The home is a sacred place where you should be able to kick back, relax, and forget about the struggles of everyday life. And nothing is less relaxing than the thought of being watched by someone. Even with the world’s friendliest neighbours, most of us prefer a home where we’re partially shielded from the outside, so that we can rest in peace.
If you’re looking for a little more seclusion in your home, here are some of the best privacy screen ideas that are available to you.
Privacy screen ideas
Thankfully, there’s enough screening ideas to find something that suits your taste, and that will look great in your home. Here are some of the most popular privacy screen ideas.
Aluminium screens
Image from eBay
Aluminium metal privacy screens are lightweight, affordable, highly durable, and available in a range of colours, allowing you to match your screen to your home’s exterior. They’re manufactured in a range of sizes, slat spaces, and styles, providing a wealth of choice.
If you’re handy, aluminium fencing isn’t that difficult to install. Although you might want to call in the professionals for a high quality installation.
Timber privacy screens
Image from Total Landscape Care
Traditional wooden fences are one of the most popular fence screening ideas around, and for good reason. They look great, have a huge cost range1, and can be accentuated with a gorgeous tint that matches your home. The planks can be installed horizontally or vertically, and the gaps between them can be as wide as you like, allowing you to control the amount of privacy.
If you’d like something a little quirky, you can install the planks at different heights and widths. This tends to be a more attractive option than lattice, and you can alter the appearance by simply using a different coloured stain.
Lattice
Image from Better Homes and Gardens
Lattice has been around years, and while its popularity has wavered over time, it’s still a common choice for privacy. It’s available in plastic, wood, and metal, which run the gamut of pricing from cheap to expensive. Gap size differs from product to product, allowing you to turn the dial up on how much privacy you’d like.
You can often personalise lattice by painting or staining it (depending on the material), and you can also use it to grow climbing plants such as the gorgeous Bougainvillea, which creates further privacy by filling the gaps in the lattice’s structure.
Installing lattice isn’t too difficult, although you might need a saw to cut it to shape.
Bamboo screening
Image from Bamboo Import Europe
A bamboo privacy fence isn’t ideal if you keep a panda at home, but an excellent choice otherwise. You can either buy a pre-cut fence from somewhere like Bunnings, which is a row of the plant’s culm (the hard wood-like part), or plant some bamboo yourself, which will be a mixture of culm and leaves. If you decide to plant some bamboo, you may be surprised by how quickly it grows (some species can grow up to almost a metre a day!)2. Be warned though—because bamboo grows so quickly, it can get out of control and become difficult to manage. For this reason, some people prefer the pre-cut option, but this needs to be protected with a sealant to make it last.
Despite being a cheap material, an outdoor privacy screen that uses bamboo can look gorgeous, creating a Balinese vibe that feels wonderfully relaxing.
Garden wall
Image from Andrew Nicholson Landscapes
Another highly popular way to add privacy and security for your home, the humble garden wall can be made of stone, brick, cement, or pretty much any strong and durable material. You’ll likely need a professional to build the wall for you, but the end result can look striking, particularly for materials such as stone.
Garden walls are one of the more expensive fencing ideas, but if you’re willing to pay the price, they’re a great outdoor privacy screen.
Corrugated iron
Image from Pinterest
While not the prettiest of solutions, a corrugated iron fence is highly durable, and easy to install. If you’re going for an industrial look, this (or preferably aluminium fencing) works well. Corrugated iron fencing is usually contained within a wooden frame, and can add a little rustic character to your yard.
Plants
Image from Hello Hello Plants
We love being out in nature, and by creating a privacy screen comprised of hedges, evergreens, or other plants, we’re able to create a soothing landscape that we love being in. Plants are able to create the perfect barrier without looking like Fort Knox. Some good screening plants for fences include the Lilly Pilly, Bottle Brush, Pittosporum Tenuifolium, Photinia Robusta, and more.
There’s also many different species of climbing plant that are great for privacy, such as ivy, Bougainvillea, passion flower, wisteria, clematis, and star jasmine. All these plants need is a trellis (e.g. lattice), and when cultivated in the appropriate way, can create an exquisite wall of vine and flower that looks incredible in your home.
The downside to plants is that they take knowledge and time, so if you’re after a quick way to make your home more private, they aren’t a good choice. On the other hand, once the plants have grown, they often require minimal upkeep, and can attract wildlife to your garden.
Outdoor curtains
Image from Miami Blinds Shades Curtains
Outside curtains may seem about as natural as a winged pig, but if you’re oozing confidence and couldn’t give two hoots what your neighbours think, they’re an off-the-wall solution for creating privacy. Fabric or tulle curtains will only work when undercover though, because they’ll turn into a mould fest if they get wet. But you can purchase plenty of outdoor curtains that are made of waterproof polyester.
Die-cut metal privacy screens
Image from Pinterest
Die-cut metal privacy screens are sheets of solid steel that are stamped (or cut) with patterns. They’re affordable, durable, and a great way to add a little art to your landscape, as well as some privacy.
Privacy screen regulations
Just like erecting a fence, regulations must be met to install a privacy screen. Providing your privacy screen complies with the following, you do not require building and planning approvals to add this addition to your home:
- It must be less than two metres high. If it is in excess of two metres from the natural ground level you will require building approval.
- It cannot be associated with a swimming pool, barrier or water safety.
- It must be accompanying a house or other residential use.
- It cannot restrict water run-off to and from neighbouring properties.
- It cannot form any part of a retaining wall.
If your property is located on a corner block, ensure that your privacy screen does not obstruct views for traffic as there must be a clear line of vision for drivers around the corner. For further clarification on the corner allotment privacy screen requirements, visit the Brisbane City Council website.
Uses of outdoor privacy screens
Privacy screens are utilised for more than just safeguarding your privacy. They are a great option for filtering out glare for rooms such as offices and living spaces that have monitors and television screens. In addition to this, they are ideal for minimising the amount of heat from direct sunlight entering a room. Privacy screens will help to keep the optimal temperature in the warmer months while still allowing some natural sunlight to enter.
What’s more, privacy screens can just be all about style! On-trend aluminium slats or louvred horizontal screens can bring a contemporary look to a dated patio or can be colour matched to carry your heritage colours, beach theme or rustic look from the indoors to the outdoors with ease.
You don’t have to accept the passers-by and nosey neighbours invading your privacy while you try to enjoy your time at home. With endless options and privacy screen ideas available there will be one that suits your style and budget.
Give the expert team at Fence Corp a call today on (07) 3715 5055 to discuss privacy screen ideas to suit your space!
References
- Craig Gibson, 2020, How much does fencing cost per metre? | 2019 Cost guide, Hipages
- 5 Reasons Not to Plant Bamboo in Your Yard, Networx