Are Honeycomb Shades The Right Choice For Your Windows?
Honeycomb shades, also called cellular shades, were designed to provide a better energy efficiency at the window in both cold and warm climates. They have large channels to trap air at the window which creates insulation. Cellular shades get their name from the visual resemblance with honeycomb.
Choosing the best window treatment is not a very easy task due to the fact that the market offers a wide variety of options – from roman shades to vertical blinds, classic curtains and drapes, shutters, etc. Are honeycomb shades the right choice for your windows? We shall look at the benefits they provide, their advantages and disadvantages, so that you can decide for yourself.
Table of Contents
What are the Benefits of Honeycomb Shades?
The many advantages of cellular shades are undeniable and they quickly gained popularity among homeowners. However, if you have not heard of this type of window treatment, the first question that needs to be answered is – what are honeycomb shades?
Cellular (honeycomb) shades are made of fabric, bonded together to form the honeycomb shaped cells. The market offers single, double or triple layered designs in a variety of pleat sizes, colors and light control options. Honeycomb shades can be made from translucent and thin fabric so that they allow light into the room and keep the heat out at the same time or denser fabric. The shades come in different cell sizes with a different number of pockets (cells) in every layer. The more cells, the better insulation. Let’s have a look at the advantages of honeycomb shades!
Great Insulation Properties
This is one of the most appreciated benefits of cellular shades. Due to the fact that the channels trap air at the window, the shades insulate the room and block heat from the sun in the summer as well as cold in the winter. In this way the insulation of the home is increased which means better energy efficiency and reduction of energy costs throughout the house.
Privacy
Compared to other types of window treatment, honeycomb shades offer a better privacy. Double cell option is recommended as it not only blocks out light effectively, but it will protect you from prying eyes. In addition, cellular shades have a top-down/bottom-up feature which gives you the opportunity to lift them to the top or lower to the windowsill so you can enjoy a complete privacy without blocking the light completely.
Light Control Options
This is another great benefit of cellular shades. Homeowners can choose from a variety of fabrics-from semi-opaque light-filtering fabrics to light-blocking opaque fabrics. This makes them ideal for rooms like bedroom, entertainment room or any other area where you need to block out all sunlight.
Noise Reduction
This type of window treatment has exceptionally good sound absorption and noise cancellation properties. The cellular construction of honeycomb shades reduces the outside sounds which creates a more quiet, tranquil and calm environment in your home.
Different Design Options
Honeycomb shades are made in different shapes, including triangles, arches, etc. and can be installed on windows of any shape. In addition, manufacturers offer almost unlimited color and texture options to choose rom. Customers can choose more than one fabric for their shades as per their taste and personal preferences so that the window treatment blends with the existing interior design of their home or stand out as a color accent in the interior. Pleat sizes also vary from small, medium to large pleat sizes. Cellular shades also come in a blackout variety that offers complete protection against light and sun.
Durability
The shades are manufactured form fabrics resistant to fading which is a guarantee that they will keep their crisp, neat pleats over time.
What are the Disadvantages of Cellular Shades That You Need to Know?
As many benefits they offer, honeycomb shades have a number of disadvantages that homeowners need to keep in mind when considering this type of window treatment.
Difficult Maintenance and Cleaning
It is inevitable that overtime your shades will get dusty so you need to clean them. The unique cell structure of the shades, however, can be a problem as it is difficult to clean each and every cell properly. How to clean your honeycomb shades? Manufacturers advise to periodically vacuum clean the blinds using the brush attachment to remove dust from each of the pleats. In case there is a stain, use a damp cloth on the stained area and a mild detergent. Avoid cleaning products that can discolor the fabric of the honeycomb shades.
Possible Light Control Problems
One should have a pretty good idea for his needs because if you buy single cell honeycomb shades from transparent fabric you will not be able to block the light. The option is to select blackout fabrics which, in turn, will lead to the opposite problem – when the shades are down, they will not let any light into the room.
Price
Honeycomb shades are in the middle price range which means they are not the cheapest neither the most expensive option. Double or triple layered designs will cost more than single layered options.
As a conclusion, we can say that honeycomb shades are a great window treatment and offer high quality, attractive appearance, energy efficiency, privacy and light control for any window.