You’ve made the decision to make a change in your window treatments, but now you’re looking at three window treatments that sound very similar – sheer shades, solar shades and light filtering shades. All of them ‘let in light’. All of them ‘provide privacy’. What is the real difference and which should you have in your house?
So let’s get rid of all this confusion. It helps you navigate each of the important differences, including how each shade responds to sunlight and privacy, along with which rooms each shade would benefit most in.
Why the Right Shade Type Actually Matters
However, when homeowners consider window shades, they generally believe that they are quite comparable. They’re not. If the wrong color is chosen for a room that is in the sun, you can find yourself with a sunfaded living room, in addition to a glare television screen. If you go for the wrong bedroom design, you’ll be squinting to get some sleep at 6 AM. There are some impacts that the shade type will have:
- What amount of natural light comes into your room?
- Your protection from UV and glare all day long
- Your privacy, particularly at night when the interior lights are on
- Your energy efficiency and heating/cooling bill
- The atmosphere and style of each room
Knowing the difference between sheer shades, solar shades and light-filtering shades isn’t just a matter of technicalities; it’s the basis for getting window treatments that truly work for your lifestyle.
What Are Sheer Shades?
Sheer shades (also known as sheer horizontal shades or layered sheer shades) are the most decorative of the three. They have two layers of soft, fabric vanes that hang between two sheer front and back panels, sort of like a combination of a blind and a curtain.
With the vanes partially open, the soft diffuse light passes through the sheer fabric, creating a warm and ambient light in your room. When the vanes are closed, the two layers of sheer overlap to filter out some light and offer a light privacy during the day.
Sheer Shades: Key Characteristics
- Light control: Soft and diffused, not harsh or direct
- Privacy: Good day privacy with vanes closed, limited night privacy (must have a liner or blackout option for night privacy)
- UV protection: Moderate – allows some UV rays to penetrate through the sheer fabric as with solar shades.
- Best aesthetic: Elegant, airy, romantic – ideal for formal living rooms, dining rooms, and master bedrooms
- Best for: Residents looking for the elegant appearance of soft drapes combined with the convenience of a blind
Who Should Choose Sheer Shades?
Sheer shades are unbeatable if you are a style freak and prefer that light and airy feel in your living room or dining room. They’re the ‘beautiful and functional’ option, which is perfect when you want your window treatment to be a design statement, rather than a functional one.
What Are Solar Shades?
Solar shades are specifically made to function. Solar shades are a very dense fabric that is woven in a pattern which resembles a screen, with the construction designed to block out harmful UV rays and glare while allowing people to see out. The openness factor is the difference between solar shades which range from 1% (very tight weave, maximum UV protection) to 14% (more open weave, more light, more visibility).
The lower the openness percentage, the more UV and glare protection you’ll receive – however, the less you’ll be able to see outside when looking out from inside.
Solar Shades: Key Characteristics
- Light control: Glare is substantially reduced but not completely extinguished in a room
- Privacy: Good daylight privacy (can see out, but not easily seen by passers by. At night, the effect reverses – interior lighting can make you visible from the exterior
- UV protection: Superior 99% of harmful UV rays depending on the openness of the fabric
- View preservation: The highlight – solar shades do not obstruct views to the outside
- Best aesthetic: Clean, modern, minimalist – looks great in contemporary homes, offices and great views
- Best for: Sunlit rooms, home offices, rooms with TV sets, furniture and floor protection from UV damage
Who Should Choose Solar Shades?
Whether you’re looking for something with a stylish design that doesn’t block your outdoor view, a room that’s sunny in the afternoon, or you work at home and need to prevent glare on your computer screen, solar shades are your best way to help. In addition, they are the wise choice for long-term sun protection of hardwood floors, art and upholstery.
What Are Light-Filtering Shades?
Light-filtering shades is a general term used to refer to any shade fabric that lets some light in and blocks some light out – blackout shades, on the other hand, block all light. Roller shades, Cellular shades, Roman Shades and more come under this category and are made from semi transparent fabrics.
Light filtering shades allow some light to enter the window but they do not keep the view from the outside, however, they do filter and soften the light that enters the window and stop the view from the inside of the window. These can be really considered as the middle way, between sheer shades and black shades, because they provide you more privacy.
Light-Filtering Shades: Key Characteristics
- Light control: Diffuses and softens natural light; eliminates harsh glare without darkening the room
- Privacy: Good all day privacy – silhouettes may be seen, but details are not. Better privacy during the night than solar shades, though there will be some shadow
- UV protection: less effective than solar shades, reduces UV exposure
- View preservation: None – The fabric is so opaque that it prevents the view from both directions
- Best aesthetic: Versatile and neutral – dozens of textures, colours, and opacities
- Best for: Bedrooms, nurseries, bathrooms, where privacy is a constant need rather than view or UV protection
Who Should Choose Light-Filtering Shades?
Light-filtering shades are the most versatile, cost-effective choice if you’re looking for soft, diffused light all day long, without having to worry about UV specs or view. They fit into almost any room, coordinate well with curtain panels for a layered effect and look great in any room.
Sheer vs Solar vs Light-Filtering: Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | Sheer Shades | Solar Shades | Light-Filtering Shades |
|---|---|---|---|
| Light Quality | Soft, warm, diffused | Reduced glare, bright | Gentle, diffused |
| Daytime Privacy | Moderate | Excellent | Good |
| Nighttime Privacy | Low | Low | Moderate |
| UV Protection | Moderate | Superior (up to 99%) | Moderate |
| View Preservation | No | Yes | No |
| Best Room | Living/Dining/Bedroom | Sunrooms, Offices, Living Rooms | Bedrooms, Bathrooms, Nurseries |
| Aesthetic | Elegant, romantic | Modern, minimal | Versatile, classic |
| Price Range | Mid–High | Mid–High | Low–Mid |
How to Choose the Right Shade for Each Room
Living Room: Solar Shades or sheer shades. If you really like the view or afternoon sun, go solar. For entertaining, go sheer if you desire elegance and ambiance.
Home Office: Solar shades are the hands down. Productivity and visibility on the screen are essential to include glare control and UV protection.
Bedroom: Light filtering shades (or blackout fabric if you are a light sleeper). In bedrooms, sheer shades are an option if the room is fitted with a blackout liner.
Kitchen: Light filtering cellular or roller shades – easy to clean, functional, cost effective and offer good privacy during the day.
Bathroom: Light filtering shades with privacy liner. Exposure is not desirable in the light.
Sunroom or Conservatory: Solar shades – engineered specifically for high-sun, high-glass rooms.
Don’t Forget About Nighttime Privacy
What many consumers don’t realize is that all three of these shades provide less privacy at night when the interior lights are on. The light is light from the outside that illuminates you. If privacy at night is a key consideration, seek:
- Dual shades (light filtering + blackout roller in a single system)
- Sheer shades with blackout liner option
- Consider blackout cellular shades instead of a night curtain
You don’t have to settle on the type of shade you choose, the opacity level, the lining options or the motorization either at BuyHomeBlinds.com.
Final Thoughts
Sheer shades, solar shades, and light filtering shades are all effective at solving different problems – and understanding the problem you are trying to solve is essential to know what choice to make.
- Wear sheer shades for beauty, softness and for an elegant layered effect
- Opt for solar shades for UV protection, glare control and vision retention
- For all-day privacy and diffused light, opt for light-filtering shades
Not yet certain which is suitable for your area? From our complete line at BuyHomeBlinds.com, enjoy free samples, expert advice and custom sizing per order, no hassle.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q1: Are solar shades the same as light-filtering shades?
No – they are related but they are not the same. Solar shades feature a special kind of ‘screen’ fabric that has been specially designed so that it can block out the harmful UV rays while at the same time still allowing you to see what’s happening outside the window. Light filtering shades are made from lighter more opaque fabrics that allow more privacy, but will not keep the view or U-V protection.
Q2: Can I use sheer shades in a bedroom?
Yes, but, however. Sheer shades alone provide very limited privacy – especially at night. Use them for bedrooms with a blackout liner or a dual system shade. Some sheer shade products have inbuilt blackout features.
Q3: Which shade type is best for blocking UV rays?
Out of all of them, solar shades are the clear winner for providing protection from UV rays. A solar shade rated for a 1%–3% openness will block as much as 99% of the UV rays making it the ideal cover for rooms you don’t want your furniture, flooring and artwork ruined by UV rays.
Q4: Do light-filtering shades provide privacy at night?
More effective than solar shades but not completely effective. Silhouettes can clearly be seen from inside through most light filtering fabrics at night when the lights are inside. When choosing black-out curtains, ensure you pick those that offer complete night time privacy – these can be blackout curtains or can be a combination of shades that can be rolled over as well as blackout.
Q5: What's the difference between sheer shades and sheer curtains?
Sheer curtains are fixed curtains that come down from a rod. Sheer shades are a window cover which is controlled like a blind, and has adjustable vanes for privacy and light control. Sheer shades provide a more accurate take on the light whereas sheer curtains are more purely decorative.
Q6: Are solar shades energy-efficient?
Yes. Solar shades can make a significant contribution to energy efficiency, primarily by blocking heat gain in the summer and keeping warm in colder weather, especially in the rooms that have high windows in their South and West walls. They offer one of the more practical options for window treatments that will help you save energy.
Q7: Can I motorize any of these shade types?
Absolutely. Motorized sheer shades, solar shades and light filtering shades are all available at BuyHomeBlinds.com and they are all smart home compatible. Homeowners who wish to control their lights automatically find motorized shades particularly convenient, and they’re also very popular on difficult-to-reach windows.