Hill top home, lots of high windows

by Joyce
(Northern California)

Question

New home, hill top with south, west and east windows an issue for sun and sun damage. But the views are outstanding out of each window.

As a rule, privacy is not an issue but on occasion at night my husband (an astronomer) has people over after dark and on those occasions privacy would be nice especially in the bedroom and master bath.

All our windows are high and mostly narrow (28") Our kitchen and living room windows share the same wall on the south so I need a treatment that would flow from one room to the other.

The dining room and library are on the north and as such are fine left alone. In all the house has about fifty some windows.

We are on five acres in northern California and I can supply photos if someone can help with this.

I seem to want view, but sun conrol. Privacy but view. So for three years the windows have been left alone. Please help.

The house is french in design with transitional furnishings, chinese rugs and walnut floors. Tons of light.

Answer

"I seem to want view, but sun conrol. Privacy but view."

Can you really get it all?

Here you can see some window treatment ideas and what the benefits from each one is and you can choose the one that is right for you.

Window Film

Heat control window film will block heat and glare and will provide UV ray protection but no privacy. The light gray color will not block the view but it might be slightly muted. It can be cut to size for any window so your arch windows can be covered with it, too.

Solar Shades

Solar shades will provide sun protection and daytime privacy, only. Your view will be visible through the shades but for a clearer view you can pull it up at any time.

Cellular Shades

With cellular shades you can either close the shades and have full privacy and sun protection or open it and have your view.

We also have cellular shades for arch windows. You can choose either horizontal orientation that opens from top down or the sunburst style. Both styles can be fully opened for full view when necessary.

Cellular shades come in both light filtering and room darkening varieties. The light filtering will let in some light while providing privacy (shadows can sometimes be seen from the outside at night if the room is fully lighted.)

Blinds

Blinds let you have the most control of your windows. You can rotate the vanes to control the amount of light coming into your home through your windows.

Blinds come in a lot of varieties like aluminum, wood or soft fabric blinds.

If you use our two inch wood composite blinds we have arch window blinds to match. They can be opened completely and when opened the blinds hide behind the valance at the bottom of the arch.

Silhouette

Silhouette is a combination of a soft horizontal vanes like blinds with sheer fabric between the vanes. When the vanes are in the open position you still have the UV ray protection of the sheers.

Here you can see Silhouette with an arched window.

So between all the options mentioned above you can choose a window covering appropriate for each room.