Clear Views, Less Glare: Solar Shades in Fountain Hills
In Fountain Hills, the view is often the reason the house was built where it was. Big panes of glass face the ridgelines and the open desert, and in the afternoon that same glass lets in a lot of glare, heat and UV. Solar shades keep the scenery in the room while they take the edge off the sun. Here is how to pick the openness, color, lift and controls that suit each room of your home.
How Solar Shades Work
A screen woven for the sun. A solar shade is a roller shade made from screen fabric with tiny openings in the weave. The fabric is woven just tight enough to guard against UV rays while it keeps your view. Light still comes through, so rooms stay bright, but the hard glare on screens, counters and floors fades away.
Protection for floors and furniture. Because the weave absorbs and reflects much of the sun before it reaches the room, solar shades help slow fading on rugs, wood floors, upholstery and art.
Choosing the Right Openness
Openness is the percentage of open space in the weave. Most screen fabrics come in 1, 3, 5 or 10 percent, and some fabrics add a 7 percent weave. A lower number means a tighter weave, more sun control and a softer view. A higher number lets in more light and keeps the scenery sharper.
Match the weave to the sun, not the room size. A 1 percent weave suits rooms that take hard afternoon sun or hold pieces you want to protect. Three and 5 percent weaves are the everyday middle ground for great rooms and kitchens, while 10 percent works on shaded windows under deep patio covers where the view is the priority.
Fabric Color and the View
Dark colors look through, light colors glow. Darker screens are the usual pick for large windows with a good outdoor view, since charcoal, bronze and espresso fabrics cut glare and let your eye pass straight through to the landscape. Lighter colors such as white, linen and stone reflect more heat and brighten the room, though the view reads softer and slightly hazy.
Pick the color for each wall. Many homes use a dark screen on the view side and a lighter one on smaller windows where the scenery matters less.
Room by Room
Great rooms, kitchens and dining rooms. These spaces usually hold the largest glass and the longest views, so a 3 or 5 percent screen in a dark color keeps the light comfortable without hiding the hills.
Primary suites and guest rooms. Bedrooms need more than a screen alone. A dual roller shade pairs the solar fabric for daytime with a room darkening fabric for sleep, so one headrail handles both.
Which Way Your Windows Face
West and southwest glass needs the tightest weave. The late sun drops low over the desert and hits west windows at eye level. A 1 or 3 percent screen in a dark color holds back the heat and glare while the sunset stays visible through the fabric.
East and north windows can stay more open. Morning sun on east glass is bright but fades by midday, so a 5 percent weave often feels right. North windows get even, gentle light, and a 10 percent screen or a lighter color keeps those rooms bright and the view crisp.
Daytime and Evening Privacy
Daylight works in your favor. When it is brighter outside than in, solar shades let you see out while people outside mostly see the fabric. That makes them a good daytime choice for rooms that face neighbors or a street below a hillside lot.
Plan a second layer for the evening. Once the lights come on, the screen turns see-through from outside. A dual roller shade pairs the screen with a privacy fabric that can drop down after sunset.
Edges, Cassettes and Lifts
Tight edges keep the light even. A slim clutch at the end of the roller keeps the gap at the frame very small, and side and bottom channels can seal the edges when a room darkening fabric is paired with the screen.
A clean top finishes the look. Solar shades can be topped with a round or square cassette, a contour valance or a flat aluminum fascia, with a choice of bottom rails. For lifts, a cordless lift moves with a light touch, and child-safe lift options are available.
Motorized Solar Shades
Big walls of glass are easier with a motor. Motorized controls run solar shades from an app, a remote, a wall switch or a voice assistant, and many connect with smart home automation.
Let schedules follow the sun. Set west-facing shades to lower before the afternoon heat builds and rise again in time for sunset, so rooms stay cooler even when you are away.
Planning for a New Home
Decide on motors before drywall. If you are building or remodeling, ask your builder about power and blocking at the windows where you want hardwired motors, especially on tall great room walls. Rechargeable battery motors are a simple choice for windows you decide on later.
Look at pockets and window depth early. A recessed pocket above the glass can hide a solar shade completely when it is raised, and deep sills suit a clean inside mount. We review mounting, openness and color with you during your consultation, holding samples up to your own glass.
Where It Fits
Fountain Hills homes often step down hillside lots, with Southwest, Mediterranean and desert contemporary designs built around tall windows and long views. Solar shades suit that setting, keeping the lines clean and the scenery in sight from morning to sunset.
What We Carry
We offer solar screen shades in weaves from 1 to 10 percent, with dual roller and motorized options. We carry premium, trusted brands and bring samples from several of them to your home so you can compare quality, colors and features side by side. Holding several screens against the same glass shows you quickly which weave and color give the view you want.
Solar Shade Questions
Will solar shades block my mountain view?
Not during the day. The open weave lets you see out while it softens glare and screens out UV rays. For the clearest picture, choose a darker color and a 5 to 10 percent openness on the windows that frame your best views.
Do solar shades keep a room private after dark?
No. Once the lamps are on inside, the screen effect reverses and people outdoors can see in. A dual roller shade with a privacy or room darkening fabric behind the screen covers the evening hours.
How much UV do solar shades block?
It depends on the weave. Screen fabrics typically block about 86 to 99 percent of the sun’s damaging rays, and a 5 percent weave blocks about 95 percent. A 1 percent weave gives the most protection for rooms with art, rugs and wood floors.
Can solar shades go on tall or hard to reach windows?
Yes. Motorized solar shades are the simplest answer for clerestory windows and two-story walls of glass. They can run on a schedule, from an app or remote, and move together as a group so a whole row stays even.
Is measuring and installation part of the price?
Measuring is part of your complimentary consultation. We take measurements while we look at your windows together, so your quote is built around your home. Professional installation is quoted separately and coordinated by our team with our trusted local installer, so your new window coverings go up beautifully and work just right from day one.
Keep the View, Lose the Glare
If solar shades are on your list for a Fountain Hills home, we would love to help. Schedule a complimentary in-home consultation and we will bring samples to you. You can also explore our shades or learn more about our window coverings in Fountain Hills.
You might also enjoy Sheer Shades in Fountain Hills and Choosing Roller and Solar Shades.
By the Pearl & Co Design Team. Pearl & Co is a woman-owned window covering company based in Arizona. We help homeowners choose shades, blinds and shutters that keep rooms comfortable and the views that drew them to the house in clear sight.
