Tame the Sun With Our Favorite West-Facing Window Treatments
If you have west-facing rooms, you already know the afternoon drill: The sun drops low, light comes in at a sharp angle, and your living room feels flooded with light until sundown, like a greenhouse. Everything looks washed out, your room heats up, and over time, that UV exposure begins to fade your furnishings.
The trick is knowing which treatments work for this specific exposure.
- Learn more about window treatments for north-facing windows.
- Learn more about window treatments for south-facing windows.
The design experts at Rebarts Blinds and Shades help homeowners solve this common problem with the right window treatments. Instead of generic coverings that fall flat or block what you want to showcase, our custom solutions conquer different challenges with grace, style, and efficiency.
Why West-Facing Rooms Take a Beating
West-facing windows face directly into the afternoon sun, which sits low on the horizon and hits at its most intense angle. Those ultraviolet rays gradually break down the dyes in upholstery, wood floors, and artwork, while the heat buildup forces your air conditioning to work overtime. You might also experience this effect if you have a sunroom.
Any west-facing room with the same issues, so the window treatment choices you make here matter more than anywhere else in the house. Window treatments in these spaces must be up to the task. The goal is not to block all the light but to filter it strategically.
West-Facing Window Treatments That Offer Control Without Losing the View
The best selections withstand the intensity of west-facing sun, and these three options are some of our favorite shades that keep your space comfortable and stylish.
- Solar shades are window coverings are purpose-built for high-sun exposures. Their tightly woven mesh fabric screen cuts glare and reduces heat gain while preserving your outdoor view. Openness factor is the key spec: 1% blocks the most light and offers the most privacy, while 10% filters it more gently. For most west-facing windows, a 3-5% rating hits the sweet spot. Add in a room darkening liner for even more privacy.
- Sheer shades are hybrid window treatments that combine the features of sheer curtains and soft vertical blinds. You control light and privacy by opening, closing, or tilting the adjustable vanes built into the panels. Depending on the style, the sheers can filter up to 88% of the sun’s harmful rays while still allowing for views and privacy when you need it.
- Banded shades, also called zebra or dual shades, offer a cleaner, more graphic take on this concept. They have alternating solid and sheer bands, like horizontal blinds, that are flexible like a roller shade on a single header, so you can easily control how much light passes through or how much light is blocked. They are a popular pick for contemporary interiors, available in a wide range of colors and band widths. Learn more about the benefits of these flexible window treatments.
More Ways to Manage Sun in West-Facing Rooms
Layering west-facing window treatments makes them even more flexible. Pairing a solar shade with a drapery panel, for example, gives you everyday glare control plus the option to pull the drapes for complete coverage.
A motorized window treatment system is the ultimate way to tame those intense rays. It can be programmed to adjust automatically at set times, eliminating the need for manual operation. You can update the schedule seasonally as the sun's angle and daylight hours change, typically four times a year as you move through the seasons.
Stop Squinting: Let Rebarts Blinds and Shades Take on Your West-Facing Windows
West-facing rooms do not have to battle heat and glare daily. Rebarts Blinds and Shades works with homeowners across the Bay Area to provide treatments that perform in real conditions and look great doing it.
Visit our showroom locations in in Burlingame, Los Altos, Menlo Park, San Carlos, or contact us for a consultation.
