Roller Shades are not your grandmother’s spring-loaded shades. Today’s shade systems allow for your choice of beautiful fabric and can be operated via remote, smart phone app or voice command.

Lighter colors can enlarge a room, while bright patterns can add drama. There are also blackout options to ensure a good night’s sleep and improved privacy.

Light Control

Roller Shades provide a simple solution for light control in your home. Whether you need to reduce harsh sunlight, glare, or heat, the shades are easily adjusted with the push of a button or voice command. Motorized options also allow the shades to be controlled automatically based on schedules or connected to sensors that adjust according to daylight and temperature changes.

A variety of fabric types are available to suit your design preferences. From classic solid textures and embroideries to linens, silks and jacquards, the possibilities are limitless. For added comfort, the fabrics are flame retardant and some offer antimicrobial or acoustical properties.

When it comes to light transmission, you can choose a fabric with varying degrees of transparency, from translucent to opaque. You can also select a fabric that provides a more natural light filter, or opt for a blackout material for total light protection and privacy.

You can also improve the energy efficiency of your Roller Shades by selecting an insulated liner that helps to offset heat transfer and lower your energy costs. The liners are available in various thicknesses and can be attached to either the bottom or the side of your shades.

If you are concerned about the amount of heat that can enter a room from the outside, you can also add a UV protection liner to your shades. The lining will block harmful UV rays, keeping them from passing through the windows and damaging your furniture or flooring.

Roller Shades can be mounted inside or outside your window frame, and are available with a range of valance options. You can also choose from different headrails, standard or reverse roll, and motorized operation to meet your needs.

You can also choose between a single or double pull cord for your roller shades. A single pull cord can be used to open or close the shades, while a double pull cord offers an extra safety feature for use with children and pets. You can also upgrade your roller shades to cordless operation, which is a great option for homes with kids and pets.

Energy Efficiency

Shades are an important energy-efficient window treatment because they decrease solar gain and help reduce cooling costs during the hot summer months. They also provide a degree of insulation to decrease heating costs in the winter. Roller shades are available in a wide variety of fabric colors and styles from natural woven visuals to solar screens with varying degrees of light control, privacy and energy efficiency. They can be paired with custom drapery or installed stand-alone to create an elegant look. They can also be adapted for motorization and automation to provide convenience and safety for homes with children and pets.

A fabric’s color, openness or opacity will impact its view-through characteristics. Lighter colors reflect more of the sun’s energy and can allow more light into a room while dark colors absorb more and can reduce the amount of light that enters a room. The amount of light that is reflected also depends on the type of weave. For example, a tighter weave will have less opacity and a narrower view-through than a looser weave that is wider.

Another factor that influences the amount of light a shade lets into a room is how close it is mounted to the window. A closer mount will increase the amount of sunlight that is blocked and a farther mount will allow more light in. A closer mount also has the added benefit of decreasing the heat that is transferred through windows and into a room.

Shades can be mounted inside or outside of the window frame, either in the header or sill, depending on a project’s aesthetic and space limitations. They can also be mounted on a wall or attached to the ceiling above the window, depending on a project’s aesthetic preferences and functionality.

Choosing the right material is also crucial to an effective design, because shades must be lightweight to operate smoothly and be durable to maintain their attractive appearance and performance over time. Shades are available in a variety of materials, including polyester and fiberglass. Specifiers should be aware that polyester fabrics are more prone to fraying, but advanced cutting methods and the use of heat/flame can minimize this issue.

Privacy

Stylish and versatile, Roller Shades come in a wide variety of fabric options that can meet the needs of any room. From sheer to opaque, these window treatments provide privacy and light control. When choosing a fabric, consider the color and texture, as well as how much natural light is desired in your space. Sheer and light-filtering fabrics soften incoming sunlight, creating a beautiful radial effect in your living spaces. These fabrics are ideal for bedrooms, living rooms and dining areas, where a balance of privacy and sunlight is required.

Room-darkening roller shades are available in semi-opaque and blackout linings to help sustain your home’s energy efficiency. This lining also helps to block out UV rays, which can damage and fade furniture, art, drapery and flooring.

A popular option, the Sonnette(tm) cellular roller shade offers a unique hybrid innovation that combines the beauty of a traditional Roman shade with the functionality of a cellular shade. Offering a sleek, elegant appearance and a sophisticated style, the woven-like honeycomb cells trap cool or warm air to save you money on your utility bills. These shades are available in 4 Roman shade styles and 76 unique fabrics that can be customized with your choice of semi-opaque or room-darkening lining.

Another way to enhance the privacy of your Roller Shades is by adding a hem bar. The hem bar is the bottom component that holds and supports the shade, and can be added in a number of ways including with a heat-sealed hem for an elegant look or a fabric-wrapped hem for a weightier pull to conceal the roller mechanism.

Roller Shades can be upgraded with motorization to offer convenience and a modern, sleek aesthetic. Available with a beaded chain or cordless spring system, motorization allows you to raise and lower your shades with the touch of a button or from a remote.

Roller Shades are simple to maintain with regular light dusting. Adding a fabric-wrapped cassette valance can also conceal the roller shade mechanism to enhance the look of your windows. Lastly, the bottom rail can be customized in color and material to match your decor.

Style

Roller shades are a beautiful way to control light and offer style versatility. Their streamlined appearance creates a flat fabric front that can be accentuated by a wide array of color, pattern and texture options. In a neutral color or base pattern, they can be the foundational elements of a room’s design and color palette; or with an exciting print or vibrant hues they can be a bold focal point to enhance decor.

Roller shade fabrics range in opacity from sheer to room darkening to meet your unique privacy and view management needs. Many of the woven fabric choices also offer UV protection, which can protect your furniture and flooring from sun damage. To maximize your energy efficiency, choose a roller shade that features a light-filtering and room-darkening layer that can be operated independently.

The streamlined silhouette of roller shades can be augmented with decorative trims such as fringe, cording and tassels to enhance the look. Some roller shades are available with a cassette valance system that hides the control chain and offers a clean, finished appearance. Roller shades can be mounted on the inside or outside of the window frame with a choice of mounting brackets to suit your space and installation preferences.

When paired with custom drapery, roller shades can add drama and dimension to any window treatment solution. Alternatively, they can be installed stand-alone for a simplified visual.

Roller shade fabric is a versatile canvas that can be embellished with intricate markings and patterns or printed with sweeping florals for a classic and traditional look. Some fabric styles are fire retardant, environmentally friendly or antimicrobial and can be treated for acoustic properties.

The modern technology of PowerView motorization is available on a number of roller shade solutions to elevate your home’s style and convenience. These systems allow you to operate your shades at the touch of a button, via hand held remote or app on your smart device and can even be synchronized with your home automation systems.