Question: My dilemma is both a design and functional one. Our apartment faces the west side of Twin Peaks. The windows are single pane; therefore, there is no insulation. We don't even use the heat because it's like throwing the money out the window. Do we have any options?

Angelica Styl
San Francisco

Answer:As the song from "Hair" says, "Let the sun shine in." But in reality, there might be a limit to how much sun we want to let shine into our homes. Direct sunlight not only fades fabric and damages wood, but it can also overheat a room.

Since most homes in the Bay Area don't have air conditioning, it makes for a less-than-comfortable living experience in the summer. And when the windows are large and not insulated, rooms can also be too cold in winter. The challenge is to create a window treatment that protects against damaging sunlight, creates insulation from the heat and cold and is attractive.

There are a variety of window treatments on the market, so there is also the dilemma of what to select for the aesthetics of your home.

Here are several options. Sometimes the best solution includes a combination of several elements.

The following products need to be custom made to fit your windows correctly. I have not included films applied directly to the glass, as this solution doesn't provide insulation against the cold. There are pluses and minuses for each option; you decide what you're willing to give up for what you gain.

Mylar shades: These roll-up shades control solar heat, reduce fading, cut glare and save on energy costs. They allow daytime privacy with complete one-way vision to the outside, eliminating the closed-in feeling of most opaque window coverings. There's not much in the way of insulation from the cold, but they offer good sun protection while maintaining the view.

Sheer weave transparent solar shades: These shades provide a textured look while enhancing the quality of light through the window. They come in a variety of densities and colors that allow you to control the amount of fade, heat and glare protection while maintaining the view. Whites and off-white colors stop heat the best. Dark colors cut glare the best and have the sharpest outward visibility. Again, they don't provide insulation from the cold, but they keep the view.

Heat reflecting shades: This transparent shade material has a very fine, reflective layer of aluminum that's bonded to one side of vinyl-coated fiberglass fabric. Because it both reflects and insulates, it provides greater comfort levels and overall energy efficiency. In summer the fabric reflects solar heat for cooler inside temperatures, in winter it reduces heat loss through windows by as much as 20 percent at night. The view is maintained because of its transparency. 

Matchstick shades and drapes work together to let you retain a view of the garden with style.

Honeycomb shades are nested behind the matchstick shades to provide insulation from the heat and cold as well as privacy. However, the view to the garden is lost when you shut them.

Cellular, or honeycomb, shades: These shades feature a honeycomb design that maximizes energy efficiency while insulating your window in both summer and winter. They're available in single-, double- or triple-cell styles and a variety of pleat sizes. They can be translucent for a soft filtered effect or blackout for complete room darkening in the daytime. Options include top down/bottom up operation. You cannot see through them, so your view is limited, but they provide the best insulation from both heat and cold.

Natural woven fiber shades: Natural woven, bamboo and matchstick shades are all names for woven woods, which offer a natural look. They're available in a wide range of handmade weaves. Because they're woven, they allow a certain transparency, and by adding a privacy liner you gain some insulation, but you lose visibility through the shade. Fabric edge bindings can add a decorative effect. Options include top down/bottom up operation.

Fabric drapes: Of course, you can always use fabric drapes with insulation lining. They're warm in winter and cool in summer, but will appear heavy, and they might not be the best aesthetic solution. If you want to include fabric in the solution, use fabric only as a decorative element, as end panels.

 

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