I find that busy or heavy window treatments aren’t as popular as they used to be, and I am designing a lot of clean shades into my projects.
Fabric Roman shades are the most popular, but solar and blackout shades are next in line. I have been installing a lot of these on outdoor patios. As people entertain a lot outdoors these days, it can sometimes become important to block the harsh rays of the sun.
One would think a shade is a shade, but this week I want to offer the variety of solar and blackout shades that are available.
First off, there are a variety of patterns and colors to select from. If you want a blackout shade, one that will completely block the sun, you might want one color on the inside of the shade, maybe even a pattern, and then a white color on the outside.
This type of shade is important if you have an outdoor TV and want to block the rays of the sun completely. However, sometimes my clients want to block some of the harsh rays, but they want to be able to see through the shade.
This is where it can get a little difficult to choose. There are a variety of percentages or openness you can select from. Take a look at the difference and how much you can see through the shade.
As you can see, the more open the fabric is, the more you can see through the shade.
Keep in mind, at night with lights on inside the home, a person can see through the shade. Only a blackout shade will give you 100% privacy. I showed the same beige color with the examples above, but solar shades do come in a variety of colors.
Color consideration can depend on your window and door trim, or maybe you interior colors and decor.
Here is a picture of an outdoor solar shade I installed this past week. It has a 5% open-ness. The beige color worked well with upholstery my client had on this covered patio.
