Cellular Window Shades – Energy Efficient Window Treatments
Cellular window shades (also called honeycomb shades) have a lot to offer in today’s homes. They feature a honeycomb design and are lightweight, sturdy, attractive and energy saving. Cellular shades lift up into a very small area that is easily hidden under a valance, and when lowered have a beautiful soft look like a Japanese lantern. They blend in well with almost any decor and are excellent at blocking the sun’s UV rays while letting in light. Cellular shades are available in many colors, and some qualify as room darkening shades. Cells typically come in 3/8 inch to 1-1/4 inch sizes with vertical or horizontal options. This type of shade is soil resistant and easy to clean when necessary.
Hunter Douglas has a very large cellular window shades collection. Duette Architella honeycomb shades come in 3/8 “, 3/4 ” and 1-1/4 ” size cells with hundreds of samples to choose from. They feature a state-of-the-art honeycomb-within-a honeycomb design that reduces energy loss at the window up to 50%. They have single, double and triple cell shades with sizes ranging from 4 to 174 inches in width and 6 to 144 inches.The online Hunter Douglas Imagine Design Center takes you through all the many options available for fabrics and colors. Cordlock, continuous loop, cordless and retractable cord operating systems are available. Duette shades can also be ordered in specialty shapes and designs such as arches, bay windows, French doors, sliding glass doors and skylights.
Smith+Noble OptiLight honeycomb shades combine the enhanced view of a pleated sheer shade on the top with the insulation benefits of a cellular shade on the bottom and also provide UV protection for furnishings. The wrapped headrail matches the pleated material while the wrapped bottom rail matches the honeycomb fabric; a hidden intermediate rail provides a smooth transition. The Petite Cell honeycomb is best suited for smaller windows and the Grand Cell for medium and larger windows. A cordless lift system is available.
Bali’s DiamondCell cellular shades come in light filtering, room darkening and blackout opacities with cells available in 3/8 ” single and double and 3/4″ single configurations. They come in a wide range of colors with options including cordless, continuous cord, bottom up/top down and motorized operating systems and wood cornices. Other Bali collections include VertiCell vertical shades for patio doors, SkyTrack shades for skylights and Perfect Arch shades for arch windows.
Levolor’s Accordia Cellular Shades feature their exclusive Energy Shield and come in more than 200 fabric choices. Levolor recommends their room darkening Designer Textures and Designer Colors products for southern climates, two-fabric Transformations products for central climates and Sheer Efficiency and Light Filtering with Energy Shield products for northern climates. You can order up to 10 free fabric swatches to ensure that the color and texture meet your expectations.
Comfortex 1/2 ” Single Honeycomb Virtuoso Blackout Shades provide UV protection, energy efficiency and total room darkening and come in French vanilla, mocha cream, honey gold, pinecone, amber, licorice, dove white, icicle, fawn, canvas, sand dollar and basil colors. The ComforTrack Plus Sidetrack Insulation System option provides an energy tight seal to keep warm air in and cool air out. Cordless, continuous loop, motorized and top down/bottom up lift options are available.
You can buy cellular window shades, and often at a discount, online or in stores such as Lowe’s, Blind To Go, Next Day Blinds and Redi Shade. With all of the products on the market today, it is well worth it to take the time to do research online and compare products and prices so you can find the color and style of shade that will best fit in with your decor and with your budget.
