How to Maintain Privacy When Your Neighbours Can See Into Your Home

Close up.

At about 8,300 people per km, Singapore is one of the most densely populated countries on this planet. But it’s not just the people that are packed together; the buildings, too, are constructed in close proximity.

Naturally, this means that some units can look straight into others – and for those of you living in such homes, maintaining privacy becomes more of a need than a luxury. So, here’s how to make your home feel less exposed to prying eyes:

Choose the right window treatments to directly control visibility

Curtains and blinds

Soft furnishings like curtains and blinds are almost a necessity in every home – not only to shield yourself from the harsh afternoon glare, but also for privacy reasons. They’re especially useful if your home is in full view of other units nearby, with your daily activities being more public than you’d like.

Both curtains and blinds come in a variety of styles, meaning you’ll definitely find one that suits your design preferences. For curtains, you have options like day and night curtains as well as blackout curtains, while blinds come in variants like Venetian, Korean, or roller blinds.

We recommend reading the article below for a full breakdown between the two to see which one suits your lifestyle best:

Explore: Curtains VS Blinds, Which is Better?

Window films

In addition to your soft furnishings, window films offer an extra layer of privacy – which can be especially useful when you want to air out your home without making it feel completely exposed.

There are a few types of window films to choose from:

• Frosted/whiteout films: obscure vision from either side while still allowing light to pass through
• Mirrored films: a type of reflective film that reflects views during the day. However, keep in mind that they’re less effective at night, when your home is bright inside but darker outside.

Do note that HDB’s renovation guidelines state that any window films used should either be non-reflective or not exceed 20% reflectance – likely to reduce the likelihood of glares for your neighbours. If you’re unsure, it’s best to check with your vendor before purchasing.

Be strategic with your lighting placement

When your neighbours can already see into your house, the last thing you want is to make it even easier for them with bright lights right by your window.

Try, as much as possible, to position your main (and brightest) light sources further away from window-facing areas. Doing so draws attention away from the most exposed parts of your home (i.e. the areas right by the window), and ensures that they aren’t as bright and easy to view from outside.

If you do need lighting near the windows, it’s best to rely on indirect lighting like cove lighting, wall sconces, or concealed LED strips, which ensures the area stays functional without making them feel overly exposed.

Plan your layout around privacy and sightlines

Keep everyday activities away from the window

Space is scarce, so we get how you may be tempted to place key furniture – like your sofa, bed, or work desk – right next to the window to maximise space. However, these are also the spots where you spend the most time, meaning you’ll be in full view of your neighbours in nearby blocks.

So, you’ll need to reconfigure your layout beyond the ‘standard’ ones you see in most home interior images. Where possible, shift your furniture further into the room or angle it away from the window so you’re not directly in your neighbour’s line of sight.

Then, you can use the window-adjacent area for areas that aren’t as involved in your daily lifestyle, like plants, display shelves, or storage. This way, they can make use of the light while drawing the attention of wandering eyes (and away from you).

Consider features that break/place you away from direct sightlines

Beyond moving your furniture around, you can also include features that either interrupt the view into your home or move you out of sight instead.

In the living room, for example, a TV wall or a projector screen can double as a divider between the window and the interior of your home.

If you don’t want anything too solid, an open bookshelf can also help break up the view while keeping the space airy.

In the bedroom, the same idea can be applied with features like a built-in headboard, wardrobe, or -- yes, a TV wall, like the one shown in this example above. This way, you can catch up on your TV shows or change into a new set of clothes with peace of mind.

If your unit comes with half-height windows instead of full-length ones, another option is to get bed frames with a low profile, which will put you below the window’s view and out of sight while you sleep.