“What people need to watch out for in the winter is that even though the sun isn’t as intense, it’s still intense,” says Ted Browne, owner of Gotcha Covered Window Fashions in Raleigh.

“Sunlight could relatively quickly destroy fabrics, hardwood floors and artwork.”

With that in mind, retailers offer products that filter out the more harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays, yet still allow light and even provide some privacy.

Functional filtration
One of the first questions customers should ask is how much privacy they want. The answer can lead to products such as solar shades, which reduce glare and heat. Because these shades are made from a mesh material, they filter harmful rays and still allow for a view of the outside. They can be raised and lowered, but by themselves don’t protect privacy.

Of a similar vein is solar film, which is added to the window itself. The film filters UV rays but doesn’t darken the room. It also can help regulate a room’s temperature.

“It reduces the amount of light and cuts the heat, so it can regulate the temperature,” says Chris Aycock of Sun Protection Systems LLC in Cary.

“In some cases, the front of the house might be freezing cold and the back of the house is hot.”

“Some solar films are almost clear when you look through them,” says Dan Parlin, owner of Budget Blinds of the Western Triangle in Durham.

“Even though it doesn’t darken the room, it can change the color of the glass.”

Other options abound, including silhouette fabric shears and honeycomb shades, often referred to as cellular shades. According to Browne, these can be among the most energy-efficient options because they trap air in the cells of the fabric — thereby keeping out cold or hot air — and are made with different opacity levels. They can be lowered from the top or raised from the bottom.

Browne notes that the trouble with more traditional blinds is that they must be open to let in light and closed for privacy or light filtration. Fabric filtration products aren’t as cut and dried.

Also available are Tri-Light shades, which can be pulled all the way to the top of the window but feature two distinct layers — one with see-through effects for daytime filtration, and another material that’s blanked out to block light and provide privacy.

“This allows you three options in one window,” Parlin says.

Energy efficiency
As with any product, prices can vary. According to Aycock, solar film can cost as much as a quality set of standard blinds.

Adding motorization to blinds or shades also can increase the price, but not as much as some would believe, Parlin says. There are abundant choices, depending on the room, lighting needs, customer tastes and budgets.

“There are always options,” Browne adds. “They can be very budget-friendly. People can go and spend a ton of money, but there’s something for everyone.”

The initial investment actually can save homeowners money. According to Angie Demery of Alpine Shutters and Blinds in Raleigh, because solar shades and blinds block the sun’s heat in the summer and reduce heat loss in the winter, they can lower heating and cooling bills by up to 30 percent.

Some businesses are pursuing even more direct savings. Aycock says Sun Protection Systems would campaign for utility companies to provide rebates to customers who install solar films. The rebate idea is in the planning stages locally, but already is in place in Florida.

“Energy companies can benefit because it reduces their peak demand, so it saves money,” Aycock says.

“So we’re working hard on the energy rebate.”

Let there be color
According to Jere Roberts, owner of Not Afraid of Color, a stained-glass studio in Fuquay-Varina, warmth is not simply a function of temperature. She says stained glass is a colorful option for filtering light — and for cheering up a room.

“Stained glass can accomplish that,” Roberts says. “When people come to me, they want something that’s not cookie cutter. They want a piece of artwork.”

Roberts recalls recent customers who worried that harsh sunlight was fading their hardwood floors. She helped them choose a design that reduced the light and heat, and gave the room a different look.

“During the winter months, the sun was so bright and harsh — it was starting to fade out the floor,” Roberts says.

“We picked the right glass and design, and it really toned that sun down,” she adds. “I could put my hand on the glass and feel the heat.”

Bill Stockard is a freelance writer based in Durham.

Please visit our reader blog to post your comments on this story

TIMELESS TRASFORMATIONS
The latest in kitchen counters and cabinetry

by Mary T. Liebhold, CKD

Clients often ask about the most popular — and the most timeless — styles when it comes to kitchen design, and cabinets and countertops in particular.

The answers are exciting, because they can truly be anything we want them to be; there is no single must-have look. Now more than ever, there’s such a wide array of accepted styles and design themes available that the possibilities are endless.

Cabinet character
Just as design trends have moved away from matched furniture in other rooms of the home, the kitchen continues to be made up of a combination of materials. For instance, it’s not uncommon to see three or more different cabinet finishes in one kitchen.

While white cabinets have always been a staple, they can easily be accented with an island in cherry or distressed paint, a hood in copper or stainless steel, bright glass tiles, or textured stone on backsplashes. Currently, white is moving from bright clear white or white glazed and distressed to unglazed off-white shades ranging from cream and beige in more traditional settings to soft grays and taupes in more transitional rooms. Softer color with cleaner lines and smooth surfaces is the new classic.

Stained wood will continue to be the primary choice for cabinets. While the golden oak of the 1980s has not yet made a comeback, quarter-sawn and European oaks are becoming more popular for specific styles. Cherry remains a constant for its clarity and richness, though many cherry cabinets feature more natural characteristics such as knots and pitch marks. Cabinets made from farmed, fast-growing species such as lyptus, alder, bamboo and reconstituted veneers allow the use of wood without depleting forests.

Countertop creations
Countertop materials also can be combined in the same workspace, differentiated for tasks and ambience. Granite continues to be the leader and is more widely available in honed, flamed, antique, and leathered finishes that eliminate polish. Granite and some quartz products are the most durable countertops and generally are stain- and scratch-resistant, though some colors might require a sealer every few years. Quartz tops generally are more even in color without the natural movement found in some granite; they also are available in colors not found in nature.

Concrete and Lavastone also are increasing in popularity. Concrete tops have improved significantly over the past few years and are much more resistant to stains, cracks, and scratches. The ability to customize color; embed objects such as tiles, metal shavings, fossils and drain boards; and create different thicknesses has offered great flexibility with its use in a variety of styles. Lavastone is a quarried stone that’s cut and shaped for each project, and then glazed like a giant tile in any color. The possibilities are almost endless.

Butcher block countertops, another popular choice, can be made from any wood into any thickness. Chopping and high traffic often call for a harder wood, but the color and grain of softer woods can be a nice contrast to a hard stone top. Wood has natural resins that are toxic to bacteria growth; with proper care, they are more sanitary than some plastics for chopping and food preparation. Bamboo, while attractive and renewable, is a grass and does not contain these resins, so care should be taken when using it for food preparation.

Stainless steel, tile and other natural stones such as limestone, soapstone, and marble remain popular as accents or task-specific areas. The use of solid-surface acrylics and polyester has waned in the kitchen, but still is considered a solid economic choice. Taking a cue from Europe, laminate — long ignored in the U.S. — will begin cropping up in contemporary kitchens over the next few years.

Finding your own style might take a little work and require some outside-the-box thinking. But when it comes to a room that is consistently ranked as the most frequently used and the most costly to remodel or build, it’s reassuring to know that the choices and products available will adapt to any chosen style and budget.

Mary T. Liebhold, CKD, is owner of The Kitchen Specialist Inc. in Durham. She can be contacted at (919) 490-4922 or www.thekitchenspecialist.com.