Summer is the season to linger outdoors, enjoying the sunshine, barbecues, swimming, and lazy days. But most homeowners might forget to ensure their windows and doors are ready for the summer. Installing certain blinds or shutters may noticeably reduce heat gain, create a cooler environment indoors, filter UV rays and block oppressive heat. Instead of putting the air conditioner on full blast or struggling to stay cool, there are blinds and shutters perfect for summer to install over windows. Let’s explore some fantastic options.
How to Choose Summer Ready Blinds and Shutters?
There are so many different blinds and shutters to ensure your home is ready for summer that it might be difficult to choose. However, homeowners can comfortably install a mix of window treatments to satisfy their style, cooling, or light filtering needs without breaking the budget.
All of the rooms in a home don’t have to use the same type of window covering. Choose from honeycomb blinds, interior window shutters, or other window treatments. Note that each type of blinds or shutters we’ll cover has unique advantages for summer living.
Whichever style of window treatment you choose, ensure that it is professionally installed and fits the window for the best results. Any areas that allow light or air to pass through can add to heat gain or reduce privacy. Also, certain materials may be more suitable in humid conditions or better at blocking out light and heat when completely closed.
Fight Back Against Heat With Stylish Window Treatments
When the temperatures are on the rise, a home’s window treatment can help give respite from the heat. Many homeowners appreciate modern shutters or blinds that improve energy efficiency and privacy and still allow for ventilation. Consider the following types of window treatments for summer.
Honeycomb Blinds/Shades
Step forward into the future of blinds and shutters with honeycomb blinds or shades. Thanks to the unique design of honeycomb blinds, their network of chambers or pleats creates an insulating and energy-efficient window covering.
The individual “honeycomb” structures trap air near windows and do an excellent job at reflecting sunlight and blocking oppressive summer heat from entering. Choose this style of window covering to keep pleasantly cool in the summer and warmer in the winter.
Roller Blinds
There’s nothing like the satisfaction of raising or lowering blinds at the touch of a button if motorized or manually operating blinds to control lighting and privacy. Roller blinds are another good solution to stay cool in the summer.
Depending on the material and opacity, roller blinds can help lower energy bills and keep heat out. Because this style of window covering is one solid panel, it isn’t prone to gaps like traditional blinds.
Vertical Blinds
If a homeowner has concerns about solar glare or heat gain, vertical blinds are an excellent solution. Even more, vertical blinds typically use fabric panels, which provide a unique aesthetic compared to blinds with louvers that are wood, aluminum, or PVC and have a horizontal orientation.
To take advantage of the unique construction of vertical blinds, turn them, so the rounded side of the slats are facing outward. Doing this helps move heat toward the ceiling, cooling off the room. Don’t forget; plenty of patterns and textures are available for vertical blinds to complement a home’s decor and keep cool for the summer.
Plantation Shutters
For a homeowner looking for modern louvered shutters, Plantation shutters are a smart choice for the interior. This style of shutter is traditionally wood and is customizable, allowing for wider louvers to maximize how much cool air comes in without sacrificing privacy or entirely blocking out light.
If a home has children or pets where there may be safety concerns about window treatments with visible, hanging cords, interior window shutters are a safer alternative. Plus, Plantation shutters are highly energy efficient, blocking out solar heat and reducing warm air from coming in. They are durable, easy to maintain, and raise a home's aesthetic and market value.
Exterior Window Shutters
When dressing windows, it’s not always about the interior of a home. Some excellent exterior window treatments can help beat the heat, add cooling shade, and enhance a property’s curb appeal. The following shutters are popular choices:
- Bermuda
- Board and Batton
- Louvered
- Paneled
Although most exterior window shutters are wood, homeowners can find this window treatment in aluminum, vinyl, or composite material. Because of their unique position over a window, these shutters may add an extra layer of protection against rain, wind, storms, and oppressive heat.
Treat Your Windows to Chic Blinds and Shutters for Summer
The arrival of summer is a time for having fun, taking vacations, and enjoying the good life. A home’s windows deserve to be summer-ready with blinds and shutters that reduce heat gain, filter UV rays and sunlight, and encourage cooling.
Depending on a homeowner’s location, exposure to the sun, and the size and type of windows, different blinds and shutters will prove beneficial. With the correct type of window covering, homeowners can enjoy reduced energy bills and a more pleasant experience indoors. Learn more about modern, stylish window treatments to install for summer and beyond at All About Blinds.
