If you've been shopping around for window
shades, you've probably encountered terms like opacity or openness, light-filtering,
room-darkening, and blackout, and you may be wondering what they all mean. All of these terms simply refer to the amount
of light a roller shade or solar shade lets through. This can affect not only the lighting and
temperature in the room, but also visibility -- from both the inside and outside. Blinds.com can help you find the right shade
to suit your style and meet your needs in terms of the differences in light and visibility. Let's start with standard roller shades. A light-filtering shade, when closed, gently
diffuses light throughout the room, giving a soft, warm glow. To achieve complete darkness, you'll need
a blackout shade, which completely blocks out light. Blackout shades are ideal if you like to sleep
in, or if you have a media room or other area where total darkness is desired. One thing to emphasize about blackout roller
shades is that there will be light gaps on the sides of the shade, especially if you
mount inside frame like we recommend. To eliminate light gaps, we suggest adding
light gap blockers. These are strips with a sticky backing that
you can easily adhere to block the gaps and prevent the light from shining through. Most Blinds.com blackout shades offer light
blockers as an upgrade. If your shade doesn't offer them, you can
purchase them separately. With varying degrees of light control, roller
shades offer privacy when closed, and you'll have to open your shade to see out. That's not the case with solar shades, though. The appeal of solar shades is that they block
sunlight and still allow you to see out, even when closed. But there is a trade-off between visibility
and light blockage. So how do you find a balance that suits your
needs? It's all about the openness percentage of
the shade, also known as its opacity. Blinds.com offers openness ranging from 1%
to 14%, with the most popular customer choice being 5%. This percentage refers to the amount of light
the shade lets through. The lower percentage the more light the shade
will block, and the less visibility you'll have. Consider a low openness percentage if you
want to reduce light and glare in the room, and protect your interior from harmful UV
rays. As you move higher in percentage the shade
will allow in more and more light, and afford an increasingly clear view out. You may want a high openness shade if your
primary concern is having an unobstructed view while still getting some of the heat-blocking
advantages of a solar shade. Odds are you'll fall somewhere in the middle,
where there's an even balance between light blockage and visibility. Keep in mind that a good view out also means
a good view in, so if privacy is a concern, you'll want to stick with a lower percentage. Solar shades also do NOT provide nighttime
privacy. What you see outside during the day is what
others will see inside at night, so you'll want to consider this if privacy is something
you desire. Blinds.com offers a variety of openness percentages
so you can get the shade that's perfect for your needs. We recommend ordering free samples of different
percentages, and holding them up to your window to compare their effects. Once you've found your shade, Blinds.com makes
it easy to customize your product and complete your order. And if you need a little extra guidance between
choosing light-filtering, room-darkening, and blackout roller shades, or choosing the
right openness percentage for a solar shade, call 1-800-505-1905 for free design help from
one of our expert window covering designers. We'll make sure you get the perfect shade
solution for your home, at a price you'll love!
