How to Soften Natural Light with Window Treatments

How to Soften Natural Light with Window Treatments

Having lots of natural light is often a selling point for a home or apartment. Sunlight makes your home look larger and improves your mood, but there comes a time when you want to scale it back a bit. We’re sharing how to soften natural light in your Chicago home with window treatments. 

Soften Natural Light with Sheer Shades

Sheer shades are far and away the best way to soften natural light without leaving you in the dark. When you want to tone down natural light that’s a bit too bright, sheer fabric will never disappoint you. Sheer does not mean “see-through,” so you don’t need to worry about privacy. You can enjoy multiple styles of sheer shades, including vertical panels, fabric with attached, adjustable louvers, banded, roller, and Roman shades. Sheer fabrics also offer protection from damaging UV light, helping to protect your skin and interior furnishings. 

Soften Natural Light with Cellular Shades

Light-filtering fabrics place a close second behind sheer material. These materials offer more privacy without disrupting the amount of incoming natural light. Cellular shades are the most popular light-filtering shades because they provide many additional benefits. Also known as “honeycomb shades,” cellular shades offer a soft yet glowing diffuse light, exceptional insulation at the window, and exterior noise reduction. If you want to create a cohesive aesthetic within a space, you’ll be glad to know that cellular shades are available for doors, sidelights, tilt-turn windows, and even skylights. 

Soft Natural Light with Top-Down/Bottom-Up Styles 

Top-down/bottom-up styles are an outstanding choice for lessening the bright midday sun or an uncomfortable glare. Since you can fully raise and lower both the top and bottom portions, you can adjust your shades to deliver maximum privacy and light control in a stylish way that fits all types of interiors, including contemporary, transitional, and traditional. Select Cellular and Roman shade designs are available with this feature. 

Furniture Impacts Lighting

The layout of your furniture has an impact on the way you perceive natural light in a space. Low-profile pieces will allow more light to enter your room. You should also place your sofa and chairs adjacent to windows rather than directly facing or in front of them to fully enjoy the sunlight without experiencing unwanted glares. 

Elevating Your Light-Softening Shades

You can emphasize the look of soft, natural light in your home by adding mirrors, metallic, and glass accents to reflect illumination around your room. A light color palette and polished flooring make the most of pared-down sunlight. 

Cordless shades offer clean lines and an uncluttered aesthetic. We love the convenience of motorization on light-softening window treatments, although many high-end manual operation systems are an option. 

Window Treatments Near Chicago, IL

JC Licht has a comprehensive selection of window treatments to meet your needs, including solutions for softening the natural light in your Chicago or Midwest home. We are the city’s premier dealer of Hunter Douglas window treatments, Benjamin Moore paint, and designer wallpaper.