PICKING OUT COOL SHADES FOR YOUR WINDOW
Many options are available for protecting the inside of your home from outside light
Sun screen should be applied at home. Specifically, in your home. Since the sun’s rays can affect your furniture, flooring and fine carpets, as well as the temperature, window coverings are critical in controlling those effects and contributing to a room’s overall esthetics.
Here are five ways window coverings can perfectly marry form with function:
1. Sheers are a popular way to deal with sun and still allow a view. One of the most important features of a condo is the view, so it seems a shame to cover it up. Sheers can look wonderful, as they provide light filtering, privacy (to a certain degree) and help with the protection of furniture. Sheers will help to keep the room a little cooler than having no coverings at all. Ideally, you want to choose a slightly off-white polyester fabric so as not to appear too stark.
2. Fabric drapery has a custom-made look and allows you to inject colour and pattern into a space’s design. Get extra fabric to make toss cushions; it’ll help to tie the room together. Drapery fabrics should be lined to protect from the sun’s effect.
Linings are fused with a rubber coating, providing both UV protection and light reduction, protecting the contents of the room. Heat insulation is another benefit, particularly in condos where there are walls of windows. The down side to drapery is that it obscures the view.
3. Blinds provide a multitude of solutions for your windows. Some people think of roller blinds while others like horizontal wood blinds. Both are available and have different uses. Roller blinds are sold with a “percentage of openness,” allowing you everything from a clear view to a blackedout view. The more “closed” the blind, the more light and heat are kept out. The look is modern to industrial. Unlike sheers, they provide a good level of privacy when closed, making them a great choice for condos and lofts.
4. Horizontal blinds, which are typically made of faux wood (as real wood warps and discolours in the sun), allow you to manually determine the percentage of openness by turning a wand. They can be pulled up out of the way; however, they can be heavy. They have a wonderful vintage vibe. They are effective for insulation and sun block. California or Plantation shutters were popular a few years ago and perform like horizontal blinds, except they open on a hinge as opposed to being pulled up out of the way.
5. My favourite window covering look is a combination of a faux Roman blind (meaning it always looks like it’s pulled up and acts as a decorative valence to the window) along with side panels and a roller shade that hides behind the Roman blind when you want a full window view, but helps cut the sun’s intensity during the day. The combination of beauty along with a great sun screen (think the equivalent of SPF 50) for your living space is the perfect marriage of function and form.