Window Film and Tinting in Lakeview, Chicago

Privacy Film for Homes Near Wrigley Field

On streets around Wrigley Field, the sidewalk in front of a two-flat can go from empty to packed in twenty minutes. Before and after a Cubs game or a summer concert, crowds walk past first-floor windows and stop at the corner. Owners and renters on Sheffield, Kenmore, Seminary and the nearby blocks want the front room to stay private on those days without living behind closed blinds all season.

Frosted film on the lower sash is the usual answer. It hides the room from people on the sidewalk and still lets light in. Some owners prefer a frosted pattern with thin clear lines, which looks more finished from the street. Garden units, which sit half below the sidewalk, get the most benefit.

Security Window Film for Lakeview Bars, Shops and Restaurants

Clark Street near the ballpark, Broadway, Belmont and Southport have a mix of bars, restaurants and small shops. Late hours and heavy foot traffic mean glass gets bumped, cracked and occasionally broken. Security film holds the pieces together when a pane breaks, so the opening stays covered and the glass does not fall onto the sidewalk.

For boutiques on Southport, the bigger daily concern is sun. Southport runs north and south, so one side of the street gets morning light and the other takes the afternoon. Clear UV film protects merchandise in the windows, and a light solar film helps shops on the side that bakes after lunch.

• Security film on bar and restaurant front glass
• Anti-graffiti film on doors and lower panes
• UV film for Southport boutique displays
• Frosted film for gyms, salons and clinics

Heat Control Window Film for Lakeview East High-Rises

East of Broadway, Lakeview turns into a strip of mid-century and newer high-rises along Lake Shore Drive and the lakefront parks. Units there face east toward the water or south down the shoreline toward downtown, and both directions take a lot of sun with nothing to shade them.

Heat control film reduces the solar heat coming through those windows and evens out the temperature in rooms that swing between too warm and comfortable over the day. In older towers with original windows, we check the glass carefully, because some types of glass and some insulated units need specific films to avoid heat stress.

Window Film Next to the Red and Brown Line Tracks in Lakeview

The Red, Brown and Purple Line tracks run on a raised structure through Lakeview, with stations at Belmont, Addison, Sheridan, Southport and Paulina. Apartments and offices beside the tracks face trains passing at window height every few minutes. Riders can see straight in. Some of those units are only a few steps from the Belmont or Addison platforms.

Frosted or one-way film on the track side keeps those rooms private. If you work from home in a unit beside the L, the glare film and privacy film can be combined into one product that tones down sun and blocks the view at the same time. Film will not do much for train noise, so we keep that expectation honest.

Home Window Tinting for Lakeview Two-Flats and Greystones

West of Clark, Lakeview is mostly brick two-flats, three-flats, greystones and frame houses on narrow lots. Neighbors are close, so side windows often look directly into the house next door, and a small rear yard can be overlooked by a back porch across the alley. Gangway windows between buildings can be just a few feet from the neighbor's glass.

Decorative and frosted films work well on those side and rear windows. On south-facing rear additions with big glass doors, a heat control film keeps the kitchen or family room from overheating while leaving the yard view clear. Clear UV film is a good add-on for those rooms too, since new floors and cabinets in a rear addition fade like any other.