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kateydid29

Please help with window treatments!

kateydid29
9 years ago

Just moved into this house a few months ago. This is the great room-it is 30 feet by 20 feet. Across the entire back of the room (the 30 foot side) are the three windows in the picture plus a sliding glass door with triple panels to the left. It faces west and wow! Does it get HOT when the sun shines in!

Prior owner had polyester draperies with pinch pleat top (probably from the early 90s). We took them down. Trying to decide if we should do 6 roller shades or 2 sets of vertical cellular shades, each with a split stack. (Like HD vertiglide).

Will roller shades keep the heat out? We didn't feel cold air in the winter so that's not an issue. We have to do outside mount unfortunately. Which works better with this room? Am hoping not to need a valance because we love the view!

Thanks!

Kate

Comments (10)

  • kateydid29
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Here's the pic!

  • tibbrix
    9 years ago

    The only way to keep the heat out is to prevent the solar radiation, which means you need to block it somehow, which will obstruct your view too.

    You can start by applying a reflective film, i.e.: 3M to the outside, which from the outside looks like a mirror but from the inside, you can see through it.

    Why only outside mounts? I'd get someone from the drapes place in there to look at it. There is all kinds of stuff out there now. With a full wall of glass, and a beautiful view, I'd think you'd want something that allows you to open blinds individually as the sun moves along, or at least as the prior owners had it. There are now these nice vertical cellular blinds that are like sliding doors.

  • tibbrix
    9 years ago

    Sun sets in the west, so you don't get the horizontal movement of the sun, right? You get straight on sun. So you could also do the kind that meet in the middle.

  • Annie Deighnaugh
    9 years ago

    I know they're expensive, but I'd think about luminettes ...they look like drapes but have fins in them for light control...sort of like an upgraded vertical blind system.

    Or the silhouettes may work in your case as the individual windows don't look that wide. They're more like horizontal blinds.

  • kateydid29
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    I like the luminettes but I have 2 cats, one of whom is very curious and always poking his paws where he shouldn't. Am afraid he might find the inner vanes on the luminettes irresistible!

    I do like the vertical shades posted above and would probably do the split stacks as in the 2nd example just to have more options on which windows to cover.

    I am more drawn to roller shades but have read they are not as insulative as cellular shades. Would hate to spend a boatload of money to get roller shades and find the room is still unbearably hot on sunny days (we also need window treatments in dining room, home office, lower level sitting room , and master bedroom sliders so it's adding up fast).

    The blind companies (all 3 who have come out and measured for us) have said we need outside mounts in the great room, at least over the slider door section.

    Thanks!

  • Sms
    9 years ago

    I love your view (from what I can see of it). I don't know anything about this product or if you'd be interested but it is a film that you apply to existing windows that goes opaque with some kind of electronic wizardry. Might be an option

    Here is a link that might be useful: Smart film

  • Oaktown
    9 years ago

    Would retractable awnings outdoors help? We added some over an east-facing wall of windows/french doors and that seemed to help quite a bit with a room that used to get uncomfortably warm.

    Good luck.

  • kateydid29
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    The view here is beautiful especially when the trees leaf out!

    thanks for the suggestion on awnings. Our house is set on a hill and the backyard is about 3 stories below the great room. DH would have a conniption at the thought of trying to deal with awnings if something went wrong with them!

    Love love Love the smart film! Have emailed the company to see if they work with anyone near where we live.

  • Sms
    9 years ago

    yup pretty cool stuff. There are a number of them out there... Google electrochromatic film and you'll find them.

    Some are even dimmable like InivisiShade (link below).

    Here is a link that might be useful: InvisiShade

  • tibbrix
    9 years ago

    The smart film is really cool! Wow.

    When you are getting info. about it, make sure you ask if it only works for privacy and blocking glare or does it also block radiational heating from the sun hitting the glass.