If you're paying top dollar for windows and doors, you might not want them hidden behind bulky curtains or shades. But some sort of covering is needed to control light flow into the home and to maintain privacy after the sun goes down. That’s the beauty of Marvin's new fully integrated interior shade systems on display this week at the International Builders' Show in Las Vegas.
The made-to-order shades integrate seamlessly with doors and windows, without protruding into the living space or interfering with the hardware. Their top-down or bottom-up operation provides flexible control over how much light enters your home, and from what angle. And the shades are made out of durable, stain-resistant fabric, says Marvin, in 15 colors with options for light-filtering and blackout material. A standard size casement window with interior shades installed will cost between $1,000 and $1,300, compared with $700 to $900 for just the window.
Marvin is also unveiling an exterior shading system that, like the interior shades, integrates fully into the window frame. It can be programmed by remote control or from any smart phone or computer. That means you could program the shades on the south side of your home to close during mid-day in the summer, minimizing solar heat gain. In the winter, you could then program those same shades to remain open, naturally heating the home. Pricing for the exterior system, including a typical casement and shade, is $3,000-4,000.
—Daniel DiClerico
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