The thermometer read 10 degrees the day we went to the home of one of our clients to help with furniture placement. It was a beautiful home overlooking a golf course and the room in question had floor-to-ceiling windows with spectacular views. We took off our coats and began the consultation. Then we took off our sweaters. The homeowner apologized for the uncomfortable temperature and complained that this room was so hot all year round that they could barely use it! She had called about the furniture, but what she really needed was custom drapes for our Colorado Springs sunshine.

The culprit in this scenario was the set of southeast-facing windows. Our clear, unobstructed Colorado sunlight streams into those windows all day, heating up the room. The client mentioned that the air conditioning barely had a moment to rest on summer days and the bills were exorbitant even though the room was still hot. Window treatments that manage Colorado Springs sunlight have to be robust and energy efficient, and the larger the windows, the more important the treatment for energy efficiency.

Hunter-Douglas has a solution for this problem in the form of a specially designed honeycomb shade called Architella. An Architella shade has a double layer honeycomb that creates a barrier between the window and the room. Architella offers at least double the energy efficiency of the next product of its type and is the only shade on the market that qualifies for a federal tax rebate.

We were skeptical about the energy efficiency claims for this shade and did an experiment. Hunter Douglas installed an Architella shade and another shade in our east-facing windows so that we could see the difference for ourselves. Not only was the room with the Architella shade cooler, but the double honeycomb is so insulating that it was quieter too!

We installed Architella shades in the client’s home and she reported that their air conditioning bills went down. They can now enjoy the room and the view in comfort.