labeled as being temporary. You do not need to wonder when you buy these blinds however as right out of the box they actually look quite nice and neat and in fact are probably much better looking than many other temporary type of window covering you could try to put up. If you want to maintain our nice appearance in a home and yet only temporarily cover of window for any reason it would be well worth your while purchasing one of these temporary shades. It will not cost you very much and it will help your home look great even though you make you renovating or converting a room into a temporary bedroom.

As the name implies, paper blinds are temporary shades that are made from paper instead of other material. They are becoming increasingly more popular, and you can now find them sold by many of the major home decor centers both online and in the actual store. Paper shades for windows come in quite a few different styles including the regular or original pleated blinds, and cellular blinds. You’ll also find them available in a variety of different colors ranging all the way from white and cream to even full blackout black blinds paper types.

Part of the attraction with this type of blind is that it is very cheap, and they’re also extremely easy to install. In fact, that is one of the major selling points with these blinds — the ease of installation.

Main Types Of Paper Blinds You Can Buy

The original paper blinds that were first sold were pleated. You can still find this type of blinds readily available, in fact it probably the most common types are usually installed. Of course, different types of paper shutters are made by different manufacturers. When it comes to pleated blinds, you can find some that are corded and some that are cordless and your choice on which type to buy will probably depend large it on your personal preference. These days especially people with pets or younger children tend to prefer to buy cordless blinds.

You can also find cellular paper shades. These are great to hang in a room as they provide extra insulation and can be very effective at either keeping the warm air in a room or keeping a room cool. These paper honeycomb blinds also come in a variety of different colors.

You will also find a whole range of black out blinds available, also available in varying colors ranging from white to black.

You can usually also by different accessories needed to install the blinds as well as paper arches which can go at the top of an arched window. These accessories are normally sold at the same place where you would buy your paper shades.

Where Can You Buy A Paper Shade?

There are several major manufacturers of these blinds. In the US, you will find that Redi Shade makes them. In the UK, they are sold under the trade name Blinds In A Box. Naturally you can buy them from these stores online but you’ll also find that they are sold in most of the major retail outlets at least in the states — such as Amazon, Home Depot and other similar stores.

36 in. x 72 in. Paper Light Filtering Shade The Redi Shade 36 in. x 72 in. Paper Light Filtering Shade features a white finish and decorative pleated design. This shade provides light filtering and instant privacy for your space while maintaining your style. Easy to customize to fit your window, this versatile shade offers quick installation and is a perfect addition to your decor.

For example, above is one such blind can be purchased online from Home Depot at a very reasonable price. These are available in different sizes, both 48″ x 72″ and 36″ x 72″. The small size blind costs just under four dollars whereas the slightly larger one costs just under six dollars. These are very lightweight, and as such the shipping is usually very minimal on these orders.

Why People Choose To Install Paper Blinds

There really are a multitude of different reasons why people opt for this paper shades. For example, if you are staying somewhere and you need some temporary blinds it’s a very simple matter to actually buy this paper blinds and install them. They look nice, but not detract from the overall appearance of any room or home and as such they are perfect if you just need to pop up some type of window covering quickly. You may want to use them in rooms if you have a guest staying in the room who needs a darkened room in order to feel to sleep and yet the room is not a permanent guest room.

If you are looking for ways to save on energy costs, it may be interested in installing the cellular type of paper blind. You may not want the blinds to stay in the room all year round but for example you could easily put one up during the colder winter months to help insulate the room and keep it warm.

As mentioned above, there may be times when you need to temporarily darken the room. Perhaps you have guests visiting or you are suddenly having to work a night shift and need to sleep during the day. A temporary blackout paper shade would be ideal in this situation.

Along the same lines, they’re also really good to put up in either children’s room or a nursery — particularly if your child is still young enough to take naps and has trouble sleeping if the room is too bright. You may not feel it is necessary to invest in a more permanent blackout blind and in such a case you would find that the temporary shade would be ideal. You can simply remove it when you no longer need it.

Another time that many people invest in these types of blinds is when they are either moving into a new home and have not decided on their room’s decor or when they are simply remodelling and are not sure what type of blind they wish to purchase. These are cheap enough to put up, they will give you an instant window covering the yet they’re not that expensive that you need to keep them up there permanently. Once you have decided exactly what type of curtains drapes or blinds you want in your room you can take the temporary shades down and installed your new window treatments.

Some people also purchase temporary blinds to hang in a window or when they are having a party, or there is some type of celebration happening. For example, online I saw some great blinds with ‘It’s a Boy’ or ‘It’s a Girl’ emblazoned on them, with a cute picture of a baby — obviously ideal for celebrating the birth of a newborn child. You can find are the lines that say happy birthday was that are decorated with balloons and even some that have an American flag — a great choice for a Fourth of July celebration.

Ease Of Installation

This is perhaps the greatest thing about these temporary blinds, they are deliberately designed in order to be able to quickly install in any window. Some use tape, while others are attached using a type of rod and button where they just snap into place. Because they’re made from paper, if they are not quite the right size they’re also incredibly easy to trim to fit to any window size. Websites advertising this type of blinds claim that you should be able to put them up in one minute or less. It does seem that that is the case.

What About Rice Paper Blinds?

Of course while paper blinds may be a fairly new arrival in the Western world they have been used exclusively in many Asian countries for many years. Rice paper shades can be very beautifully decorated with wonderful stunning designs and can really add definite oriental touch to any room where they are installed. If you’re looking for something a little different, you may want to check these rice paper window shades out.

Canopy bed curtains come in two varieties. First of all are the curtains designed to attach to a canopy bed frame, creating a beautiful flowing look. These tend to be are very long, and in some cases reach from ceiling to floor. There are also curtain styles that can be attached to the ceiling for those who do not own a canopy bed, but want the canopy look. These are a great option for anyone on a budget, or indeed anyone without a 4 poster bed! These curtains are easy to install, and equally easy to take down for cleaning and so on. They either hang from a single point and wrap around the bed, or hang from a hook above each corner of the bed to emulate the effect of a real four poster.

Canopy beds that feature a set of beautiful curtains become the focal point of any size bedroom. The long, flowing curtains create a dramatic look that can be used as part of a princess, romantic or exotic design theme.

Creating a Romantic Bedroom Setting

Elegantly draped canopy curtains create a sensual setting that looks lovely in a large master bedroom. Silk canopy bed drapes make a bed alluring, and create a gorgeous private area where couples can enjoy each other’s company. When silk or satin bedding is combined with silk draped or cotton curtains, the results are stunning. Patterned fabric curtains that match an elegant bedding set are also perfect for a romantic theme.

A Little Girls’ Dream Room

Most little girl’s dream of having a gorgeous canopy bedroom set with princess curtains. Princess style canopy curtains can add a fun and exciting element to a girls’ bedroom. The addition of organza curtains in white, pink, purple or light green colors will create a lovely sleeping area fit for a princess. The colorful curtains look almost magical when hung above the bed. Special curtains, which feature butterflies, colorful beads or artificial flowers, are available for those who want extra details on their child’s canopy bed curtains. These butterfly bed canopies add an enchanting touch to any kids bed, making bedtime great fun.

Achieving an Exotic Look

Flowing gauzy cotton canopy bed curtains create a luxurious look that is reminiscent of an exotic island getaway. A curtained canopy bed located next to a large, sunny window is a terrific way to capture the feeling of nature and relaxation. Embroidered, painted or beaded curtains are striking, and will turn an ordinary bed into an oasis.

Shopping Tips

Although canopy curtains are usually generous in size, it’s a good idea to take measurements of your bed frame before ordering canopy curtains to make sure they will fit. If you are shopping for a gorgeous set of curtains, consider ordering online. There are many excellent deals on canopy curtain sets and most websites offer a return option for those who are not satisfied with the product.

Many homeowners are installing French doors these days. They are great for adding light to a home and for giving a fairly clear an unobstructed view into your garden. However, as there is a lot of glass on French doors, people are sometimes concerned with both privacy issues and worries that rooms will heat up or bright sunlight will flood the room. Of course, both of these concerns are solved by installing French door blinds.

There are many different options when it comes to window treatments for French doors ranging from shutters to curtains for French doors. Your choice will probably depend in part on how much you are willing to spend on patio door blinds treatments and also on the overall look you are hoping to achieve. It will also depend on how much you are willing to pay for these treatments as some French blinds are considerably more expensive than others. Here are a few ideas on different possibilities for patio door blinds and French door window treatments.

There are many different types of roll up blinds for French doors you can install. They are usually relatively cheap, easy to install and fairly cost effective and time saving to maintain. Many roll up blinds come with a built in valance that will effectively hide the roller mechanism. These are great if you do not mind the fact that there is little variance obtainable with light flow into a room. In other words, the blinds need to be all the way down, half way up or all the way up.  If your main concern is privacy at night, these would be a good option for patio doors with blinds.

Shutters

It is also possible to buy shutters to install on your French doors. These come in different sizes and styles. Prices vary quite a bit depending on what material they are made from. Wood shutters are not the cheapest shutters you can buy and they are not ideal for all situations; you should not install them if you live in a fairly humid area as humidity is usually not that good for wood.

Vinyl shutters are usually fairly cost effective and they can look great on French doors, especially white shutters as they have a very clean and crisp look to them that is very appealing when hung on French doors.

You can also buy faux wood shutters, although these are usually fairly heavy in comparison to shutters made from other material. This alone may make them less attractive to hang on French doors as you usually need to be able to open and close the shutters with ease when they are hung on doors.

The great thing with shutters is that you can readily control the light flow into the room and they provide you with great privacy when closed. They may not be that suitable as sliding glass door blinds however, and you may need to look at other alternatives that are more flexible if you are looking for sliding door blinds.

Vertical Blinds

Vertical blinds is another popular option. They are usually fairly inexpensive and they add a nice, soft look to a room–particularly if you choose the vinyl type, as opposed to aluminum blinds.

While they look great, these type of French doors blinds do not provide you with the best privacy as you can often see in between the vertical slats even when the blinds are fully closed.

They are not that great at controlling the amount of light that comes in through the French doors either, though they are more controllable than roll up blinds.

The neat thing with vertical blinds is that they can be pulled to the sides of the doors with ease, making it very easy to open and close the doors as you need to. That is where they are a  plus as sliding patio door blinds.

Curtain Panels

This is another option for these types of doors. Curtain panels are very easy to put up, and they can be pulled back to the side of the door during the day to allow optimum light to come into the room. When pulled shut at night they also provide you with privacy.

They do tend to get quite dusty and you have to take them down to wash them on a fairly regular basis. Depending on the type of fabric they are made from they can also fade fairly quickly, thus do need to be replaced more often than other types of blinds.

French door curtains are usually very decorative and can be used to add to a room’s décor very easily and can be a good choice for patio door window treatments.

Mini Blinds

These also work when hung in French windows though they are not as suitable for front door blinds for example. As they are usually fairly lightweight they often have to be fastened down so they do not blow about when the doors are opened and closed. They are cheap, come in a variety of different colors and styles and are usually fairly easy to clean. A good choice for blinds for patio doors.

French Doors with Built In Blinds

These are my top pick.  Many French doors these days are built with a double layer of glass–including sliding French doors. You can now buy French doors with blinds built in between the two panels.  The advantages of French patio doors with blinds built in are many. There is very little need for cleaning as the vacuum between the two panes of glass keep the blinds from getting dirty.

There are usually controls built into the door so that you can lower and raise the blinds, or so you can change the angle of the slats. Buying sliding glass doors with built in blinds already installed does not cost you any extra than buying the blinds separately and installing them over French doors. I can see little reason for not opting for patio doors with built in blinds aside from the fact that they may not be that easy to get to should they need repairing. This would be something to discuss before purchasing these french blinds. If the doors are sealed it may be difficult to get to the blinds, however the chances of something happening to the patio doors blinds to make them malfunction is fairly slim as these type of mini blinds usually last for years and operate without any problems developing.

What is sticky back plastic?  Well, if you live in the UK you probably already know. For those who do not live in the UK, it is simply adhesive film, and in relation to sticky back plastic window film the US equivalent is adhesive window film.  Sometimes the origin of specific terminology is somewhat unclear, however there does seem to be a correlation between this and a very popular children’s television program, Blue Peter.  The program’s producers went to great lengths to avoid mentioning any brand names on the show, thus Cellotape or Scotchtape was always referred to as ‘sticky tape’ and any adhesive plastic film was called ‘sticky back plastic’.  The name seemed to stick, till now ‘sticky back plastic’ is a term that is as commonly heard as any other when referring to this item.

Usually you buy it in rolls. A sticky back plastic roll should have all the specifications needed on the roll itself, such as the width and length and any other pertinent information.  Not all plastic comes in rolls. You can also buy sticky back plastic sheets. These sheets can be used for covering smaller surfaces. Often safety decals, designs that are meant to be placed on tall windows and glass doors to provide a visual reminder that there is glass ahead, are bought in sheets rather than rolls.

There are many different styles of plastic film available, ranging from colored sticky back plastic to clear sticky back plastic. Some of the plastic is plain, while other sticky back plastic designs range from being very decorative and artistic to downright funky.  Funky sticky back plastic is often used to be decorative rather than to actually provide either privacy, or UV protection and covering, with designs providing a chance to dress up a window or even a mirror artistically in a very modern type of design. Sticky back plastic art is fast becoming an art form in itself, with people constantly coming up with new and fresh ideas for doors, windows and mirrors.

Here are some common uses for sticky back plastic window film:

• Provide eye-catching visual effects

• Provides privacy without compromising the amount of light entering into a room

• Used as an alternative to net or lace curtains

• UV protection film cuts back on both heat and light entering into a room

• Safety decals for glass doors and full length glass patio windows

• Filtered colored light can change the mood of a room. Try golden film for a warm, sunny effect

• Provide additional protection in the event that a door is smashed or broken; glass will be contained and will  not scatter everywhere

• Obscure valuable items in a room from prying outside eyes

• Cut back on computer screen or television screen glare

Creative Designs: While colored or shaded sticky back plastic covering can look great on windows for a real classic look how about trying frosted film?  It comes in various levels of opaqueness and you can cut it in such a way that you have very interesting repeating designs on a window. Circles and squares going out from the center of a panel widening consecutively can look great.  For a child’s room, try cutting out some kiddy designs and placing them along the bottom section of glass for something different.

Lettering: While it does not sound very decorative, you can have a lot of fun with sheets of cut out lettering as well. Used for advertising and signs, where they are placed on plain glass windows, you can also use them to write cute notes on your child’s bedroom window or mirror, or for a big ‘welcome’ sign on your front door, (or a ‘no salesman’ sign, if that is your preference!) You can buy numbers as well as letters, thus you could use them for your street number as well.

Patterns: There are quite a few standard patterned sticky back plastic film styles around too. Some have horizontal lines going across, square designs, circular designs and a multitude of other patterns.  Patterns can be frosted, or etched into colored window film.

Atmosphere and Lighting: Some of the most stunning designs using sticky back plastic for windows use small pieces of colored film. Try putting small rectangular pieces of gold film in the middle of your window for an interesting effect. Or, alternatively edge your window pane in colored film. Depending on the color of the film, you can create some amazing effects, that can add color, warmth, or atmosphere to any room.

UV Protection: If sunlight is fading your furnishings, how about adding some UV coated film to your windows. It is available in many different varieties, ranging from reflective film to tinted or even clear UV coated film. This can protect harmful UV rays from entering your home or provide protection against glare on your computer screen or television screen.

Usually instructions for applying the frosted window film are included with the film when you buy it. If you are doing a lot of windows, or large areas you will probably want to enlist the help of someone else. If you are applying small decorative cutouts or safety decals you should be able to do that yourself easily. Sticky back plastic film is cheap, easy to apply and looks great; plus there is an amazingly large variety of different options to choose from.