The best shades for mountain views and glare

Why glare is worse in the mountains

At Wasatch Back elevations, roughly 5,500 to 8,000 feet, the air is thinner and the sun is more intense than in the valley. In winter, snow on the ground and on the ski runs reflects sunlight back up into the house at angles that a roof overhang doesn't block. The result is glare that washes out TVs, makes people squint at the dinner table and fades floors and furniture. The goal isn't to block the light. It's to cut the glare and keep the view.

Solar screen shades are the starting point

Solar shades use a tight woven fabric that cuts glare and some heat while letting you see out. Two settings decide how a solar shade performs:

• Openness. Tighter weaves, often around 1 to 3 percent, cut more glare and give more daytime privacy. More open weaves, around 5 to 10 percent, keep more of the view.
• Color. Darker fabrics are easier to see through and reduce glare better. Lighter fabrics bounce back more heat but can glow and wash out the view. For mountain views, darker colors usually win.

Match the shade to the exposure

• West-facing: the hardest light of the day. Tighter openness and a darker color. A motorized schedule can lower these shades each afternoon.
• South-facing: strong all day in winter, when the sun is low. A medium openness often balances view and comfort.
• East-facing: bright mornings. Solar in living areas, blackout in bedrooms.
• North-facing: softer light. More open weaves or sheers keep the view clearest.
• Facing a ski run: snow glare from below. Treat it like a west window in winter.

Don't forget nighttime

Solar and sheer shades give privacy by day, but after dark, with lights on inside, people outside can see in. If your view windows face neighbors, a road or a lit ski run, add a second layer: a double roller with solar in front and privacy or blackout behind, or a layered sheer with closable vanes. Rooms facing open land may not need it.

Keep the hardware quiet

A great view can be spoiled by bulky hardware. Slim cassettes or fascias in a color that matches the window frames, fabric that lines up evenly across a wall of windows, and hidden brackets all help the shades disappear when raised. On tall glass, battery-powered motorized shades let a whole wall move as one, so the lines stay even.

See it in your light

Fabric looks completely different in a showroom than at your windows in the afternoon. We bring samples in several openness levels and colors and hold them up to your glass at the time of day the glare is worst. See how the consultation works.