Light Control

Light control is desired for one (or both) of two reasons, the aesthetic and the practical…that just about covers it all! Kidding of course, but that giant bank of windows which sold you the house and was great in the autumn, has turned into a problem now that the angle of the winter sun is shallow and there is glare on that giant screen TV. It’s getting in the way of football season!  Or, if you moved in during the spring, you hadn’t yet experienced the intensity of the sun and how it heats that south facing room from morning to evening. Wow, it sure puts a crunch in your cooling bills.

“That is a beautiful piece of leather on that sectional sofa”…or “the Brazillian cherry floor is lovely, let’s re-arrange the furniture for the holidays”…or you purchased the very expensive tribal Persian rug made with vegetal dyes. Just about every one of my clients is in awe upon moving the furniture as we discover the floor has been bleached, the rug has faded, and the seat cushions are a different color when flipped over.

Just recently I visited a client who had just acquired a new cherry dining table. It had two leaves which was great during holidays but for everyday use, made the table too large for the space. I counseled my client to keep the leaves in the table if she wasn't going to do anything about the light because the cherry darkens upon exposure to UV. It sure would be sad to take the leaves out at Thanksgiving time and find that her expensive table was two different tones!

Let’s face it, we work hard to build and furnish our homes and we strive to decorate them
to the best of our ability.

For most of us, our homes are our biggest investment financially and emotionally.

Apart from the glare on your TV, the effects of ultraviolet light are insidious and deeply damaging. You don’t need direct sunshine to experience changes from UV light. We’ve all gotten sunburns on a cloudy day…well it’s the same with your furniture…it’s the invisible UV, not the sunshine which wreaks havoc. Keep an area rug in place for 6 months and then move it, you will see that the wooden floor has changed color.

How do we control lighting for our comfort or to avoid the damaging effects of UV fading. Just about any window treatment will block light and that is very effective. But sometimes we don’t want to block the light but still need protection. One of the most interesting ways to do this is with applied window films. While window films aren’t as effective for glare as say shutters, they are often the choice when it comes to ultraviolet issues.

For simultaneous glare and UV control, try one of the elegant louvered fabric shades.

The louvers either float on or are sandwiched between sheer fabric which gives you UV protection, the louvers re-direct the glare... and they roll up completely into their headrails when you don't want them at all.

Every home and every situation is different. Your interior design professional receives regular ongoing education in order that he/she may suggest the best possible solutions for your unique needs.