DIY Frosted Window
I have to start this post by saying that I’m the world’s dorkiest dork. Now that that’s outta the way, I’ll tell you how to frost your window…on the cheap and very quickly!
I first saw this amazing idea over at the Thrifty Decor Chick’s. Sarah frosted her pantry doors. She’s so smart!
As you know, I’m working on updating the guest bathroom. Well, the window is a beast. A very large beast.
Can you see why?
It is halfway in the shower and halfway out.
I realize that this is a weird little quirk of our older home, so I’m cool with that. I’m just not cool getting seen nekked or sitting on the pot. Ahem.
Something had to be done, so I brainstormed and remembered Sarah’s trick.
Instead of re-reading her post, I thought I knew what I was looking for so I went to Home Depot, Lowe’s and Walmart looking for frosted contact paper. What a crazy I am!
It’s CLEAR contact paper!!
Yes, clear.
I measured each pane {one at a time} and I cut corresponding pieces of contact paper. I know you’re thinking that this is going to be really hard to get it placed on the window, right?
Well, it’s not. 🙂 Promise!
The secret is Windex!
I squirted lots of Windex on the glass panes before I stuck the contact paper on. The Windex allows you to move the contact paper around until you get it perfectly in the right place! Whoever came up with this idea is brilliant!
You can see how the Windex bubbles up under the contact paper. I used my debit card to get the bubbles out – easy peasy! Then I wiped away the excess Windex with a towel.
In this picture the lower panes are frosted and the top ones are not.
The crack is character…or that’s what I’m telling myself.
I love, love, love how it turned out. The privacy is fab and I love that it lets in a lot of light. Now I just need to figure out how I’m going to treat the window itself to give some softness to it.
Paying only $6.00 for a roll of contact paper was pretty awesome too, since other “frosting” options were well over $25!!
How would you treat this wonky window if it was in your house?
It looks great!! I did that in my bathroom too. It makes such a difference.
Awesome!!!
xoxo
Jen
great job and thanks for the contact paper tips.
sooo…. did one of you get nekked and the other one stand outside to check your work???
hmmmm. that is a huge challenge. The first thought I had was plastic plantation shutters…
but definitely a challenge!
-{darlene}
fieldstonehilldesign.com
I though the same thing Darlene suggested- a shutter. I can’t remember what you decided to do with all of your trim? Will it be painted? Perhaps you could get a long curtain and draw the eye up, too.
Very cool. If It was my window, I would do a valance now made out of a waterproof fabric. How fun to redecorate! Great blog!
It looks great!! I’d probably have done the same thing!
I have a clear window on my backdoor I’m going to do this to….eventually….when I get around to it. 😉
Love this solution. Thank you for sharing.
One window idea….a roman shade made out of indoor/outdoor fabric (patio cushion fabric) in a neutral solid or subtle print. Attach on the frame (right below the rod) and if it gets wet/moist it should hold up for a while. Do you have a decent exhaust fan in there? That would help as well. But do a fun fabric shower curtain with visual appeal so the eye goes there.
Thanks for letting us brainstorm with you.
I absolutely love the quirkiness of having the window half in the shower. I grew up in an old farmhouse and these little quirks are what make a home so charming.
I have a very nosey, nasty next-door-neighbour so I did this on my kitchen window (sounds petty but trust me, it made my life a whole lot easier) and I used a patterned one with paisley swirls, but it was $40 to do the window. Well worth it though.
Can’t wait to see this bathroom when it’s finished! And don’t worry, I painted my entire living room poop brown 3 years ago. I got what you were doing, and I get your need to change it too! haha
so…..I am slow…..did you spray something on the clear to get it to be frosted…or just spraying windex on the window before applying made it frosted…….I am confused.
I want to use this idea for my apartment patio doors for privacy….I wanted the frosted kind…I also wanted to stencil it out with a carving knife and stencil in leafs………..put cant find frosted …….so are you saying ….clear is frosted …….
help me out!!!!
love your blog ……..
I’m agreeing with the above poster…
clear IS frosted?
So much confusion.
fab idea I will definately be keeping that in mind. I like the idea of shutter too, would really suit the window and wouldn’t get damp in all the steam. I am not a curtains in bathrooms kinda person, all our bathrooms have roller blinds. 🙂
FAB idea!! I love this!
Looks great, Myra! I’ve used Krylon (?) frosting before to coat a glass top table and it worked out pretty nicely. But the contact paper is great b/c it’s much more affordable. 🙂 Great tip on the Windex. Going to Stumble this one…. 🙂
I’ve seen these curtain rods that swing that might work. You’d just want to use one rod on the half of the window that is out in the room. I found one on Amazon by typing in swing rod. Maybe that will work.
Fab solution on a dime! So clever– can’t wait to see the finished product. 🙂
I have a crazy window in my house too! But I used clear stained glass paint from Michael’s. I did it in a small swirl type action (not so nice on the arm). It looks like elmer’s glue when it goes on but it dries clear but the swirling action makes it to where you can’t see the other side. Let’s in gorgeous light. I have done this to both of the houses I have lived in. I love the outcome. But your frost looks awesome!
Oh my, that is absolutely brilliant! We have a window smack dab in the center of the kids’ bath/shower unit. We almost just removed it completely when we did our home project, but decided against it. It adds so much light to the room, and it draws a nice spring/fall breeze. We live out in the sticks, so no worry about neighbors and such–but I’m sure the kids would appreciate a privacy anyway. 🙂
As for your window covering dilemma–I love the shutter idea. I was thinking something along the lines of making a roman shade type thing out of repurposed fabric shower curtain.
Great idea!! I never would have thought to use contact paper, and if I had, I would have worried about it being too sticky! You’ve solved it all. 🙂
I love Cassie’s idea. I’m guessing since you “frosted” the glass (great idea, by the way) that you want the light to come in. Hiding it behind shutters or curtains would cut out the light. I think if you just paint the trim to match the walls, then it would blend in a bit. And you would benefit from the light. Just my thoughts 🙂
Love it! I used really cool napkins to make curtains all the time! I sew them together, then I fold over one side to make the pocket for the rod, or hand with rings. You could do that on a cafe rod in the middle… would look sweet, and easily removed to wash…..
I did the same thing lately with a rolls of frosted contact paper which had geometric designs worked in. Wow. It is great. So thankful for the little find. And I got each of the three rolls for a quarter at the Goodwill.
Looks great! I “frosted” our front door sidelight windows with clear contact paper several years ago. I learned of its frostiness as an elementary school teacher. I am so not creative or DIY-minded, so that was a big accomplishment! Ha! Wish I would have known the Windex trick, though… 🙂
I would be a llittle concerned about the clear contact being see through at night with the bathroom lights on.
I have mini blinds on a window in one room and discovered I could see right through them at night.
Have you thought of spray on frosted paint? It comes in frosted and colors.
I am thoroughly confused! I didn’t see anything on the link to Sarah’s about frosting her windows, and I don’t see how windex can frost clear contact paper? Does the windex do something chemically to the sticky stuff? You see, I have been searching ALL over the place for frosted contact paper (not with geometric designs) to put over the kids’ bathroom window, but still look nice from outside. I feel stupid, but Can you help me understand what it is that made your contact paper frosty? And if you stand up close to the window, with the lights on at night, can you see through it?
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Hi Robyn!
If you buy regular contact paper…it’s already frosted. Plain contact paper is naturally frosty…not perfectly clear. Does that help? The windex just allows you to move the contact paper around to get it in place before squeege-ing out the excess. 🙂 You can see movement and colors, but everything is a blur.
I hope that helps!!
the windex is to help make the contact paper stick. it doesnt frost it. it makes it easier to apply by creating more suction making it stick better but also making it slippery so you can move it around. then the windex dissipates leaving just the paper in the exact spot you want it
I share the admiration for contact paper for windows! lol Definitely a $$$ saver! I would have felt like I was robbed if I paid the price charged for window films when contact paper is a perfectly great alternative haha My kitchen windows look a lot more cozy (I had a pretty view of a fence before this):
Thanks for sharing your windows! 🙂
I seriously thought about doing this, as our bathroom window is in our shower/tub. But I decided to go the extra mile use etching cream to frost my window, that way it’s scrubable 😉 Plus I could work in a pretty design!
Love your blog 🙂
This is perfect! Just what I was looking for. Thank you!!!
Thanks sooooo much, I was going crazy @ walmart looking for the frost contact paper hahahahaha. You save me.
Can this get wet? I have a very small shower with a big window and neighbors about 10 feet away… Im just wondering what happens to the contact paper if it gets wet does it slide around or fall off?
Thanks a bunch for the idea!!! Just finished doing my bathroom window. Paid only $6 for roll at walmart.
While I like the frosted look, I prefer plantation shutters. I know they cost alot more than what you spent but I love being able to control the light in any room.
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