Q: We live in an Upper West Side co-op, and our bedroom faces the dining area of an apartment in an adjacent building. A family recently moved in with two young daughters who often sit at the dining table beneath a bright, garish light fixture and face their window, which has no curtains. We have blinds on the upper part of our window, but do not want to close them all the way because our apartment is dark. I am not an exhibitionist and I am sure the parents do not want their children to see me walking around my bedroom seminude or worse. I asked our superintendent to speak to theirs about the situation, but he never heard back. How do we fix this?

A: Your neighbors might not want curtains for the same reason you don’t want them: They don’t want to lose any precious light. And since their dining room is a social area, they may not be concerned about privacy. Even if you are able to eventually contact them, you can’t force other people to decorate.

But you can solve this problem. If you are worried that your neighbors can see you in an intimate setting, make the space more private. You mentioned that the light fixture is bright and garish. Use this as an opportunity to block an eyesore. Xandro Aventajado, the co-founder and creative director of Current Interiors, a Manhattan design firm, suggests using plants as a privacy screen.