After spending time in the summer sun, stepping into a cool, comfortable home is refreshing. Unfortunately, the air conditioning you use to make your house a place to “chill” increases your energy costs. Solar shades from Andrew Norris & Associates are excellent for keeping your home cool all summer.

How Do Solar Shades Work?

Specialized fabric is the feather in solar shades’ cap. Its purpose is to reflect and absorb sunlight and UV rays to lessen heat gain, eliminate glare, and protect your home’s interior from sun damage. Solar shades are available in various openness or opacity levels. Lower percentages, like 1% or 3% openness, provide the most heat control and privacy, while a 7% or 10% shade offers a clearer view and less UV protection.

Reasons to Consider Motorized Solar Shades

What makes a spectacular window treatment even better? Motorization! It eliminates cords for an uncluttered appearance and allows easy adjustment of hard-to-reach shades. Settling into your favorite spot on the sofa after a long day is blissful until the sun impedes your TV view. Fortunately, you can lower motorized solar shades without leaving your seat. Motorization options are available for Horizons™ and Hunter Douglas solar shades.

The Best Rooms for Solar Shade Window Treatments

Solar shades provide less privacy than roller shades, so you should use them in rooms where reducing glare and heat gain is a priority. Living rooms are excellent candidates for solar shades. Many homeowners entertain guests in their living room during the day, so keeping the space cool and free of blinding glares is essential. You can also benefit from using solar shades in your dining room. Summer sunsets occur later in the day, so eating dinner at 8:00 pm can be uncomfortable if you have to squint through a glare to converse across the table. Solar shades are also ideal for sunrooms and enclosed porches, but remember that they do not provide nighttime privacy.

Horizons™ Shades of Elegance™ Roller Shades

The Shades of Elegance™ Collection features sophisticated styles and an extensive library of premium fabrics. Siesta Shades feature mylar material that keeps 90% of the sun’s heat and damaging UV light out of your home. The Grey/Silver coloring allows for straightforward incorporation in any décor. Choose from four shade styles: The Spring Roller Shade, The Clutch Roller Shade, The Cassette Roller Shade, and The Fascia Roller Shade.

Hunter Douglas Designer Solar Shades

Designer Solar Shades are available in over 130 fabric options with five opacities. The GreenScreen® Sea-Tex™ collection of sustainable fabrics uses recovered coastal and marine plastic to create durable, attractive, and eco-friendly yarn. For versatility, choose the Dual Roller option to place two fabrics on one window. You can also upgrade to the Duolite® feature, which places a sheer shade behind an opaque front panel.

Upscale Solar Shades Near Richmond, VA

Which rooms in your home will you enhance with solar shades? The Andrew Norris & Associates designers will offer advice and suggestions for solar shades that suit your décor, light and privacy needs, and your home’s architecture. We are locally owned and operated, providing unrivaled service and premium products from brands like Hunter Douglas and Horizons™.

We invite you to peruse our virtual gallery to find inspiration and then contact us to schedule an in-home consultation. Andrew Norris & Associates is happy to serve Richmond, VA, and the surrounding areas.