Some rooms have a view worth protecting. This lakeside sunroom in Edwardsville, IL had a whole wall of windows looking straight out over the water, which sounds like a dream until the afternoon sun turns the space into a greenhouse. The homeowners wanted to keep the view and the light without the glare and the heat that came with it. That’s where our team at BlindQuest stepped in, and custom woven wood shades turned out to be exactly right.
The Challenge: A Gorgeous View With Too Much Sun
A sunroom on the water is gorgeous and tricky in equal measure. With glass on nearly every side and bright exposure over the lake, the afternoon sun poured straight in, washed out the view, and made the room too warm to enjoy at the best time of day. The homes sitting close across the channel added a privacy wrinkle too.
The homeowners didn’t want anything heavy or dark. Drapes would have fought the relaxed, natural feel of the porch. Solid blinds would have blocked the very view they built the room around.
Why We Recommended Woven Wood Shades
Woven wood shades were the answer because they filter sunlight instead of flatly blocking it, cutting glare and heat while keeping the water view alive. Made from natural materials like bamboo, reeds, and grasses, they matched the driftwood tones of the walls beautifully and kept the whole space feeling light and organic.
There’s a comfort payoff too. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, a large share of a sunny room’s unwanted heat comes straight through the windows, so the right shades make a bright room usable again.
The Best Part Is the Flexibility
Lowered, the natural weave softens the harsh light and adds privacy from neighbors across the water. Raised, the shades stack neatly out of the way and hand the full lake view right back. The homeowners get to decide, hour by hour, how much sun and how much view they want.
Installation Day
Installation is where careful measuring pays off. Because every shade was custom made to the exact window openings, our professional window treatment installation team had them mounted cleanly in a single visit, with even reveals running the whole length of the wall.
These shades are also cordless, which keeps the look clean and is the safer setup the Consumer Product Safety Commission recommends, especially in homes with kids or pets.
The Result: A Sunroom That Works All Day
The sunroom finally does what it was built to do. The harsh glare is gone, the space stays cooler through the afternoon, and that gorgeous water view is still front and center whenever the homeowners want it.
Woven wood shades are also a naturally sustainable pick, which is one reason we often steer homeowners toward eco-friendly window treatments. This project joins a growing list of shade upgrades across the Metro East, including another sun-soaked sunroom we recently transformed.
A Few Things We Love About Woven Wood Shades
- Natural texture from real bamboo, reeds, and grasses
- Filtered daylight that cuts glare without killing the view
- Raise them fully to bring the whole view back in seconds
- Cordless lift for a clean look and added safety
- A warm, organic style that suits porches, sunrooms, and lake homes
Ready to Get More Out of Your Sunroom?
If glare or heat is keeping you out of your favorite room, we’d love to help you find the right fit. Our team will bring samples right to your door and walk you through every option, no pressure.
