The Best Window Coverings for the Arizona Sun

Window coverings in Arizona have a harder job than almost anywhere else in the country. They have to block heat that can push a west-facing room ten degrees hotter than the rest of the house, stop UV that fades floors and furniture, and cut glare, all while letting you enjoy the view you paid for. Here is what works, exposure by exposure.

West-facing windows

These take the afternoon sun at its worst. Your best options, in order: composite plantation shutters (solid panels block the most heat), cellular shades (the honeycomb insulates), and 1% to 3% solar screen shades if you want to keep the view. Avoid real wood and dark fabrics, which absorb heat, and avoid cheap vinyl anything.

Patio and pool sliders

You want sun control without losing sight of the backyard. Solar screen panel tracks or solar roller shades block glare and UV while you keep watching the pool. For a more traditional look, bypass plantation shutters glide on a track and leave the door fully usable.

Great rooms with tall windows

Tall windows are often impossible to reach, so they end up bare and the room bakes. Motorized roller, solar or cellular shades solve this. Set a schedule and they close on their own at 2 PM and reopen at sunset. Plantation shutters with a motorized tilt are another elegant option.

Bedrooms

Sleep and cooling both matter. Blackout cellular shades darken the room and insulate at the same time. Faux wood blinds with routeless slats are a durable, affordable alternative, and roman shades with blackout lining give a softer, designer look. For street-facing bedrooms, shutters give privacy and curb appeal.

Kitchens and bathrooms

Moisture rules out real wood. Faux wood blinds and composite shutters are the workhorses. Over a sink, an outside-mount roman shade or a roller shade stays out of the splash zone.

Home offices

Screen glare is the enemy. Solar shades or zebra shades let you dial in the light through the day. Wood or faux wood blinds also give fine control with a twist of the wand.

Protecting floors and furniture

UV fades wood floors, rugs and upholstery faster than most people expect. Any covering helps, but solar screens and cellular shades block the most UV while still letting light in. If a room has an expensive rug or a piano, treat the window seriously.

Schedule yours and Larry will bring samples of all of the above.