Blackout vs Light Filtering vs Solar Shades: How to Choose
The fabric matters as much as the shade style. A roller, Roman or motorized shade can be made in a blackout, light filtering or solar fabric, and each behaves very differently at night, in afternoon glare, or when you want to keep the view.
Quick answer
- Blackout: for bedrooms, nurseries, media rooms and anywhere you want the room dark and private, day and night.
- Light filtering: for living spaces where you want soft daylight and daytime privacy without darkening the room.
- Solar (screen): for sunny windows where you want to cut glare and heat but keep your view outside.
Still unsure? We bring samples to your home or office during a free consultation.
Side-by-side comparison
Blackout
- Daytime privacy
- Full
- Night privacy (lights on inside)
- Full
- Glare control
- Total when lowered
- Daylight in the room
- Very little
- Room darkening
- Yes (see "Light at the edges")
- View through
- None
- Heat and UV
- Blocks most sun on that window when closed
- Typical rooms
- Bedrooms, nurseries, media rooms, hotel rooms
Light filtering
- Daytime privacy
- Full: light comes through, shapes don't
- Night privacy (lights on inside)
- Good; lighter fabrics can show soft silhouettes
- Glare control
- Good, diffused
- Daylight in the room
- Soft, even light
- Room darkening
- No
- View through
- None
- Heat and UV
- Reduces
- Typical rooms
- Living rooms, kitchens, dining rooms, home offices
Solar / screen
- Daytime privacy
- Partial: harder to see in from outside than to see out
- Night privacy (lights on inside)
- Low: the view reverses at night
- Glare control
- Very good, set by the openness you choose
- Daylight in the room
- Plenty, with the harsh edge taken off
- Room darkening
- No
- View through
- Yes: clearer with darker colors and higher openness
- Heat and UV
- Reduces; openness and color decide how much
- Typical rooms
- Living rooms with a view, high-rise windows, offices, sunrooms
| Blackout | Light filtering | Solar / screen | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daytime privacy | Full | Full: light comes through, shapes don't | Partial: harder to see in from outside than to see out |
| Night privacy (lights on inside) | Full | Good; lighter fabrics can show soft silhouettes | Low: the view reverses at night |
| Glare control | Total when lowered | Good, diffused | Very good, set by the openness you choose |
| Daylight in the room | Very little | Soft, even light | Plenty, with the harsh edge taken off |
| Room darkening | Yes (see "Light at the edges") | No | No |
| View through | None | None | Yes: clearer with darker colors and higher openness |
| Heat and UV | Blocks most sun on that window when closed | Reduces | Reduces; openness and color decide how much |
| Typical rooms | Bedrooms, nurseries, media rooms, hotel rooms | Living rooms, kitchens, dining rooms, home offices | Living rooms with a view, high-rise windows, offices, sunrooms |
Light at the edges
A blackout fabric stops light passing through the fabric itself. It does not, on its own, make a room completely dark: a standard roller shade leaves small gaps at the sides and sometimes at the top and bottom, and light can leak through them.
To improve light control we can mount the shade outside the window frame so it overlaps the opening, and use a cassette, fascia or pocket that covers the roll at the top, where the window and system allow. During the consultation we look at your windows and explain how dark each option will make the room.
Solar shade openness
Solar fabrics are woven with a set openness. We work with 1%, 3%, 5% and 10% options; which ones are available depends on the fabric and collection you choose.
- 1%
- The most glare and UV control, the softest view. Good for screens and strong west sun.
- 3%
- A popular balance of view and glare control.
- 5%
- A clearer view, with a little more light and heat.
- 10%
- The most view, the least glare control.
Darker colors usually give a clearer view out and cut more glare; lighter colors reflect more heat but can glow when the sun hits them. Browse solar shades or compare colors in our fabric library.
Do I have to choose just one?
Dual (double) shades: we can fit a solar shade and a blackout shade at the same window, so you use the solar layer during the day and the blackout layer at night. Dual shades can be manual or motorized depending on the system. Not every fabric and system combination supports a dual setup, so we confirm the right configuration for your window.
Layering with drapery: a solar or light filtering shade behind ripple fold or sheer drapery adds softness, privacy and extra darkness.
Motorization
All three fabric types can be motorized. It is especially useful for blackout shades on a schedule, solar shades grouped across large glass walls, and tall, wide or hard-to-reach windows.
Depending on the motor platform, shades can be controlled by remote, wall control, app, schedules and scenes, and work with popular smart-home platforms and professional systems such as Lutron and Control4. Apollo installs and programs the system on site. See motorized shades and smart home connectivity.
Room-by-room picks
- Primary bedroom
- Blackout, outside-mounted (with a cassette or fascia where the window allows) for the darkest result; or a dual shade with a solar layer for daytime.
- Nursery
- Blackout, cordless or motorized.
- Living room facing a view
- Solar 3% or 5% where the fabric is offered in it; add a blackout layer or drapery if you watch TV in the evening.
- Kitchen and dining
- Light filtering for soft light; solar for strong afternoon sun.
- Home office
- Solar 1–3% to reduce screen glare, or light filtering.
- Media room
- Blackout, outside-mounted.
- Offices and meeting rooms
- Solar shades for glare, with blackout where a room needs to be dark for presentations.
FAQ
- Do blackout shades make a room 100% dark?
- The fabric blocks light, but some light can leak around the edges of a standard roller shade. Outside mounting and a cassette, fascia or pocket reduce this; we'll explain what to expect for your windows.
- Can people see in through solar shades at night?
- Yes, when lights are on inside. Pair them with a blackout layer or drapery where night privacy matters.
- Which is best for heat?
- A closed blackout shade blocks the most sun on that window. If you want to keep the view, a darker solar fabric with lower openness is a strong choice.
- Is every fabric available in every openness?
- No. Openness options depend on the fabric and collection. We'll show you what's available in the colors you like.
- Can I see samples first?
- Yes. Order free samples or ask us to bring them to your consultation.
Not sure which fabric fits your rooms?
Book a free consultation and we'll bring blackout, light filtering and solar samples to compare at your windows.
Or call (212) 209-0654