Saturday, March 10, 2012

How do Solar Shades Effect the View



        BASIC REASON'S TO USE SOLAR SHADES


                                  Solar Shades

Window are designed to provide natural lighting and to provide views from inside your home. So why does the issue of covering the windows become such an issue during the design process? Client's are always wanting to dress their windows, sometimes for for decorative purposes but primarily to deal with problematic issues which arise within their space. 

So let's take a look at some of the basic issues which seem to present itself based around "windows!!"

I am from the school of thought that windows should be left uncovered unless there is an issue with privacy, the need for blocking out all of the light for blackout purposes in bedrooms, and/or design situations which enhance the interior personality of your space.





"I highly suggest using solar shades whenever there is a lot of direct sunlight coming through the windows. The UV rays make it difficult to keep the contents in your space. It is damaging the the fibers in carpets, fabrics and all of the wood components inside of your home.'







This picture demonstrates the use of solar shades. The shades are designed to help control damaging rays of the sun, which pass through our windows. If you live in a climate where sun light is intense ~ this is a great solution.

The shades don't obstruct the view. This is a super image which demonstrates both "with and without" the shade. On each window you can clearly see where the shade is and where it is not. The top part of each window shows the shade in a slightly open position.

Solar shades are used to prevent damaging sun light from ruining rugs, furniture and other items which go into furnishing a home.
I usually recommend the darker colors. In this photo it is easy to see the before and after effects of a solar shade. The glare is controlled when the shades are in the down position. The view is not obstructed.  It's much nicer to be able to see out of a window.

Privacy is another issue which windows often present.  The privacy issue wasn't a problem on this project, but the home owner had wanted to use blackout window treatments throughout.  We used the solar shades on all of the windows with a western exposure. It is a terrific solution to cut down the glare from the snow and water.

The rule, regarding privacy, is that you see to the light side. Let me explain. In the day time, the light side is outside. Therefore, seeing out is not obstructed, and seeing in, is fairly impossible. If someone was working outside in the yard,  that person would not be able to see the person inside.

If a person outside was to lean directly up to the window, they could see silhouettes inside. The nice feature is that the person inside can clearly see everything outside. If the person wasn't decent they certainly could take the necessary precautions.

Protecting the contents of your home is relatively easy by using solar shades. If you have any questions you may forward to my email address:

mindy@meiselsdesign.com





No comments:

Post a Comment

Thank you for your comments.