Cool, Comfortable Rooms All Summer: Honeycomb Shades in Queen Creek
Queen Creek summers bring big sun, long afternoons and plenty of heat on the glass. Honeycomb shades, also called cellular shades, are one of the simplest ways to keep a room comfortable. They soften the light, add a layer of insulation right at the window and fit almost any shape, from a bedroom window to a two-story wall of glass. Here is how to choose the right cell size, fabric and lift for each room.
How Honeycomb Shades Keep Rooms Comfortable
It all happens in the cells. Each shade is made of fabric pleats joined into a row of honeycomb shaped pockets, and those pockets hold a layer of air between your room and the glass. That air slows heat coming in on summer afternoons and helps hold warmth on cool desert nights. A large share of a home’s heat gain and loss happens through windows and doors, which is why the window is such a good place to start.
Single, double or a cell within a cell. Single cell shades have one layer of pockets and a light, crisp profile. Double cell shades stack two layers for more insulation. Cell-within-a-cell designs take it further with a honeycomb inside a honeycomb, made for strong sun.
Cell Size and Pleat Look
Smaller cells look tailored, larger cells look relaxed. Most lines run from about 3/8 inch up to 1¼ inch. Small pleats suit standard bedroom and bath windows, while larger pleats feel balanced on tall great room windows and big picture glass. A 1¼ inch single cell is a lovely match for oversized windows.
Bigger cells also insulate better. A deeper pocket holds more air, so larger and double cells are a good match for the hottest exposures. Cellular roller shades are another option, rolling up like a roller shade while keeping a soft curved cell for added insulation.
Room by Room Light Levels
Bright rooms get light filtering fabrics. Sheer and light filtering fabrics let daylight glow through while softening glare, which suits kitchens, dining rooms and family rooms. Semi-opaque fabrics add privacy while still letting a gentle glow pass.
Sleeping rooms get room darkening fabrics. Room darkening honeycomb fabrics block most outside light for bedrooms, nurseries and media rooms. Optional side channels close the small gaps at the edges, and an inside mount sized closely to the frame helps as well. Mixing light levels from room to room is easy because the street side of most fabrics stays a uniform white.
Which Way Your Windows Face
West and south windows work the hardest. In Queen Creek the late afternoon sun hits west-facing glass straight on, so those rooms benefit most from double cell or cell-within-a-cell fabrics in a light filtering or room darkening weight. South windows see sun for much of the day and do well with the same insulating choices.
East and north windows can go lighter. East rooms catch bright morning light that fades by midday, so a light filtering single cell often feels right. North windows get soft, even light, and a sheer or light filtering fabric keeps the room bright without glare.
Daytime and Evening Privacy
Top-down/bottom-up lifts let you have both. You can lower the top of the shade for sky and mountain views while the bottom stays closed, which is ideal for street-facing rooms and bathrooms. This lift is available on most honeycomb shades.
Two fabrics on one shade cover day and night. Day and night honeycomb shades pair a light filtering shade with a room darkening one. You get soft daylight in the morning and full privacy after dark from a single headrail.
Cordless Lifts and Child Safety
Cordless lifts keep windows clean and safer. A cordless lift raises and lowers with a gentle push or pull on the bottom rail, and a retractable cord lift uses a cord that stays the same length so nothing hangs down. With no loose cords, these lifts are a strong choice for homes with kids and pets.
Motorized Honeycomb Shades
Let the shades move on their own. Motorized controls run honeycomb shades from an app, a remote or a schedule, and smart home automation works with popular voice assistants. A push-button motorized wand with a rechargeable battery built in is a simple way to start.
Schedules do the work in summer. Set west-facing shades to lower before the afternoon heat builds and rise again at sunset, so rooms stay comfortable even when no one is home. Motorization is also the easiest answer for high clerestory windows that are hard to reach.
Sliders, Arches and Skylights
Honeycomb shades fit the shapes other styles skip. Vertical honeycomb shades glide side to side across sliders and wide patio doors. Arches, angled windows and skylights can be fitted too, and motorized skylight shades handle ceilings that are out of reach.
Planning for a New Home
Start before the walls are finished. If you are building, the best time to plan motorized shades is before drywall, when your builder or electrician can add wiring or blocking where hardwired motors will go. Rechargeable battery motors are a simple option for any window later on.
Check window depth for inside mounts. Many new homes have deep sills that suit a clean inside mount, while shallow frames may call for an outside mount. We look at this during your consultation so each shade sits the way you want it to.
Where It Fits
Queen Creek’s newer homes lean toward open great rooms, tall windows and wide patio doors, often in modern farmhouse, Spanish Colonial and desert contemporary styles. Honeycomb shades suit all three, adding comfort to the big glass and a soft, tailored look in sand, clay, sage and warm ivory tones that echo the desert outside.
What We Carry
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. Seeing them together makes it easy to compare fabrics, cell sizes and lifts in one visit.
Honeycomb Shade Questions
Are honeycomb shades good for Arizona heat?
Yes. The cells hold a layer of air between the glass and the room, which slows the heat coming in on summer afternoons. Double cell or cell-within-a-cell designs give the most insulation, so they are a smart pick for windows that face west or south.
Can honeycomb shades make a bedroom dark?
Yes. Room darkening honeycomb fabrics block most outside light. An inside mount sized closely to the window, plus optional side channels on some lines, cuts the light that slips past the edges.
Do honeycomb shades work on sliding doors?
Yes. Vertical honeycomb shades open side to side and stack neatly when the door is open, which makes them a great fit for patio doors and wide windows.
How do I clean honeycomb shades?
Dust them lightly or use a vacuum with a soft brush on low. Spot clean with a lightly damp cloth when needed.
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.
Let’s Find the Right Fit
If honeycomb shades are on your list for a Queen Creek home, we would love to help. Schedule a complimentary in-home consultation and we will bring honeycomb samples to your home. You can also explore our honeycomb shades or learn more about our window coverings in Queen Creek.
You might also enjoy Room Darkening Blinds and Shades in Queen Creek and Window Treatments for Sliding Glass Doors in Queen Creek.
By the Pearl & Co Design Team. Pearl & Co is a woman-owned window covering company based in Queen Creek, Arizona. We help homeowners pick blinds, shades and shutters that suit the way they live.
