Achieving the Right Level of Darkness with Shades
At Altra Home Décor serving the greater Phoenix area, we know that many of our customers want to be sure to achieve the right level of light in a room—especially in the bedroom, where darkness is important. One thing we always caution customers is to not assume that “room darkening” is the same as complete darkness. Only “blackout” will give total darkness. Read on to learn more about how to choose window fashions that will give you the right level of dark and light.
Hunter Douglas Fabric Ratings
To help customers understand exactly what each fabric does and the differences in opacities, Hunter Douglas rates fabrics on a scale from 1 to 5:
- Sheer – light can enter the room while the treatment still reduces glare
- Semi-sheer – the product will diffuse light while offering moderate privacy
- Semi-sheer – you’ll get filtered light with no view-through
- Semi-opaque – the product will filter more light and block the view
- Opaque – almost all light is blocked, and the product offers the highest degree of privacy and light control
About Room-Darkening Products
To achieve room-darkening, the key is in the fabric, color, and material type. For example, in Duette® Honeycomb Shades, opaque and semi-opaque fabrics will darken a room, but do not necessarily completely eliminate light. Sheer fabrics used in Silhouette® Shadings will soften and filter light. Look for a rating of 4 or higher for room-darkening benefits.
Blackout Window Coverings
To achieve blackout in a room, look for a product with a fabric rated at 5 to help ensure that no light will enter through the material. You could look at Duette®, Architella®, or Applause® Honeycomb shades in an opaque fabric. Another option is adding a room-darkening liner to the shade—it can be sewn directly on the face fabric, or it can be operated independently to give you more flexibility. Provenance® Woven Textures would be a good option.
Finding Blackout Shades in the Phoenix and Peoria, AZ Area
Altra Home Décor is your source for window treatments, custom drapery, flooring, and more! We serve the greater Phoenix area, including Peoria, Sun City West, Anthem, Buckeye, Glendale, and Scottsdale, with a showroom in Surprise. Stop by our locally owned store to view our full-size window treatment displays and sample books. Contact us today to schedule an in-home design consultation!
