Sheer shades

A sheer shade is built from horizontal vanes suspended between two layers of sheer fabric. Light passes through the facing before it reaches the room, which takes the hardness out of direct sun and spreads the brightness rather than letting it fall across the floor in bands.

The vanes tilt, so you can open them to let in as much light as possible, or close them to keep the brightness while taking yourself out of view from the street. That is what separates this from a plain sheer curtain, which stays in one position all day.

We install these mostly in south and west facing day rooms, where the light is good but turns harsh late in the afternoon. Because the fabric is pale and soft, it holds up better in a room where nobody is handling it ten times a day.