Summer Brights: How To Get The Best From The Season With Luxaflex

As the earth tilts through the year, the summer light arrives to earth as longer rays, creating stretched shadows that present earlier and later each day. So, to make the most of that sultry summer sun’s benefits and less of its woes, we’ve created the optimal checklist for the ultimate in light control window covering solutions.

An Embarrassment Of Riches

Large, north-facing windows are a wonderful feature in any room. But in high summer they may need managing all day. A classic white blind such as a pretty Silhouette will allow filtered light and views all day, yet keep the harshest hours from making the space uncomfortably hot or visually distracting.

Make sure, if you do have a room that needs all day cover, that you choose something that doesn’t just ‘block’ the window, such as heavy curtains or a blackout roller blind – or it could feel oppressive.

Blinding Bedroom

A good night’s sleep partly depends on a dark, restful room. The brain gets sent signals that it’s time to awaken by the presence of sunlight. So, to prevent dawn wake up calls or tossing and turning when trying to rest in high summer, it’s essential to manage the light. Although a blackout blind or fabric is always a good option, it can feel heavy during the day. An alternative is a deep-toned fabric that allows in a little diffused light, such as our Twist® roller blinds.

The Upside

Roof windows or skylights can be a wonderful asset in the winter, when light levels can be low or weak. But in the summer, they can be more problematic. Historically these always came with blackout fabrics, a popular choice for an attic conversion bedroom. But for other spaces, this binary on/off treatment can be a little uncompromising and misses the point of having the extra windows in the first place.

Instead, choose a fabric that can block the thermal gain but not the sense of the outside, in a transparent weight. Using the same fabric as the main windows also brings the design theme of the room together more effectively.

The Long Game

If you are lucky enough to have a long bank of windows, they may need variable light control across even one expanse. By using several window coverings, such as these Silhouette® Shades, it’s possible to deliver dramatically different types of control. When measuring, it’s essential that the drop of the blinds lines up perfectly to create a unified effect – so if your window frames are uneven in any way, make sure that this is accounted for. This works for any type of blinds.

Get Comfortable

Sun protection isn’t just for fabrics and furniture; glaring light can cause headaches and make a room uncomfortable to spend time in. If you like to see and feel the qualities of sunlight, choose blinds and shades that deflect the rays slightly rather than diffuse through the fabric qualities.

Wooden blinds can give a very restful feel to a room, whilst also allowing a good view and redirecting the light shafts, so you can enjoy it entering the room rather than completely blocking it.

UV Protection

Although an issue year-round, the longer, stronger sun can put your floors, art and fabrics at greater risk of sun damage. You can protect against the harshest rays without completely blocking the light, by using a more transparent fabric. Twist® roller shades offer variable protection with two types of band transparency, while still allowing a view – plus a fresh daytime feel.

Forget About It

By adding in motorization to your smart home strategy, you can plan your sun protection ahead. Using the blinds motorization app allows you to program your blinds and shades, automatically closing and opening around peak sun hours. This works to keep your home cool and your furnishings protected. You can also use this technique in the winter in the opposite way; allow bright sunlight in at noon, then later in the day close blinds to trap the warmth in. Hello, reduced heating or cooling bills.

For more ideas on bringing the summer home, visit Luxaflex.