Opacity Levels

Duette® Honeycomb Blackout Shades
Duette® Honeycomb Blackout Shades

As you consider new window fashions, part of your decision should hinge on choosing the right opacity level of the fabric. But, of course, how can you know what’s “right”? At F&R Interiors serving the greater Los Angeles area, our goal is to ensure that each customer selects the right treatment with the right features and qualities, so that they can feel great about their purchase and how their treatments look and work in their home. Check out our primer on opacity below, and contact one of our consultants to discuss your particular situation.

Opacity Definitions

Opacity is the amount of light that travels through a fabric, from lots to little. Sheer fabrics let the most light through, while blackout fabrics block the most. The trade-off is largely in privacy levels—sheers are the least private, and blackout fabrics the most. Other factors can determine opacity, including fabric type and color. That said, to help you choose the right fabric, here are the options:

  • Blackout. As you might guess, these fabrics block light almost entirely, and they provide complete privacy.
  • Opaque/room-darkening. These fabrics block most light from coming through and provide excellent privacy. That said, the only way to get natural light is to open the treatment.
  • Semi-opaque. With these fabrics, enough light will come through to brighten the room a little, but you won’t have any view (except, perhaps, shadows). However, they offer decent privacy.
  • Semi-sheer. These fabrics let in less light than sheer ones; they don’t give as much view-through as sheers, and privacy is pretty minimal.
  • Sheer. These fabrics allow the most light in the room while giving a soft focus to the view. They can help reduce glare but don’t help much with privacy.

Opacities for Each Room

To understand the opacity you’ll need for your new window fashion, think about the room’s privacy and light needs. If you want lots of light and aren’t worried about someone seeing in, select sheer or semi-sheer fabrics—this might be a good option for a living or family room. In spaces where you want more privacy and darkness, like bedrooms, bathrooms, or media rooms, select semi-opaque, opaque, or blackout fabrics.

Window Treatments From Hunter Douglas

As your local Hunter Douglas dealer, we will work with you to identify your requirements and specify the proper custom solution. We will find the balance you need to achieve the look, privacy, daylighting, energy efficiency, and glare reduction that your home needs.

Opacity Levels in the Brentwood & Sherman Oaks CA Area

At F&R Interiors, we’ve been serving the Greater Los Angeles since 1990, with a showroom at 1529 S. Robertson Blvd. We offer the full line of Hunter Douglas window treatments including beautiful custom curtains, top treatments, pillows, and more. Our personalized service, quality products, and professional installation services ensures you’ll find the perfect window treatment solution for your home or business.

We service the Greater Los Angeles area including Brentwood, Sherman Oaks, Beverly Hills, Santa Monica, West Hollywood, Pacific Palisades, Malibu, Hancock Park, Los Feliz, Hollywood Hills, and San Fernando Valley, CA and surrounding areas. Contact us for more details.