There are hard window coverings on the market for both light-filtering and room-darkening. Some will darken the room, some will black out. On the other end, some will be light-filtering and some sheer.
Sheer shades are beautiful, light, and airy, but they do not offer privacy at night. The lighting from the interior of the home will illuminate the room and allow visibility inside. During daylight hours, the sheer shades will filter light, block some of the UV rays, and reduce heat. So, if it’s privacy you need, look for semi-opaque. Semi-opaque fabric will filter light AND keep anyone from peering inside at night.
Blackout can be misleading. Some fabrics are referred to as blackout but may be light-dimming because of light-bleed. Light can seep in through soft fabric vanes on products such as Silhouette®, a shade that mimics a plantation shutter. Although the vanes are opaque, they do not close tightly, thus the light-bleed. If total darkness is necessary, there are shades that will address that. Often times we will add drapery panels on each side of the window to cover the light gaps.
As with any window covering, there are pros and cons. For those who need more than one option in a window, there are several multi-function products that will cover both sheer and opaque needs, for example a dual roller shade. Dual roller shades are made with 2 fabrics rolled on separate tubes which operate independently. You can raise and lower each at different times of day – sheer in the morning and afternoon, blackout at night. Another option is a day/night honeycomb shade which offers 2 fabrics as well. One fabric sheer or light-filtering, the other, blackout. Other choices are available.
Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Kwanza, and a Happy, Healthy New Year!
For more information, contact Joan at The Blind Ladies. She will be happy to schedule a free in-home consultation. www.theblindladies.com or 404 918-5288
