Solar & Screen Shades

Enjoy natural light with sun protection.

Solar and screen shades let you enjoy soft natural light while cutting heat, glare, and UV. Openness-rated screen fabrics keep your view of the outdoors, which makes them the answer for walls of west-facing glass and Colorado sun.

See how they work (720) 605-6782

Factory direct
Free in-home measure
Professional installation

What are solar and screen shades?

Solar and screen shades are roller shades made from an open-weave fabric rated by openness, which is the share of the weave that is open. A 1% fabric blocks the most sun and glare. A 5% fabric keeps more of the view. Because the weave is open, you can see out during the day while the fabric absorbs and reflects the sun's heat and UV before it reaches the room.

Why choose them

Denver gets more than 300 days of sun a year at a mile of altitude, and west-facing glass turns rooms into ovens by late afternoon. Solar shades cut the glare and heat without turning the room dark or closing off the view. They protect floors and furniture from fading, and they are the shade we recommend first for sunrooms, great rooms, and offices with big windows.

Key benefits

Why homeowners pick solar and screen shades

Reduces glare, keeps the light
Soft, diffused sunlight for a bright, comfortable room.
Blocks UV rays
Protects furniture and flooring from fading.
Keeps your home cooler
Cuts the heat coming through your windows.
Preserves your view
Enjoy the scenery without giving up comfort.
Daytime privacy
Limits the view in while keeping the room open.
Multiple openness levels and colors
1%, 3%, and 5% openness to suit the room.

Options

Made your way

Every blind is built to order, so these are choices, not upgrades. We bring samples to your measure so you can see them at your window.

Openness

1%, 3%, and 5% weaves.

Colors

Dark weaves for the clearest view out, light weaves for a brighter room.

Control

Chain, cordless, or motorized.

Headrail

Open roll or cassette.

Mount

Inside or outside the window recess.

Types of solar and screen shades we make

1% openness
The most sun control and daytime privacy. Right for west-facing rooms and hot sunrooms.
3% openness
The balance most people choose. Good glare control with a clear view.
5% openness
The most view and light. For rooms where glare is mild and the scenery matters.
Motorized solar shades
Remote, app, or schedule control, ideal for tall or high windows.

How it works

1Lower the shade to cut glare and heat while keeping your view
2Pick a tighter weave for more privacy, a looser one for more view
3Pair with a blackout blind where you also need full darkness

Where they work best

Sunrooms
Keep the room usable through the afternoon.
West-facing living rooms
Cut the late-day glare and heat without losing the light.
Home offices
Screen glare gone, view kept.
Kitchens
Sun control that wipes clean.

Buying guide · 2 minute read

Choosing the right openness

Openness and color decide how a solar shade performs. Here is how to pick.

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01
Match openness to the sun
The stronger and lower the sun on the window, the lower the openness. West-facing glass usually wants 1% or 3%. North-facing windows can take 5%.
02
Dark fabrics see out better
It seems backwards, but dark weaves reflect less light on the inside face, so the view through them is clearer. Light weaves make the room brighter but the view softer.
03
Know the night-time rule
Solar shades give daytime privacy because it is brighter outside than in. At night with the lights on, that reverses. In bedrooms, pair them with a blackout blind or choose zebra blinds.
04
Consider a second layer
Many rooms do best with a solar shade for the day and a blackout or zebra blind for the night, on one window.

Gallery

Real homes, real installs

Why Trend Blinds

Factory-direct, measured and installed

Factory direct
We manufacture every blind we sell, so we control the quality from the first cut to the final fit.
Free in-home measure
We measure every window and bring samples to your home.
Quality checked
Every blind is inspected before it leaves our facility and tested at install.
Made to order
Cut to your window's exact size in our own production facility.
Professional installation
Installed by professionals and checked blind by blind.

Questions

Solar & Screen Shades FAQs

Something else on your mind? Call or text (720) 605-6782.

Can people see through solar shades at night?

From outside, yes, when the lights are on inside. During the day the shade gives privacy because it is brighter outside. For rooms that need privacy after dark, add a blackout layer or choose zebra blinds.

Do solar shades block heat?

They absorb and reflect a share of the sun's heat and UV before it enters the room. How much depends on openness and color, with tighter and darker weaves blocking more. They will not make a room dark.

Which openness should I choose?

1% for strong sun and the most privacy, 3% as the all-round choice, 5% for the clearest view. We bring samples to the measure so you can hold them up to your window.

Do solar shades stop fading?

They block most UV, which is what fades floors, rugs, and furniture.

Can solar shades be motorized?

Yes, and on tall or high windows it is the option most customers choose.

Do they work on patio doors?

Yes. For sliding doors we often suggest sheer verticals instead, so you can walk through.