Wednesday, January 25, 2017

Why are Soft Shadings the Best Option?

Window treatments have evolved steadily through the centuries to become today a key element of decor. From window shutters of ancient Greece, through thick drapes of medieval Europe, to venetian blinds of the late 19th century, window treatments have become more sophisticated with time, combining utility, style and cost.

An interesting contemporary trend in window treatments is Soft Shadings and Silhouettes. They look elegant and at the same time help regulate sunlight more flexibly into an enclosure, compared to other options.

Hunter Douglass, one of the pioneers in Décor trends, created soft shadings and silhouettes; they have become the best option for homeowners and interior decorators to experiment with light and shade.

Historical background

The quantum of sunlight streaming into an enclosure depends on time, direction and local geography. In equatorial, tropical and sub-tropical regions, sunlight can be intense all through the day during summers and moderate for 3-4 hours a day in other seasons. This can be a huge distraction for users of homes and commercial establishments; it increases ambient temperature as well.

Drapes and curtains are effective not only in curtailing light, but also in reducingvisibility to a great extent. One has to rely then on sheer curtains for visibility; this is how owners of plantation bungalows monitor typically the outdoor happenings from indoors.

However, sheer curtains too can increase the ambient temperature significantly. Venetian blinds again can moderate visibility and sunlight effectively, but cannot regulate the temperature considerably.

Interior decorators were constantly in search of an option that could optimize the sunlight streaming in, outdoor visibility, and indoor temperature of an enclosure. Soft shadings and silhouettes achieve precisely this combo effect, with thicker fabric vanes suspended between two thinner sheer panels.

The vanes can be adjusted to regulate the required combination of light and visibility, depending on the local geography and desired effect. When the user wants maximum light and visibility, the fabric can be drawn up completely leaving behind the sheer panels only.

In that sense, soft shadings combine the functionality of drapes, blinds and shades into an interesting blend. Just like drapes, the thickness, color and design of the fabric can vary depending on the nature of enclosure, local geography, and desired effect.

A few tips on the choice of materials

As with any décor trend, soft shadings come with their own set of interesting details which makes them more effective functionally, and more pleasing aesthetically.


  • The inside fabric of soft shadings for homes, hotels, spas, salons and restaurants can have interesting colors and designs;that for offices and meeting venues should be plain or have small, repetitive motifs.
  • West-facing windows receive sunlight for longer durations than those facing other directions; the inside fabric in such a case can be thicker.
  • Sheer panels should always be in pastel shades. Avoid bright colors as they can be distracting and can overpower the design of the inside fabric.

In addition to the ones given above, there are various other details of the construct of soft shadings. Being unaware of them can result in avoidable hassles later. It is better to engage a reputed professional décor company that can guide you at every step and install the best option for you.