Good quality shutters are incredibly expensive. I put a set of sheers and a set of block-out curtains up when we first got our place - the sheers provided a little bit of privacy during the day, the block-outs made it cozy at night and helped block the westerly sun hitting in the afternoons. The only thing you find with sheers is that you have to have to wash them - they go a little grey. Depending upon where you live, make sure that your curtains are an inch off the floor - we live on a main road with all the dirt and grime that comes with it and it just keeps your curtains looking that bit better longer.

Hi Leah. As you like timber what about using a decorative timber screen to fit that space? Enough decoration to give privacy, but open enough so light can come through. Kind of like a picture that draws your eye rather than an ugly square of glass. I'm sure houzz has an article showing these decorative screens in various styles. I have some typical geometrical chinese wooden windows in mind, but I'm sure you could find some laser cut specialist to do your design in metal, or a carpenter to do it in wood.

It's about balance, between function and aesthetics. Fenestration configuration is often poorly implemented and it can be a "make or break" factor in the project outcome if you're not careful, so good to see that you're thinking about this You want to take cues from the original building style, but you can also nudge it into more contemporary territory successfully if you achieve the right balance. You can always manage/control privacy and sunlight with window furnishings. The most important things are (a) that the window proportions are balanced in the facade, and (b) they are serving the functionality of ventilation & light. On a front facade I'd never design two separate windows side by side that are slightly different, one fixed and one awning - it will look off balance. You'd be better off with two awnings, or one large window with sections of both awning and fixed, say two smaller outside awning/openable with a centralised fixed section. If you do some research in the era/style of the existing home, you'll find that the front facade windows divisions within the one window frame typically were slightly varied. Your picture has them all even that makes it look more standardised.

Thanks Kate. It would be cheaper to knock down in most cases but in this case we had to build on the original footprint because of the conservation area which created so many restrictions. The Council even made an issue of the flower garden at the front because of the slight change in the soil level!