Large windows and glass walls are where automated shading pays off most, and where it most needs planning. The main challenges are that one shade can only be so wide, that many shades across one wall have to line up, that big south and west exposures bring glare and heat, that the rollers and motors need somewhere to hide, and that large shades need power. Each one has a practical answer if it is worked out before the walls are closed. Here is how we approach them.
How wide can one shade be?
Every roller shade has a maximum width and height. The limits come from the width of the fabric roll and from how far the roller tube can span without sagging. Past that size, an opening gets split into several shades. There are a few ways to do it:
- Separate shades grouped together. Each shade has its own motor, and the system moves them as one. This is the most flexible setup, since you can also run each shade on its own.
- Coupled shades. One motor drives two or more shades linked end to end, with a small gap between them. This works well across a run of windows separated by narrow mullions.
- Railroaded fabric. The fabric is turned sideways so a wide shade has no seam, as long as the shade isn’t taller than the fabric roll is wide.
Wherever possible, the breaks between shades should line up with the mullions or frames in the glass, so the light gaps fall where there is already a shadow line.
Keeping a wall of shades in line
When ten shades lower together, any difference in where they stop is obvious. Lutron Sivoia QS and Palladiom shades are built to stop at matching positions, so the hem bars line up across the wall at every height, not just fully open and fully closed. Mixing shade brands, or mixing wired and battery motors on the same wall, makes this much harder. Keep each wall of glass on one shade line.
Choosing fabric for big glass
On a glass wall, the fabric decides whether you keep the view.
- Solar shades cut glare and heat while keeping a view out. Openness levels of 1%, 3%, 5% and 10% are common. Lower openness cuts more glare, and darker colors usually give a clearer view through the fabric than lighter ones.
- Dual shades put a solar or sheer shade and a blackout shade on one bracket. You get the view during the day and full privacy at night.
- Blackout with side channels works for bedrooms and media rooms, because large shades leak a lot of light around their edges otherwise.
- Drapery on a motorized track softens a tall glass wall and can be paired with a roller shade behind it.
Fabric is only one part of controlling heat. Low-E coatings on the glass itself do a lot of the work, so if you are building or replacing windows, ask your architect how the glass and the shades will work together.
Hiding the rollers on a glass wall
Floor-to-ceiling glass looks best when the hardware disappears.
- Ceiling pockets recess the rollers above the glass so only a narrow slot shows. They must be framed before drywall, sized for the rolled-up fabric, and they need an access panel or removable closure so a technician can reach the motors later.
- Solid blocking in the header. Large shades are heavy, and the brackets need wood behind them, not just drywall.
- Fascia or cassettes are the answer when the house is already finished.
- Sliding and folding doors need shades that stop above the door handles and clear the door’s swing or slide. We usually avoid automatic schedules on shades that cover doors people use often.
Powering large shades
Large shades should be hardwired. Wired motors handle the weight of big fabric, never need batteries and stay quiet. In new construction or a renovation, that means low-voltage cable to each shade location, run back to a power panel. Battery-powered shades are a good fit for smaller windows in finished rooms, but they are not the right choice for a two-story glass wall.
Controlling a wall of shades
- One keypad button that lowers the whole wall, plus separate buttons for each section
- Zones by direction, so the south glass can lower while the east glass stays open
- Sun tracking, which moves each section when direct sun reaches it (see our post on Lutron shades that follow the sun)
- Clerestory windows and skylights on motors, since nobody can reach them otherwise
Design ideas for modern homes
- One fabric, one color across the whole facade. From outside, mismatched shades look like a patchwork. Many clients choose one fabric for every street-facing window, then vary the inside layer by room.
- Clean lines. Pocketed rollers, matching hem bars and channels that match the window frames keep a minimal room minimal.
- Layers in living spaces. A solar shade for the day and drapery for evening gives a glass room warmth at night.
- Scenes for the whole room. A “Dinner” scene might lower the west shades halfway and dim the lights, while “Morning” opens everything.
- Special shapes. Arches, triangles and angled tops usually can’t take a standard roller shade. These are often left bare, fitted with fixed treatments or glazed with tinted glass.
Planning tips for a New England house
Our low winter sun throws glare far into south-facing rooms, and big glass gets cold enough in January to collect condensation. Plan for shades that can be lowered to block glare without sitting against the glass all day, and walk the house with your installer at different times of day before you choose fabric. If you are comparing shade systems, our guide to choosing automated blinds for luxury homes covers the decisions in more detail.
Planning a motorized shade project?
We plan and install Lutron shading for large windows and glass walls in homes across Greater Boston, the South Shore and Rhode Island, and we work with your architect and builder from the framing stage. Book a free consultation or read more about our motorized shades.
