by Cyndi Robers, Owner/Designer

Many of our clients ask for window coverings that are energy efficient, that will open and close, yet give a soft diffused light. There are limited options for this type of window covering. Hunter Douglas has created two of the most fabulous options available with the Silhouette and Pirouette shadings.  Another creative option is the Lafayette transitional shade called the Allure roller shade. All three of these products come in a light filtering or room dimming/darkening option.

Hunter Douglas says their “Silhouette is designed to offer a range of light control and privacy options with a broad selection of fabrics and materials, in a range of opacities from sheer to room darkening to opaque. The translucent fabrics that many of our products offer are specially engineered to diffuse harsh sunlight and draw it deeper into the room – dispersing the light to help illuminate your home naturally and reduce the need for artificial light. Other materials, such as our opaque fabrics, liners and roller shades, are more appropriate for room darkening when you want as little light as possible.”

The beautiful Hunter Douglas Pirouette shade is a soft Roman shade type product.  When closed, the Hunter Douglas Pirouette looks like a Roman shade, however you can actually open it to give the diffused, soft light you are looking for. Hunter Douglas boasts “our Pirouette® shadings feature soft fabric vanes attached to a sheer backing that appear to be floating, drawing natural light into your room.”  The sheer backing is used to protect the interior when the shade is opened.

The LaFayette company has created another innovative soft shading that is more like a roller shade yet borrows from the look of a Hunter Douglas Silhouette. Lafayette proudly states “It’s not a shade and it’s not a sheer; yet it raises, lowers and offers an almost endless variety of light control and viewing options. Go from absolute privacy to softly filtered light or full on sunlight in just a matter of seconds. These transitions of light are created with dual layers of horizontal fabric segments alternating between sheer and semi-opaque or opaque fabric.”

All three of these shades provide versatility in a fabric shading that is second to none.  Each has its own unique look and adds beauty to any room while giving UV protection for your furniture, flooring or wall coverings.  Whether you use these products with a manual operation or motorized, your windows will be the best dressed in town!

Please see these three product on the products and gallery page of our website.

For more information, please give us a call today at 210.336.5266 to schedule a showroom visit to see the beauty of these shades in action.