You’ve experienced the dilemma of standing in your living room and wondering how to get some natural light in without your neighbors seeing right through your windows – that’s exactly what top down bottom up cellular shades were created for.
When it comes to shades, most homeowners have only experienced the movement of up and down from the bottom. However, there is a second, much more versatile window treatment option that has become one of the most popular window treatment upgrades, especially in modern homes – and as soon as you know how it works, you’ll be wondering why you don’t have it in every room of your house.
We will explain how top down, bottom up cellular shades work, where they offer the best value and when to consider them for your house.
What Are Top-Down Bottom-Up Cellular Shades?
Top down, bottom up cellular shades (also referred to as TDBU) are the shades that are honeycomb in style and are capable of being rolled both top and bottom. A TDBU cellular shade provides you with the ability to: unlike a normal shade which only increases from the base.
- Lower the top of the shade to keep the sun, glare or a direct line of sight from a neighbor’s window or street out, and unlower the bottom of the shade.
- Lift the lower part to allow light to be let in from the lower half of the window, but not allow it to be let in from the upper half for privacy or insulation purposes.
- Combine both – only the middle or completely shut like a traditional window shade
The mechanism is based on two separate head rails that are respectively attached to the upper part of the window frame and sliding along the cell structure. The top and bottom rails are adjustable so you can move them individually, and choose just which part of your window is covered at any time.
This is a different feature from a normal cellular shade, where there is only one degree of freedom: more light or less light, privacy and light control are directly linked. Top-down bottom-up shades allow you two separate choices: privacy and light control – and that’s the point!
How Do Top-Down Bottom-Up Shades Actually Work? (The Mechanics)
Mechanically, TDBU shades are the same as traditional cellular shades, which are accordion-shaped when rolled up and flat when rolled down, and feature rows of fabric cells that form the shade. It’s the rail system that’s the difference.
Standard shade: One fixed top rail and one bottom rail that moves. The shade is only available from bottom to top.
Top-down bottom up cellular shade: Two moving rails. The top rail may move down on the cell structure and the bottom rail may move up on the cell structure. Either rail or both rails can roll towards each other, away from each other, or halt anywhere in between.
Operation methods:
- Cordless lift systems are undoubtedly the most common type of lift system used with TDBU shades. All you do is grab the rail and slide it where you want – no cords, no loops and a plain, simple appearance. This option is also the most secure for households with kids and animals.
- Continuous cord loop systems utilize a looped cord on the side of the shade to help move each rail. These are less expensive, but add a cord to the space.
- Motorized top down/bottom up shades let you control each rail remotely, using the smartphone app or a smart home voice control system (Alexa, Google Home, Apple HomeKit). It is becoming more common for windows that are difficult to access, large windows or smart homes where daily adjustments are important.
Whichever option you select, the energy efficiency that you enjoy with the shade fabric is the same as that provided by regular cellular shades – the cells trap air and provide an insulation barrier between the fabric and the window glass.
Top-Down Bottom-Up vs. Standard Cellular Shades: What’s the Real Difference?
| Feature | Standard Cellular Shade | Top-Down Bottom-Up Cellular Shade |
|---|---|---|
| Light Control | Bottom-up only | Independent top and bottom control |
| Privacy While Allowing Light | Not possible | Yes – cover bottom, expose top |
| Best for Street-Facing Windows | Limited | Excellent |
| Price Point | Lower | Slightly higher (10–20% more) |
| Energy Efficiency | High (honeycomb cells) | Same – high |
| Ideal for Bedrooms | Good | Excellent |
| Ideal for Bathrooms | Good | Excellent |
Standard and TDBU cellular shades are usually just 10-20% more expensive than a standard configuration of the same fabric and cell type. Most homeowners will consider most functional upgrades worth every penny, particularly on windows where light and privacy are in conflict.
Which Rooms Actually Need Top-Down Bottom-Up Cellular Shades?
This is the most important question to ask – after all, TDBU shades are not an upscale feature for every window. They address a particular problem – privacy and light simultaneously. It’s here that this thing comes across most frequently.
Bedrooms (Especially Street-Facing or Ground-Floor)
If your bedroom window is on a street, sidewalk, or neighbor, you’ve probably found yourself in a situation where you would either keep your window closed all day for privacy or open it and feel like you’re on display. This is where top down bottom up cellular shades come in handy. The top part is lowered in order to prevent sightlines from the outside, and the lower part is opened for soft daylight. During the night, just pull the bottom rail to completely close the shade.
Bathrooms
Bathroom windows are the textbook case when it comes to TDBU shades. The windows in most bathrooms are raised to a height that allows privacy from the street or yard neighbor, but that also requires man-made light all day long. Cellular shade is a shade that can be used from the top down to the bottom up, that covers only the bottom part of the window at eye level height, and the upper part of the window remains open to let in natural light. This is one of the most functional window treatments for any bathroom, when paired with moisture-resistant cellular shade fabric.
Home Offices
When your home office is on the bottom floor of the building, or adjacent to traffic, TDBU cellular shades can help block the lower part of the window, which means no glare on your screen, and no view of your desk from the outside.
Living Rooms with Street-Facing Windows
Living rooms that look out onto the front yard, sidewalk or driveway are better suited with full coverage shades, because they cut off the view of the yard, sidewalk or driveway, but no coverage shades means that every passerby can look right into your living room. TDBU cellular shades allow you to keep a window open and bright in your living room, but cover only the part you need – usually the bottom half of the window, where eye level is where you need privacy.
Kitchens with Sink Windows
Kitchens frequently have windows looking out to a backyard, adjacent yard, or even a property. A TDBU cell shades can be used so that the sun can shine in on the upper part of the window, creating a bright, sunny day to enjoy the kitchen, and then be lowered in the evening to provide privacy with the interior lights on, making the kitchen visible from the exterior.
Nurseries and Children’s Rooms
Cordless operation of TDBU cellular shades is just as essential in nursery applications as is dual function. During nap time, parents can roll up the top of the window into a glare shield, but still leave the bottom section open to welcome a little natural light into the room, without any cords to cause a safety hazard.
Rooms Where Standard Cellular Shades Are Still the Better Choice
If you are on the fence about top-down bottom up shades, you are not required to use them in all settings. For rooms that are not overlooking buildings from the second story, have no hallways or windows facing other rooms, and have a private backyard, a regular cell shade will be just as effective at a lower price. Wait to upgrade TDBU for those windows that actually have light and privacy at odds with one another.
Choosing the Right Cell Size and Fabric for Top-Down Bottom-Up Shades
TDBU functionality is provided in all standard shade configurations on a cellular basis:
- Single cell shades are thinner and work well on smaller windows or for a minimalist appearance.
- Double-cell (and triple-cell) shades offer a much greater level of insulation, perfect for Maryland’s seasonal climate fluctuations, DC and Virginia’s energy efficiency needs.
- Light filtering fabrics diffuse the incoming light and still keep the room bright and airy – ideal for living rooms, kitchens, and more.
- Room darkening or blackout fabric for the lower half can be used in bedrooms for total darkness when the bottom rail of the window is pulled down, allowing the window to be completely closed.
During your complimentary home consultation, our design team can assist you by helping to coordinate the size of the cells with the light and privacy requirements of each room.
Why Choose BuyHomeBlinds for Top-Down Bottom-Up Cellular Shades?
Each top down/bottom up cellular shade we install is custom designed to your window specifications and our precision rail systems roll smoothly and remain level for years. We provide homeowners in Maryland, Washington DC and Northern Virginia with:
- Free in-home consultation – we determine which windows in your home would benefit most with the TDBU functionality
- Cordless and motorized options – such as full integration with Alexa, Google Home and Apple Homekit – are all included
- Free fabric swatches – Check the fabric size, color and transparency in your own light before you place an order.
- Professional installation – They need to be properly aligned to ensure smooth operation, and our installers ensure that this is done correctly
- Financing available – 9-month same-as-cash financing options offered via Regions Bank
Get the Light You Want – Without Giving Up Your Privacy
Everyone with a window in their home has had the issue of wanting to let in natural light while not being exposed to it: top down, bottom up cellular shades are the answer to that problem. From a bedroom window that faces the street, a bathroom that requires lighting without the curtains, to a home office where glare and privacy are both important, TDBU cellular shades give you control that normal shades can’t.
BuyHomeBlinds custom builds each top down/bottom up cellular shade to the precise size of your windows, and offers cordless and motorized variations, and professional installation throughout Maryland, Washington DC, and Northern Virginia.
Schedule Your Free In-Home Consultation – or order free fabric samples online and see the difference for yourself.
Frequently Asked Questions About Top-Down Bottom-Up Cellular Shades
Q: What is the main benefit of top-down bottom-up cellular shades?
The primary advantage is the privacy and light control options. To provide some privacy for a portion of the window, while also allowing in natural light into the room, the section of the window that needs privacy can be covered, most often at eye-level from the exterior. While standard shades require you to opt for either privacy or light, TDBU shades will give you both.
Q: Are top-down bottom-up cellular shades more expensive than regular cellular shades?
Yes, but a little. Most TDBU cellular shades cost 10-20% more than a regular cellular shade with the same cell size and fabric, because of the extra rail mechanism. The extra features are well worth the extra cost for most homeowners, particularly for windows that are on the street or a neighboring home.
Q: Can top-down bottom-up shades be motorized?
Yes. Motorized top down bottom up cellular shades give each top or bottom rail of the shade window coverings their own remote control, smartphone app, or smart home voice assistant (like Amazon Alexa, Google Home, or Apple HomeKit). It is particularly helpful for high or hard-to-reach windows, large windows, and windows that you want to change every day.
Q: Are top-down bottom-up cellular shades good for energy efficiency?
Yes, TDBU shades have the same honeycomb cell structure that makes them energy efficient. Double or triple-cell options help create a barrier between the window glass and air, minimizing heat transfer in either configuration of the rails. It offers the same insulation properties as a standard cellular shade, plus privacy and light properties.
Q: Which rooms benefit most from top-down bottom-up cellular shades?
Any bedroom, bathroom, home office or room on a street or ground floor with a need for both privacy and daylight is best suited. The bathroom in particular is a perfect fit, as most bathroom windows require privacy at eye level but can be open above for daylight.
Q: Can I get top-down bottom-up cellular shades in blackout fabric?
Yes. TDBU cellular shades can be made in blackout/room darkening upholstery. They are most often found in bedroom shades. This lets the bottom part of the shade to completely shut at night time for total darkness, and can be used separately throughout the day to regulate light and privacy.
Q: Are top-down bottom-up shades cordless and safe for children?
Yes – cordless lift systems are recommended for all TDBU cellular shades, particularly in nurseries, children’s bedrooms and playrooms. Cordless means there’s no strangulation risk with corded blinds, and you still have the option to create full top to bottom coverage.