How To Choose the Best Blinds For Your Sunroom

Sunrooms are a popular home improvement addition, yet the very thing we enjoy about them, the warmth and sunlight, can increase energy costs and fade furniture and flooring. So, what is the solution? Adding the right window treatments to filter light, glare, and UV will also help you control the temperature of your sunroom and those utility bills!

What are the best window treatments for a sunroom? Before we offer our favorite recommendations, there are things to consider. For example: What is the purpose of your sunroom?

• Is it a cozy place to relax in the warmth of the sun and enjoy reading a good book?
• Is it a room where you enjoy watching TV or reading on your computer, so you need glare control?
• Is your sunroom a place filled with plants that need sunlight, but not too much direct heat?

The answer to these questions will help guide your decision-making and assure you are selecting the best window treatments for your room and lifestyle.

Following are three of our most recommended options:

Roller/Solar Shades

Solar shades in the kitchen

The sleek easy to care design of roller shades makes it a perfect choice for sunrooms.

Roller shades are:

1) Affordable

2) Roll up allowing a full view outside

3) Available in a wide range of colors, patterns, and textures

4) Offers different opacity levels

5) Available cordless or motorized

6) Durable and easy to clean

Solar Shades have many of the benefits listed above plus the ability to block UV and glare, yet allow you to see through them and enjoy your view. For more on understanding the difference between solar and roller shades https://budgetblinds.com/blog/what-is-the-difference-between-solar-roller-shades/.

Cellular/Honeycomb Shades

Cellular shades in living room

The honeycomb design and low profile of a cellular shade make it the perfect choice for sunrooms that need insulation. Whether you are in a cold climate and need to keep out chilly drafts, a sunny hot climate battling high temperatures, or in an area that features both, cellular shades can help control temperatures and keep your sunroom comfortable in any season.

Cellular shades are:

1) Affordably priced

2) Stack tightly allowing you to enjoy your view

3) Available with top-down features

4) Offered in a variety of colors and cell sizes for a traditional to contemporary look

5) Available cordless or motorized

6) Durable and very low maintenance

Woven Wood or Bamboo Shades

Woven wood shades in kitchen

Woven Shades are a popular option, especially with designers. The variety of textures and the use of natural materials make these shades a choice that connects with the elements outside. Adding a lining gives woven shades the ability to filter light and heat. Not quite as durable as roller shades or cellular shades, they give the room a tropical vibe and can turn any sunroom into a relaxing oasis.

Woven Wood Shades are:

1) Available in a wide array of natural materials and colors

2) Offer Top Down/Bottom Up Features

3) Available Cordless or Motorized

4) Fold up like a Roman Shade

5) Available unlined or lined with light filtering or room darkening linings

6) Designer look that adds texture to your room

Note: While woven shades are available in bamboo, avoid buying the off-the-shelf bamboo shades that roll up. These shades have a long cord and are difficult to keep raised, as well as, the cord is a safety issue with children and pets. If you like the rolled look because it allows more of a view consider a roller shade. The good news is with the wide selection of roller shade materials that Budget Blinds offers, you can get the “bamboo-like” texture and color in a roller shade!

Should You Put Blinds in A Sunroom?

You may be thinking why not just put blinds in my sunroom? You can, but there are a few things to consider before selecting blinds for your sunroom. Blinds have a much larger stack when raised which will block more of your view. With all the slats, there is also more to clean and when lowered, the slats do obscure some of your views. On the other hand, blinds are easy to tilt to control the light and glare and are very affordable. One other challenge with blinds may be due to the size of the windows in your sunroom. Sunrooms often have very wide windows, and due to the weight of blinds, may require two blinds per opening. This doesn’t work well if there are not mullions in the window to hide the gap between the two blinds. That is why we highly recommend roller shades and cellular shades, as they are available in wider widths.

As you can see there are a lot of things to consider when selecting the best window treatments

for your sunroom! Budget Blinds is here to help. Your local Budget Blinds Design Consultant will not only bring the samples to you, but they will also walk you through the options, and guide you in selecting the best choice for your sunroom.  A solution that fits both your style and your budget! Call today to book your complimentary in-home consultation