Solar Shades That Cut Glare and Keep the View

Some windows are the reason you bought the house. A wall of glass facing Kentucky Lake, a sunroom looking over the back yard, an office window toward downtown Paducah. The problem is that the same window that frames the view can also blind you at four in the afternoon, heat the room and fade the furniture. Solar shades are made for exactly that window.

The Blind Place has helped homes and businesses in the Paducah area choose window treatments since 1990. Solar shades are one of the products we recommend most for lake homes, sunrooms and west-facing rooms, because they solve the glare problem without giving up the reason the window is there.

What a solar shade is

A solar shade is a roller shade made with a woven screen fabric instead of a solid one. The weave is open just enough to see through, while the threads block a share of the sunlight and heat before it reaches the room. From inside, the view looks like it is behind a light tint. The glare drops, the room stays bright and you can still watch the boats go by.

Openness: how much view you keep

Solar fabrics are described by their openness, the share of the fabric that is open weave.

• More open fabrics keep a clearer view and let more light through. They suit rooms where the view matters most and glare is moderate.
• Tighter fabrics block more glare, heat and UV but make the view a little softer. They suit rooms that take direct afternoon sun or water reflection.

Color matters too. Darker solar fabrics usually give a clearer view out and cut glare noticeably. Lighter fabrics reflect more heat and blend with light walls, but the view through them can look hazier. We bring samples to your home so you can hold them up to the actual window at the time of day the sun bothers you most.

Where solar shades make the biggest difference

Lake homes on Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley

Water acts like a mirror. On top of the direct sun, it reflects light up into the house, often at an angle that a roof overhang cannot stop. Homes on the west shore of Kentucky Lake look east across the water and get strong morning light, while homes on the east shore of Lake Barkley look west toward Land Between the Lakes and catch the evening sun head on. Solar shades let you keep those views all day. See our Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley pages.

Sunrooms and great rooms

Rooms with tall glass on several sides can become too warm to use in July. Solar shades cut the heat and glare so the room stays comfortable without closing it off.

West-facing rooms in town

In Paducah, Mayfield or Murray, a west-facing living room or kitchen takes low, hot sun late in the day for much of the year. Solar shades are a simple fix.

Offices and commercial spaces

Glare on screens is one of the most common complaints in offices. Solar shades let staff see out and work comfortably. They also give a clean, consistent look from the street. Learn about our commercial window treatments.

What solar shades do not do

We would rather tell you now than after installation: solar shades do not give privacy at night. When lights are on inside and it is dark outside, people can see in. For bedrooms, bathrooms and street-facing rooms, we may pair a solar shade with a room-darkening shade or recommend a light-filtering fabric instead. A dual setup gives you glare control by day and privacy by night.

Controls and motorization

Big windows mean big shades, and solar shades often go on the tallest and widest glass in the house. Motorized shades make it easy to lower a whole wall at once, or to set the shades to drop on their own before the afternoon sun arrives. Manual cordless options are available for smaller windows.

Our process

1. Tell us about the window, including which way it faces and when the sun is a problem.
2. Free in-home estimate. We measure, show solar fabric samples in your light and explain the tradeoffs between view, glare and privacy.
3. Installation. We install the shades and make sure they operate smoothly.

Curious how a solar shade would look in your room? Upload a photo to our Window Treatment Visualizer and try a few colors.

Explore our other custom shades or see solar shade options for Grand Rivers, Cadiz, Paris, TN and Paducah.