Sitting in the living room after a long and stressful day at work, all most people want to do is relax, have a drink or a hot meal and watch TV but some of us, like myself, have large picture windows giving us scenicviews into our backyards. This is almost always a positive, a great central component to the room that brings warmth to our living rooms. However, when the sun begins to set the harsh glare can detract and distract us from the wonderful time we are trying to have. What to do? We could close off the space entirely, but no one wants to get rid of the view that is that beautiful. Why not buy some heavy drapes and curtains to block out the sun? That would work, but then there would be either no view at all, or too much sunlight streaming in. a great middle ground that works from both perspectives are solar shades.
Solar shades are a variety of window treatments that were designed to bring out the best in providing a view while muting the harsh glare of outside lights like the sun. Solar shades are attached to roller rods at the top of the window, and usually are lowered or raised via a cord. The shades themselves are made from tightly woven fabric, with the tighter fabric blocking more of the outside light. When choosing this design of window treatment, it is important to decide on how much sunlight and view is wanted for the space. In a bathroom, for example, an opaquer version of the shade may be best. These can completely blackout solar shades, preventing all natural light from entering and is the most private form of the window treatment or if a small amount of natural light is desired, there are classes that range from 1% to 10% allowance of transparency. The different levels of transparency refer to the tightness of the weaving of the fabric, with 1% being the tightest non-blackout shade, while 10% let in more light and is the most transparent.
Finding a level of light control, privacy and viewing capability that works in the room, office, or home is a paramount benefit to solar shades. Not only that , these practical window treatments are also very stylish as well. Coming in a wide variety of colors, designs and brands, solar shades work as well in sleek silver lined kitchens as they do in traditional wood finished living rooms. Manufactured by companies like Hunter Douglas, Graber, and Comfortex, solar shades come in a wide variety of prices and styles.
A sleek, contemporary solar shade is a perfect addition to the modern home, while not taking away from the natural beauty of the outdoors like many other varieties of window treatments can. With so many designs and styles to choose from, the hardest choice will be what fits best with the room, rather than if it will fit. Whether it is a transparent shade to lessen the sun’s harsh glare or fully opaque for maximum privacy, solar shades control the light best.