Best Blinds and Shades for Florida Heat and Sun

Why Florida windows are hard on window treatments

Sun hits Central Florida windows hard for most of the year. It heats rooms, causes glare on screens and fades floors and furniture. Humidity adds a second problem: some materials absorb moisture and warp or yellow.

The best choice is rarely one product for the whole house. It is the right product for each room.

The right treatment for each room

• Sun-facing living areas: solar shades cut glare and heat while keeping the view, and cellular shades add an insulating layer of air
• Bedrooms: blackout cellular, roller or roman shades, with side channels to close light gaps
• Kitchens and bathrooms: faux wood blinds or moisture-resistant plantation shutters
• Large sliding doors: solar shades, sheer vertical shades or shutters on a track
• Tall or hard-to-reach windows: motorized shades that can follow a schedule

Solar shades, cellular shades or shutters?

Solar shades filter sunlight through a woven screen, so you keep your view while cutting glare and blocking most UV. Darker fabrics give a clearer view, and lighter fabrics reflect more heat.

Cellular shades trap still air in pockets of fabric between the glass and the room, which makes them the most insulating shade you can buy. Plantation shutters add a solid layer at the window and let you tilt the louvers to steer daylight at the ceiling.

How much any of them lowers your cooling load depends on your windows, the fabric and how you use them.

Humidity and materials

Real wood blinds are lovely in air-conditioned living spaces, but they can warp in damp rooms. For kitchens, bathrooms and laundry rooms, faux wood and moisture-resistant shutter materials stay straight and keep their color. Fabric shades are best away from direct splashes and steam.

See samples at your own windows

The best way to choose is to see fabrics and finishes in your own light. We bring samples to your home, measure every window and recommend by room. The visit is free.

Products mentioned in this guide

• Solar Shades
  Cuts heat and glare while you keep the view outside.
• Cellular Shades
  The most energy-efficient option, in light-filtering or blackout.
• Plantation Shutters
  Timeless, durable and easy to clean. A permanent upgrade to the house.
• Motorized Roller Shades
  Raise and lower by remote, app, voice or a daily schedule.
• Faux Wood Blinds
  The look of painted wood slats in a material that shrugs off moisture.

Common questions