When shopping for shades, you’ll likely hear the phrases “blackout” and “light-filtering.” They both sound similar and they accomplish similar goals, so what’s the big difference? And when do you know which type to choose?

Types Of Shades

First of all, there are a number of options when it comes to shades. More than just color and material, you have a variety of form options from cellular to roller to honeycomb and more. The first step in shade-shopping is always going to be measuring and knowing your window size and needs. Since shades operate on a fixed horizontal point, in all varieties they work best with rectangular or square windows.

Blackout v. Light Blocking

Essentially, the big difference between blackout and light-filtering shades lies in the degree of light control. Blackout shades, as their name suggests, fully black things out, blocking pretty much 100% of all light. On a lower spectrum, light filtering shades block out a lot of light but not all of it, letting in a little light. Rather than keeping things super dark, they diffuse lesser degrees of natural light, projecting a sort of translucent glow rather than a dark room.

When To Use Each

Light filtering shades are great for privacy needs without sacrificing natural light. They provide insulation for a room without sacrificing an open feeling. They also help reduce fade as they block harmful UV rays. Because they still let in some light, they are great for living rooms and dining rooms where the Goldilocks “just right” amount of light is needed as they are high-use areas, but places you don’t need to turn into accidentally too-hot sunrooms.

On a more extreme end blackout shades are best used when you crave total darkness and/or total privacy. They make excellent choices for bedrooms, as they block out streetlights and moonlight at night for sleeping. They also prevent too much sun from coming into your room too early and waking you before your alarm.

Call us today for all your light-blocking needs, from minimal to complete coverage.