• About Us
    • — About Digitized House
    • — Advertise
    • — Editorial Guidelines
  • Policies
    • — Ad Policy
    • — Privacy Policy
    • — Cookie Policy (US)
Digitized House | Guide to the Connected Home
  • Home
  • Connect Your Home
    • Deals
    • News
    • Reviews
    • Security Cameras
    • Security Systems
    • Smart Displays
    • Smart Door Locks
    • Smart Lighting
    • Smart Plugs
    • Smart Product Round-ups
    • Smart Speakers
    • Smart Thermostats
    • Smart Water
    • Smoke + CO Detectors
    • Solar Photovoltaics
    • Window Coverings
  • Ecosystems
    • Amazon Alexa
    • Apple HomeKit
    • Google Assistant
    • SmartThings
    • Open Systems
  • Design Your Home
    • Architecture
    • Healthy Home
    • Home Design
    • How-To
    • Green Building
    • Real Estate
    • Sustainable Home
No Result
View All Result
Digitized House | Guide to the Connected Home
  • Home
  • Connect Your Home
    • Deals
    • News
    • Reviews
    • Security Cameras
    • Security Systems
    • Smart Displays
    • Smart Door Locks
    • Smart Lighting
    • Smart Plugs
    • Smart Product Round-ups
    • Smart Speakers
    • Smart Thermostats
    • Smart Water
    • Smoke + CO Detectors
    • Solar Photovoltaics
    • Window Coverings
  • Ecosystems
    • Amazon Alexa
    • Apple HomeKit
    • Google Assistant
    • SmartThings
    • Open Systems
  • Design Your Home
    • Architecture
    • Healthy Home
    • Home Design
    • How-To
    • Green Building
    • Real Estate
    • Sustainable Home
No Result
View All Result
Digitized House | Guide to the Connected Home
No Result
View All Result
Home Design

Window Shades: 6 Solutions to Maximize Natural Lighting

Lillian Connors by Lillian Connors
12 April 2019
in Design, Featured Articles, How-To, Window Coverings
Reading Time: 6min read
Hunter Douglas Duette Lightlock cellular honeycomb shades. Image: Hunter Douglas.

Hunter Douglas Duette Lightlock cellular honeycomb shades. Image: Hunter Douglas.

Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
Read on Apple News

Having plenty of natural light in your living space is not only healthy, but it’s also very beneficial for your overall well-being. What’s more, having adequate daylight streaming into your living space will reduce the need for artificial lighting—thus saving you money on energy costs in the long run. 

However, while natural daylighting is always welcome, you should select a window treatment solution that will enable you to block it whenever necessary. This treatment should blend seamlessly into your room design, and can even serve as a décor statement on its own. Either way, you should pay attention when choosing window coverings to ensure the products are both functional and stylish.

Here are 6 window treatment solutions you should keep in mind.

More Original Content FromDigitized House

CES 2021 Connected Home Highlights from the All-Digital Event

Wasserstein 3-in-1 Floodlight with Ring Charger Review

Digital Cul-de-Sac: IBSx Show Village Homes Go Virtual

Recycling Outdated Consumer Electronics: A Comprehensive Guide

Our Holiday 2020 Gift Guide: Top Buys, Sure Bets

Roman Shades

Roman shades. Image: Hunter Douglas.
Roman shades. Image: Hunter Douglas.

Roman shades, which are made from folds of soft fabric, have always been a very practical and functional window treatment solution. But the fact of the matter is that they were not always the most stylish choice. That being said, it’s important to recognize that Roman shades have experienced a significant uplift in the style department. So, nowadays there are so many different patterns and styles you can choose from that you are sure to find solutions to fit right into your room’s design.

Venetian Blinds

Venetian blinds. Image: Hunter Douglas.
Venetian blinds. Image: Hunter Douglas.

This style of blinds, with their classic horizontal louver design, have always been very practical and versatile. They can be fully raised up to the top of the window to maximize the amount of natural light, but they can also be lowered to completely block it.

Additionally, by twisting the wand on a Venetian blind, you can adjust the tilt of the louvers to further modulate the light or prevent by-passers from seeing inside your home. So, these blinds are an excellent choice if you want both natural light control and privacy. 

Roller Shades

Roller shades. Image: Hunter Douglas.
Roller shades. Image: Hunter Douglas.

Roller shades are another style of blinds you should consider if you’re looking to change your current window treatments. The new generation of roller shades are either operated by a spring, controlled by a chain, or even completely motorized and automated.

Above all, roller shades are available in many different colours and sizes to fit virtually any window or door—so you should have no problem finding the perfect fit for your personal needs. They can also be completely rolled up to maximize the amount of natural light entering the room and offer complete privacy from prying eyes when rolled down.

Cellular Shades

Cellular shades. Image: Hunter Douglas.
Cellular shades. Image: Hunter Douglas.

Cellular or honeycomb shades can be a beautiful, effective, and energy-efficient solution for controlling the amount of light entering your windows and doors. Typically made from two or more layers of fabric, these shades are comprised of a series of horizontal cells with honeycomb-shaped cross sections that trap air at the window for maximum blocking of heat or cold.

Cellular shades can be raised or lowered in much the same way as roller shades to manage the amount of light coming in, though in this case the shade is effectively stacked upon itself and not rolled up.

Sheer Shades

Sheer shades. Image: Hunter Douglas.
Sheer shades. Image: Hunter Douglas.

While sheer shades can look simply amazing in any room, the fact of the matter is that many variations don’t really offer either complete privacy or complete sun blocking. However, since they are made of lightweight sheer or semi-sheer fabrics, such as organza or even silk, they will allow a certain amount of light into the room without making it too overwhelming.

Because the nature of the materials used, sheer blinds have the power to make the room feel light and bright, especially when you opt to implement the pale-coloured ones. And if you you want to install sheer shades but are concerned about having total privacy, careful shopping will reveal multiple options that will deliver on that important aspect for you.

Vertical Blinds

Vertical blinds. Image: Hunter Douglas.
Vertical blinds. Image: Hunter Douglas.

Finally, another style you can consider is vertical blinds. As their name suggests, these blinds are similar to Venetian blinds in style, but instead have their louvers positioned vertically. These blinds offer you the same level of control over lighting and privacy as Venetian blinds. As such, you can completely expose the window or door by stacking them back to the left or right, or you can change the angle of the vertical louvres to further limit the amount of light penetrating your room.

Vertical blinds are also very versatile regarding available sizes, lengths and colours, so you should have no problem finding the right fit. For a cleaner and more modern look, choose the blinds in lighter shades.

Lighting Control Your Way

As you can see, blinds and shades make for an excellent window treatment solution, since they are very versatile in size, colour, and style and offer the ability to control the amount of light and level of privacy desired. Furthermore, when selected carefully, they can work as a very stylish and modern addition to your space.

More About This Topic:

  • More from Digitized House | Guide to the Connected Home
  • Sign Up to Get Weekly Digitized House Updates
  • Why You Should Use Smart Technology to Control Your Blinds
  • IKEA Smart Shades Delayed in European Union, Coming Later to U.S.
  • Automating Window Shades in the Connected Home Era: Part 1
  • Automating Window Shades in the Connected Home Era: Part 2
  • How a Smart Home Can Help You Go Green
  • Dual-Purpose Home Office: 5 Smart Design Ideas
  • How to Go Truly Sustainable in Your Interior Design Efforts
Tags: daylightinghealthy homeinterior designmodern designnon-affiliatewindows
Previous Post

Gosund Mini Smart Plug Review

Next Post

Infographic: Smart Ideas to Save Money, Help the Environment on Earth Day

Lillian Connors

Lillian Connors

If one thing is true about Lillian Connors, her mind is utterly curious. That’s why she can’t resist the urge to embark on a myriad of green living/home improvement projects and spread the word about them. She cherishes the notion that sustainable housing and gardening will not only make us far less dependent on others regarding the dwellings we inhabit, but also contribute to our planet being a better place to live on. You can check her out on Twitter and LinkedIn.

Related Posts

From CES 2021, the Fledging Hubble for iPad integrated USB-C hub and case. Image: Fledging.
Connected Home

CES 2021 Connected Home Highlights from the All-Digital Event

15 January 2021

So long, Las Vegas! For 2021, the mammoth CES event normally held in convention halls all across Las Vegas moved...

The Wasserstein Floodlight with Charger and the Ring Stick Up Cam Battery during testing. Image: Digitized House.
Review

Wasserstein 3-in-1 Floodlight with Ring Charger Review

11 January 2021

Offering 2000 lumens of floodlight safety and continuous charging for a Ring Stick Up Cam Battery or Spotlight Cam Battery,...

Image: Woodley Architectural Group and Professional Builder.
Design

Digital Cul-de-Sac: IBSx Show Village Homes Go Virtual

31 December 2020

For anyone attending pre-2021 NAHB International Builders' Shows, the sheer magnitude of the event has always been overwhelming. For 2021,...

Next Post
Nest Thermostat E smart thermostat. Image: Nest.

Infographic: Smart Ideas to Save Money, Help the Environment on Earth Day

You can take steps to make the exterior of your home healthier. Image: Digitized House.

5 Elements of a Truly Healthy Home Exterior

Hoover Vision smart oven. Image: Hoover.

Opening the Door to Smart Ovens for Culinary Finesse

As an Amazon Associate, Digitized House may earn a commission from qualifying purchases made through links, ads, or buttons on this page. See our full Affiliate Link, Sponsorship, and Ad Policy.

More from Digitized House

CES 2021 Connected Home Highlights from the All-Digital Event

Wasserstein 3-in-1 Floodlight with Ring Charger Review

Digital Cul-de-Sac: IBSx Show Village Homes Go Virtual

Recycling Outdated Consumer Electronics: A Comprehensive Guide

Our Holiday 2020 Gift Guide: Top Buys, Sure Bets

Infographic: Best Ways to Secure Your Holiday Tech

Infographic: What Amenities Do Homeowners Value the Most?

Best Holiday 2020 Smart Door Lock Deals

Best Black Friday Smart Audio Tech Deals

Should You Buy a Smart Home or Upgrade the Home You’re In?

About Us

Digitized House is the Guide to the Connected Home.

We help global consumers make their 
Connected Homes smarter, healthier, safer, and 
more sustainable through streams of original content. You can see our story here.

Like what you see on this website? You can also read us on our Apple News App Channel.

More Info

  • About Us
    • — About Digitized House
    • — Advertise
    • — Editorial Guidelines
  • Policies
    • — Ad Policy
    • — Privacy Policy
    • — Cookie Policy (US)

Affiliate Disclosure

As an Amazon Associate, Digitized House may earn a commission from qualifying purchases made through links, ads, or buttons on this page. See our full Affiliate Link, Sponsorship, and Ad Policy.

Recent Content

From CES 2021, the Fledging Hubble for iPad integrated USB-C hub and case. Image: Fledging.

CES 2021 Connected Home Highlights from the All-Digital Event

15 January 2021
The Wasserstein Floodlight with Charger and the Ring Stick Up Cam Battery during testing. Image: Digitized House.

Wasserstein 3-in-1 Floodlight with Ring Charger Review

11 January 2021
Image: Woodley Architectural Group and Professional Builder.

Digital Cul-de-Sac: IBSx Show Village Homes Go Virtual

31 December 2020

© 2015-2020 Digitized House Media, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Connect Your Home
    • Deals
    • News
    • Reviews
    • Security Cameras
    • Security Systems
    • Smart Displays
    • Smart Door Locks
    • Smart Lighting
    • Smart Plugs
    • Smart Product Round-ups
    • Smart Speakers
    • Smart Thermostats
    • Smart Water
    • Smoke + CO Detectors
    • Solar Photovoltaics
    • Window Coverings
  • Ecosystems
    • Amazon Alexa
    • Apple HomeKit
    • Google Assistant
    • SmartThings
    • Open Systems
  • Design Your Home
    • Architecture
    • Healthy Home
    • Home Design
    • How-To
    • Green Building
    • Real Estate
    • Sustainable Home
  • About Us + Policies
    • About Us
    • Advertise
    • Editorial Guidelines
    • Ad Policy
    • Privacy Policy
    • Cookie Policy (US)

© 2015-2020 Digitized House Media, LLC. All Rights Reserved.