Homes around Lake Coeur d'Alene are built for the view: tall walls of glass, great rooms facing the water, and windows that catch the light all day. That view comes with glare, heat and fading, and with windows that are often too big or too high to manage by hand. Here is how we design for it.
Why lake homes get so much glare
Water reflects sunlight, so lakefront rooms get glare from above and from the bright surface of the lake, especially in the afternoon and evening on west-facing views. Large panes of glass multiply the effect, making rooms hot, screens hard to see and furniture fade faster.
Solar shades: keep the view, cut the glare
Solar shades are made for view windows. They filter glare and heat and reduce the UV light that fades floors, rugs and art, while you still see the lake. The fabric's openness and color matter: darker fabrics usually give a clearer view out. We bring samples so you can compare them at your own windows.
Motorized shades for big glass
Tall great-room windows and clerestories are where motorized shades earn their keep. Group every shade into one scene, set them to lower before the afternoon glare and rise at sunset, or control them by remote, app or voice. With the smart hub they work with Alexa, Google Assistant and Apple Home, and rechargeable battery motors mean no wiring in a finished home.
Second homes and seasonal homes
If you're not at the lake every week, motorized shades can follow a schedule while you're away, protecting furnishings from sun and helping the house look lived-in. With the smart hub, you can check and control them from your phone wherever you are.
Privacy at night
A lit room facing the water is easy to see into after dark. Most clients pair solar shades for daytime with a second layer for evening, either custom drapery or a privacy shade, and blackout shades in bedrooms for early summer sunrises.
Serving Lake Coeur d'Alene communities
We design and install view-window shades across Coeur d'Alene and North Idaho, including Gozzer Ranch, Black Rock, the Fort Grounds, Sanders Beach, Fernan Lake and Hayden Lake, plus Post Falls and Hayden. Every project starts with a free in-home design consultation.