PowerView® Automation
Program your window treatments so that they adjust themselves automatically, creating the perfect room ambiance morning, noon and night.
Sheer Shades
Learn more about Hunter Douglas custom window sheers, including our shadings and privacy sheers. Innovative, light-diffusing sheers. Your trusted source for window treatments.
Cellular Shades
Cellular honeycomb shades from Hunter Douglas. An energy-efficient design that traps air in distinct pockets to help keep your house cool in the summer and warm in the winter.
Roman Shades
Custom-made fabric Roman Shades by Hunter Douglas, combining the look of soft folds with the ease and convenience of a shade. Custom-crafted.
Roller Shades
The Hunter Douglas roller shades & solar screen shades collections offer excellent light control and a clean, stylish look in a range of fabrics and materials.
Woven Shades
For a warm, natural look our Hunter Douglas Woven Wood Shades collection of window treatments transforms sunlight into captivating design statements. Choose yours today.
Vertical Shades
Find the right custom vertical shades for any room in your home. Search our most popular window shades.
Wood Blinds
From controlling light to their stylish, sleek look, wood blinds have been a favorite among homeowners for decades.
Metal Blinds
Find the perfect metal blinds for any room in your home. From controlling light to their stylish, sleek look, metal blinds have been a favorite among homeowners.
Vertical Blinds
Discover Hunter Douglas customized vertical blinds featuring elegant styling and translucency in a large selection of colors, treatments, and textures. Lifetime guarantee.
Shutters
Hunter Douglas custom window shutters provide superior light control and privacy with classic styles, long-lasting finishes, and exceptional craftsmanship.
Drapery
Choose from timeless and on-trend fabrics, including lofty textures and alluring jacquards, artisanal embroideries and luminous sheers.
Light Enhancing
Enjoy the beauty of natural light and make any space more captivating, with the following light-enhancing shades.
Room Darkening
Want a darker room for better sleep or optimal movie binging? These shades and drapes help block light at the window.
Energy Efficient
Live comfortably and save energy with these shades. Designer to keep a room warm in the winter and cool in the summer.
Door Coverings
Manage natural light and add privacy with these window treatments that work well for sliding-glass and patio doors.
Sound Absorption
Create a quieter, more relaxing room with these window treatments, which help absorb sound, reducing exterior noise.
Top-Down Bottom-Up
For privacy and natural light, position shades from the top, bottom or both. These shades have this feature available.
Cornices
When it comes to interior design, window treatments alone can make a statement in the way that they look in a room and filter natural light.
Drapery & Valances
Add the perfect finishing touch to your windows.
Drapery Hardware
Choose from a wide selection of styles.
Fabrics
Choose from our large selection of fabric colors, patterns and textures.
Free Estimates
Get a free estimate for your next decorating project.
Window Covering Measuring & Installations
Our measuring and installation service will ensure an exact fit for your window coverings.
Blinds & Shades by Room
Bathroom Bedroom Home Office Kitchen Living Room Media Room Nursery & Kids RoomBlinds & Shades by Window Shape
Angled Windows Arched Windows Bay, Bow, Corner Windows French Doors Sidelights Sliding Glass Doors Skylights Large Windows Panel-Track Blinds Picture WindowsBlinds & Shades by Function
Automated Blackout Energy Efficient Light Filtering Child and Pet-Friendly Cordless Energy-Efficient ShadesAll Design Ideas
See current and past decorating ideas from our 'Fresh Ideas' Newsletter.
Bathroom
See window covering solutions for privacy and moisture-resistance.
Bedroom
See window covering solutions for privacy and room darkening.
Home Office
See window covering solutions for light filtering and glare control.
Kitchen
See window covering solutions for a variety of needs and kitchen styles.
Living Room
See window covering solutions for light filtering and UV protection.
Media Room
See room darkening window treatments for your media room.
Nursery & Kids Room
See child-safe window coverings for baby nurseries and kids rooms
Angled Windows
See blinds and shades for angled, sloped, and triangle-shaped windows.
Arched Windows
See blinds and shades for arched, half-circle or half-moon windows.
Bay, Bow, Corner Windows
See blinds and shades for bay, bow and corner windows.
French Doors
See shutters, blinds and shades for French Doors.
Sidelights
See blinds and shades for sidelight windows.
Sliding Glass Doors
See blinds and shades for patio and sliding-glass doors.
Skylights
See blinds and shades specifically suited for skylights.
Automated
See all options for automated blinds and shades.
Blackout
See our options for blinds and shades that best control light.
Energy Efficient
See blinds and shades that help save energy at the window.
Light Filtering
See blinds and shades for light filtering and UV protection.
Child and Pet-Friendly
See blinds and shades that are safer for children and pets.
Hunter Douglas Products
More Products & Services
Inspiration & Solutions
Interior Design Ideas
Blinds & Shades by Room
Blinds & Shades by Window Shape
Blinds & Shades by Function
Window Treatment Opacities Explained
When you begin shopping for window treatments you’ll likely notice there are different opacity levels to select from. It’s important to understand the various levels of opacity so you can choose what’s going to give you the right light control and privacy.
What is window treatment opacity?
Opacity is what describes the amount of light that passes through the window treatment fabric. The more light that a fabric lets in, the less privacy it is going to offer. So it’s important to consider both the privacy and light control needs of the room when choosing opacity.
Levels of window treatment opacity:
Sheer fabrics allow the most light into a room and allow you to maintain your views of the outside but they provide the least amount of privacy.
Semi-Sheer fabrics let in slightly less light than sheer fabrics while offering slightly more privacy. However, they still don’t offer total privacy and are particularly transparent at night when lights are turned on inside the home. They still maintain your view of the outdoors.
Semi-Opaque fabrics bring in enough sun to brighten up a space and will prevent others from seeing into your home —however, they may still see shadows of objects. Semi-opaque fabrics will block your view of the outdoors.
Opaque or Room Darkening fabrics block nearly all light from entering a room and provide complete privacy. If you want to brighten your room with natural light, you’ll need to at least partially open these shades.
Which window treatment opacity is right for my house?
Just as the rooms in your home all function differently, you’ll want your window treatments to do the same. We recommend using different opacities throughout your house depending on the needs and functionality of each space. Generally, bedrooms require more privacy and light blocking needs so opaque treatments are a good choice. Dining rooms generally do not require as much privacy and often have views of your backyard or patio so sheer or semi-sheer fabrics are an ideal choice.
There are other window treatment features that you may opt for If you want to maintain privacy but do not block light or views. For example, top-down bottom-up opaque or semi-opaque treatments allow for precision privacy while also allowing in natural light and preserving views.
The Hunter Douglas Duolite® system combines two fabrics — one light filtering and the other room darkening — into a single shade. This multifunctional design is available on roller shades, Roman shades, cellular shades, and Silhouette® shades.
Layering multiple window treatments of varying opacities will provide you with more light and privacy control options. Consider a combination of semi-sheer shades and room-darkening draperies or semi-opaque top-down bottom-up shades with sheer panels.
There are many considerations to take into account when choosing window treatments. A great place to start is with a complimentary design consultation with one of our window treatment experts. They are well-versed in all things window treatments so you don’t need to be. Your design consultant will guide you through the process and help you make selections tailored to each space of your home. To request your appointment, click here.