A few months ago I was introduced to a relatively new roller shade product on the market. It is basically a hybrid of a roller shade. Some people call it a Zebra shade. The fabric is made of a solid and a sheer, rotated horizontally every 4-10″ depending on the fabric. The fabric is hung off the shade two layers thick. As a result, as you raise and lower the roller shade you can position it in a variety of privacy levels.
You can evenly stack the sheers in one of many fabric rotations so that you can see out and it has a very linear and horizontal feel.
You can offset stack the layers so that the privacy panels overlap the sheers for complete privacy.
What is really unique about this method of roller shade construction is that you can do this while having the sheer raised to any point in the window AND you can also raise the shade completely up for an unobstructed view.
It comes standard with a beaded chain and a fabric covered cassette or header. You have the option to motorize this shade product as well.
If you love a modern, clean design then this may the a great product for you. Or, if you were considering a product like Hunter Douglas Silhouette or Nantucket and found it just wasn’t in your budget, this is a nice lower priced alternative.
A couple important things to note —
Unlike the Hunter Douglas Window Shadings- Silhouette and Nantucket (the most similar product out there) I have found the sheers on this roller shade do have “moire”. This is the slight distortion your eyes see when it looks through two layers of fabric. If sun control + view is paramount, I would recommend the Hunter Douglas Products.
Also- the Dim Out fabrics let a lot of light in still- because you don’t get a really tight close when the privacy panels are stacked. If you need a lot of darkness in your bedroom, this product alone will not do the job.
I’ve installed a handful of these new hybrid roller shades and all my clients have been very happy with both the look and function of the roller shade. It’s a great choice for a contemporary or very clean lined interior.
