Zebra blinds

A zebra blind runs two layers of fabric past each other. Line the bands up and light comes through while you keep the view outside. Offset them and the solid bands close over the sheer ones, which closes the room. The motion is the same as an ordinary roller shade, except that you set the light on the way rather than by raising or lowering the whole thing.

This is the product we install most often, because it suits the living room and bedroom windows where you want daylight during the day without being on display in the evening. The fabric runs from off-white through to dark grey, and the contrast between the two bands changes the look of the window quite a bit, so it is worth seeing the samples in your own rooms and your own light before you settle on one.

One thing to know is that a zebra blind does not give you full darkness. Even with the bands closed, some light passes through the fabric and runs down the sides. For a bedroom where you want it properly dark, we would look at a blackout fabric instead, or put the two together.