Solar Shades

About solar shades

Calgary gets a lot of sunshine, even in January, and low winter sun can pour straight across a room. Solar shades are woven screens that soften that light and cut glare on TVs and screens, while you still see the trees, the mountains or the street outside.

The openness of the weave decides how much you see and how much sun is filtered. A more open weave keeps the view crisp. A tighter weave provides more screening. Darker fabrics usually give a clearer view out, while lighter fabrics blend in with light walls.

Solar shades are about daytime comfort. At night, with lights on inside, people outside can often see in, so many homeowners pair them with a second shade or drapery in bedrooms and street facing rooms.

West facing windows get the strongest afternoon sun in Calgary, especially in summer when the light lasts well into the evening. Those rooms are often the first place homeowners try solar shades, then add them to the rest of the main floor once they see how much calmer the room feels.