CATWALK IN THE LIVING ROOM - PRIVACY SCREEN AT HOME

ON DISPLAY IN YOUR OWN HOME - WHAT TO DO?

You're on show in your own house, how do I protect myself from prying eyes, how do I protect my privacy if I'm not allowed to build a privacy screen, for example, because the boundary distance is too small.

Universal Declaration of Human Rights

Art. 12: "No one shall be subjected to arbitrary interference with his privacy, family, home or correspondence, nor to attacks upon his honour and profession. Everyone has the right to legal protection against such interference or attacks."

Although the primary duty of protection lies with the state, companies and all of us can also make an important contribution to protecting privacy. The processing of personal data always constitutes an invasion of privacy. In order to protect privacy, sufficient legal regulations must be created to justify such intrusions. Rights that apply offline are also protected online. Efforts are underway at both national and international level to find a balance between the protection of privacy and the protection of public safety. Everyday life, including on the internet and in social networks - a challenge for privacy and data protection. The following three important points need to be considered:

1. point:
Everyone has the right to privacy.

2nd point:
Everyone has the right to respect for their private and family life, their home and their correspondence, post and telecommunications and to protection of their financial privacy.

3rd point:
Every person has the right to protection against misuse of their personal data.

HOME - SAFE PLACE TO BE - FEEL AT HOME

The only place where people can really have privacy is within their own four walls. Here you can let yourself go. If you want to walk around naked, you can do that too, normally.

You always have to keep up appearances at work. Showing one hundred per cent of yourself is hardly possible these days. Even among friends, small distances have to be maintained so that not everything is really revealed. If you want to cry, laugh or dance, this is also usually only possible within your own four walls. At least at home, you want and need to feel safe. And everyone has a right to privacy - according to the German constitution. However, it is ultimately up to everyone to provide a private space in which they can behave freely. It can be annoying, for example, if neighbours or pedestrians can see into your private space through the windows. This can quickly create a feeling of unease, which can put a lot of strain on the psyche.

Privacy is a highly valued commodity, especially for people living in ground floor flats. Many passers-by have no qualms about simply looking into other people's living spaces as they walk past, possibly even stopping to look. As a resident, you therefore need a solution that quickly and precisely solves this problem. An external venetian blind will help you.

It is mounted on the outside of the window, can be closed if required and can also be opened again if desired. All you have to do is pull on a thin cord. External blinds not only protect you from prying eyes. They also protect you from the sun's rays. This is usually very hot, especially in summer, and ensures that the temperature inside the room rises quickly. The slight curvature of the slatted blind strips means that the sunlight can be perfectly reflected. They protect the entire window and close it as you wish. Nevertheless, air can still penetrate through the fine slat gaps. This allows you to ventilate the rooms and still maintain your privacy.

WHAT CAN I DO - HOW CAN I PROTECT MYSELF PRIVATELY?

We recommend involving professionals in the preparations right from the start. This is because many questions can arise regarding authorisation when it comes to protecting your privacy. There are various options available to you to make your home more private. However, this does not mean that you should completely isolate yourself from the outside world. In the following, we will introduce you to options for more Privacy in your home.

The first thing you should consider is your living space; both indoors and outdoors. Although we are social beings, we also need something Privacy. We have an almost constant connection to the world around us. Many of us tend to lead very active lives outside our own four walls and we are constantly in contact with other people. For this reason, we need a quiet retreat and a home that offers us sufficient privacy.

No. 1 - Creating more privacy through planting

Our gardens are often located close to the street. As a result, they are less private than many of our indoor spaces. Consequently, most people take measures to prevent people from seeing into their garden. One way to create more privacy in the garden is to plant hedges. We recommend choosing hedges with evergreen foliage that is present all year round. Good options are, for example, glossy medlar and cherry laurel. You can also add other shrubs to guarantee additional privacy.

Provide dense vegetation that acts as a privacy screen. These hedges are easy to trim if you use a high-quality hedge trimmer.

No. 2 - The neighbour's fence is your boundary and the protection for more privacy

In addition to hedges, you can also use fences to define the perimeter of your garden. They are common in some neighbourhoods or cities. When it comes to choosing a fence, there are various options to choose from; some are opaque, while others are almost 2 metres high. However, please pay attention to the local building code and the necessary authorisations.

One particular style of fence is made of wood or metal with horizontal gaps that allow an easy view to the outside. Other fences, on the other hand, are completely opaque and provide optimum privacy.

N. 3 - Curtains, shutters, blinds

The interiors of our homes are normally private places. It is therefore important that we protect them from prying eyes. Below we present three types of privacy screens for your windows:

1.) Option are Fabric curtains. If these are thick, they offer a lot of privacy, but can make the room look dark. If you opt for more transparent curtains, you will get more light and have sufficient privacy at the same time.

2) Another option are Air-slot blindsthat run vertically or horizontally. They allow you to regulate the flow of light. This means that you decide how much light enters the room. Venetian blinds are usually made of metal or fabric.

3) Finally, it is also important to Standard blinds as they are another option that is both economical and functional. These blinds are very easy to install and usually let in plenty of light and provide sufficient privacy.

No. 4 - Room divider

When many people live in a house, regardless of whether they are family members or flatmates, it is best to divide large and spacious rooms such as the living room into different areas. One option is to separate the dining room from the living room. You can use glass partitions, shelves or even a folding door, while other options include aquariums, mirrors and fireplaces, for example. The aim is to create more privacy in your home without losing the continuity of the room.

No. 5 - Terrace , Balcony , Railing cladding

Loop lashings: The classic fine-meshed nets are available in fixed sizes and also by the metre for customised cutting. Your advantage: The embossed metal eyelets make this type of privacy screen quick and easy to attach to the balcony railing with cords or loops. The material is robust and easy to clean; stains can simply be wiped off or washed out. In addition to single-colour designs and the classic stripes that you may remember from your grandparents' balcony, there are now patterns and designs to suit every taste on the DIY market.

Panelling: Balcony claddings made of PVC or natural materials are an alternative to the lashings. With plastic panelling, individual tubes are tightly woven together. They therefore offer better privacy protection than nets with their fine holes. They are also more resistant to wind and are usually UV and weather resistant.

Natural protection: You don't want so much plastic in your life and prefer things to be natural? Then a privacy screen made from natural materials is probably just your thing. In addition to the traditional reed mat, there are now a variety of interesting alternatives, from willow branches and tree bark to heather roots or fern fronds. What they all have in common is that they transform balconies into a small recreational area and are therefore a great way for city dwellers in particular to surround their oasis. If a mat is too static for you or if you only need a privacy screen for one side, you can also install individual thick bamboo poles and frame them with several planters. The prices of the mats vary greatly depending on the design. It makes sense to compare here.

Screen: If you have a patio or even a garden, screens are a flexible way to create a temporary privacy screen. The two-, three- or four-part walls can be set up quickly if required and folded up again just as quickly. They are also available in wood and other natural materials as well as plastic. Caution is advised for patios that are sometimes exposed to strong winds: a fixed alternative is advisable here.

Awning, roller blind, partition wall: something for "eternity"? Then consider options that require permanent installation. An awning protects you from prying eyes as well as sunshine. They are not only available as retractable privacy and sun protection from above, but also as side screens that can be opened or pulled out like a fan. The house wall usually has to be drilled for installation (ask your landlord). However, there are also clamp-on awnings that do not require any drilling at all.

AttentionIf you are only a tenant and not the owner of the flat or house, written consent from the landlord is required for any intervention in the fabric of the building - such as the installation of an awning. The following also applies to owners in a multi-party property: if you want to change the external appearance of a building, you need the consent of all owners.

For covered balconies, roller blinds that are attached to the ceiling are also a suitable option. Here, too, there is something for every taste: from simple wooden or bamboo roller blinds to UV-resistant fabric, there is something for every budget.

The basic idea is that people should be able to have a personal space in which they can behave freely and uninhibitedly without having to fear that third parties can observe or eavesdrop on them.

SECRET TIP

These are possibilities and options for your home. Digital privacy must also be protected. You will find an article on this in our next blog.

Information is the currency of the Internet. Your privacy on the Internet depends on your ability to control how much personal information you provide and who has access to that information. When carrying out everyday online activities, you may disclose personal information that can be used by others to invade your privacy. This may include confidential information such as your IP address, your email address, your current physical location or your home or office address. For example, online shopping transactions often require credit card information and your home address, so avoid disclosing this information.

Tip 1: Search the internet for your name using popular search engines. Look for text and images. If you find confidential information about yourself on a website, look for contact information on the website and send a request to have your information removed.

Tip 2: Regularly check what others write about you on blogs and social networking sites. Ask friends not to publish photos of you or your family without your permission. If you are uncomfortable with material such as information or photos published on other people's websites, ask them to remove it.

Tip 3: Activate the option to check tags on Facebook and other social networks to prevent others from tagging photos that feature you without your permission.

Wealth Investment Network AG - Your protection not only for property. We at WENET AG also protect your privacy and your data.

Protecting personal data is particularly important in the digital environment. We guarantee this privacy to our customers in order to protect their rights. The protection of your personal information is of particular concern to us. We therefore process your data exclusively on the basis of the statutory provisions.

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