6 Truths About Custom Window Treatments and Light Control
If you're living in Colorado, you think that choosing custom window treatments and light control is a simple, one-step consideration. If the sunlight feels uncomfortable, they believe having a window treatment that blocks it entirely is the solution. However, this approach rarely works in Colorado homes. The climate, elevation, and sun angles create lighting conditions that change throughout the day and year.
Brightness, glare, and heat behave independently, yet most window coverings treat them as the same problem. This misunderstanding leads to rooms that feel uncomfortable, impractical, or frustrating to use daily.
Let’s break down what Colorado homeowners get wrong about light control and how custom window treatment solutions eliminate guesswork.
6 Facts About Custom Window Treatments and Light Control
1. Glare, brightness, and heat are three separate issues.
Glare is directional and highly disruptive. It reflects off screens, glossy surfaces, and countertops, often making rooms unusable during certain hours. Meanwhile, brightness describes the total amount of light filling a space. A room can feel bright, open, and inviting without harsh glare.
On one hand, heat comes from solar energy passing through glass. Some sunlight increases indoor temperatures significantly, while other light has little thermal impact.
Most off-the-shelf blinds treat these three factors as one issue. That’s why you need custom window treatments to separate them intentionally. It allows control without sacrificing comfort or style.
2. Fabric openness has a bigger impact than color.
Fabric openness is one of the most misunderstood elements of light control because it determines how much light passes through a shade.
A five percent openness fabric allows filtered views and natural light, however, it also permits more glare during peak sun exposure. Meanwhile, a one percent openness fabric dramatically reduces glare, while still allowing light into the room without creating a dark or closed-in feeling.
However, many homeowners choose fabric based only on color samples only. To resolve this, we always recommend that you schedule an in-home consultation. During the consultation, we consider room orientation, daily use, and how the space needs to function.
3. Colorado sun makes standard solutions less reliable.
Colorado’s higher elevation increases sun intensity, and that intensity accelerates fabric fading and heat gain. Seasonal sun angles also change dramatically throughout the year in Colorado. Each season, light enters windows at different heights and directions.
That is why every homeowner needs custom solutions to account for elevation, window orientation, and seasonal variation. Carefully selecting your window treatments in every room helps you create consistent comfort within the home.
4. Liner Choices Determine How Predictable Light Control Feels
Many homeowners believe room-darkening and blackout mean the same thing. In reality, liners determine how light behaves at edges and seams. Unlined or lightly lined shades allow light bleed. Those gaps become obvious during early mornings and bright afternoons.
Custom liners reduce bleed-through around mounts and hardware. They create consistent results, especially on large or uniquely shaped windows. This detail matters most in bedrooms, media rooms, and nurseries. Predictable light control improves sleep, relaxation, and daily routines.
5. Mount Style Affects Both Light and Appearance
Inside-mounted shades create a clean, built-in look; however, they also allow light gaps around the edges of the window frame. Meanwhile, outside-mounted shades provide greater coverage. They block more light and reduce glare more effectively.
When designed correctly, outside mounts can visually enlarge windows. They also hide imperfect frames and uneven trim. In west-facing Colorado Springs homes, mount style is critical because the afternoon sun quickly exposes small gaps and design mistakes.
6. Heat Control is Not the Same as Darkening a Room
Many homeowners assume darker shades block more heat. That assumption is often incorrect. Heat control depends on fabric technology and reflectivity. Some light-colored fabrics outperform darker ones in thermal performance. For example, solar shades can reduce heat gain significantly while still allowing usable daylight.
Custom window treatment solutions should match heat control strategies and window exposure to help reduce energy costs and protect furniture from fading.
Different Rooms, Different Window Treatment Solutions
Your home office rarely needs a darkening window treatment. They need reduced glare without sacrificing daylight or views. Solar shades are ideal for your workspace. They protect your eyes and screens while maintaining a bright environment.
Meanwhile, living rooms often need flexible light control. You can have layered shades to allow you to adjust for time of day and season.
TV rooms require controlled darkness without feeling closed in. You need a combination of window treatment solutions to balance usability and comfort.
Custom Window Treatment Eliminates Daily Frustration
Small light issues such as glare during meetings, fading furniture, and overheating rooms become daily annoyances over time, and they add up. Investing in custom window treatments remove guesswork. Every detail is chosen intentionally for predictable performance and optimum comfort. That precision improves how each of your rooms feels and functions, which also increases long-term satisfaction with the investment.
Light control should feel effortless, not frustrating. Your home should work with the sun, not against it.
As a family-owned business, we focus on thoughtful design and honest recommendations. We’ll help you choose solutions that actually solve your light control challenges. We take time to understand your space, your light, and your daily routines.
Book an in-home consultation today! Love Is Blinds Co offers free consultations throughout Colorado Springs and surrounding communities.
5 FAQs About Window Treatments and Light Control
Can light-filtering shades still protect privacy at night?
Yes, light-filtering shades can provide privacy when fabric density is properly selected. Outside mounting and tighter weaves prevent interior silhouettes from showing after dark.
Are solar shades too dark for living rooms?
Solar shades are designed to reduce glare without making rooms feel dark. Proper openness levels maintain daylight while protecting comfort and visibility.
Why does glare change throughout the year in Colorado homes?
Seasonal sun angles shift significantly due to Colorado’s elevation and latitude. Light enters windows differently in winter and summer, changing glare patterns.
Do blackout shades always block heat?
Blackout shades block light, but they do not automatically block heat. Heat control depends on fabric reflectivity, backing materials, and window exposure.
Can one room require multiple light control solutions?
Yes, multi-use rooms often need layered solutions for flexibility. Combining treatments allows adjustment for work, relaxation, and entertainment.
