PowerView® Automation
Program your window treatments so that they adjust themselves automatically, creating the perfect room ambiance morning, noon and night.
Sheer Shades
Learn more about Hunter Douglas custom window sheers, including our shadings and privacy sheers. Innovative, light-diffusing sheers. Your trusted source for window treatments.
Cellular Shades
Cellular honeycomb shades from Hunter Douglas. An energy-efficient design that traps air in distinct pockets to help keep your house cool in the summer and warm in the winter.
Roman Shades
Custom-made fabric Roman Shades by Hunter Douglas, combining the look of soft folds with the ease and convenience of a shade. Custom-crafted.
Roller Shades
The Hunter Douglas roller shades & solar screen shades collections offer excellent light control and a clean, stylish look in a range of fabrics and materials.
Woven Shades
For a warm, natural look our Hunter Douglas Woven Wood Shades collection of window treatments transforms sunlight into captivating design statements. Choose yours today.
Vertical Shades
Find the right custom vertical shades for any room in your home. Search our most popular window shades.
Wood Blinds
From controlling light to their stylish, sleek look, wood blinds have been a favorite among homeowners for decades.
Metal Blinds
Find the perfect metal blinds for any room in your home. From controlling light to their stylish, sleek look, metal blinds have been a favorite among homeowners.
Vertical Blinds
Discover Hunter Douglas customized vertical blinds featuring elegant styling and translucency in a large selection of colors, treatments, and textures. Lifetime guarantee.
Shutters
Hunter Douglas custom window shutters provide superior light control and privacy with classic styles, long-lasting finishes, and exceptional craftsmanship.
Drapery
Choose from timeless and on-trend fabrics, including lofty textures and alluring jacquards, artisanal embroideries and luminous sheers.
Light Enhancing
Enjoy the beauty of natural light and make any space more captivating, with the following light-enhancing shades.
Room Darkening
Want a darker room for better sleep or optimal movie binging? These shades and drapes help block light at the window.
Energy Efficient
Live comfortably and save energy with these shades. Designer to keep a room warm in the winter and cool in the summer.
Door Coverings
Manage natural light and add privacy with these window treatments that work well for sliding-glass and patio doors.
Sound Absorption
Create a quieter, more relaxing room with these window treatments, which help absorb sound, reducing exterior noise.
Top-Down Bottom-Up
For privacy and natural light, position shades from the top, bottom or both. These shades have this feature available.
Drapery & Valances
Curtains are an elegant and sophisticated window treatment.
Drapery Hardware
Side panels and drapery from Hunter Douglas can serve a variety of purposes, from filtering light to providing UV-protection.
Motorized Window Coverings
Enjoy the convenience of motorized window coverings.
Consumer Financing by Wells Fargo
We offer financing options for our customers, subject to approved credit.
Free Estimates
Get a free estimate for your next decorating project.
Window Covering Measuring & Installations
Our measuring and installation service will ensure an exact fit for your window coverings.
Blinds & Shades by Room
Bathroom Bedroom Home Office Kitchen Living Room Media Room Nursery & Kids RoomBlinds & Shades by Window Shape
Angled Windows Arched Windows Bay, Bow, Corner Windows French Doors Sidelights Sliding Glass Doors Skylights Large Windows Panel-Track Blinds Picture WindowsBlinds & Shades by Function
Automated Blackout Energy Efficient Light Filtering Child and Pet-Friendly Cordless Energy-Efficient ShadesAll Design Ideas
See current and past decorating ideas from our 'Fresh Ideas' Newsletter.
Bathroom
See window covering solutions for privacy and moisture-resistance.
Bedroom
See window covering solutions for privacy and room darkening.
Home Office
See window covering solutions for light filtering and glare control.
Kitchen
See window covering solutions for a variety of needs and kitchen styles.
Living Room
See window covering solutions for light filtering and UV protection.
Media Room
See room darkening window treatments for your media room.
Nursery & Kids Room
See child-safe window coverings for baby nurseries and kids rooms
Angled Windows
See blinds and shades for angled, sloped, and triangle-shaped windows.
Arched Windows
See blinds and shades for arched, half-circle or half-moon windows.
Bay, Bow, Corner Windows
See blinds and shades for bay, bow and corner windows.
French Doors
See shutters, blinds and shades for French Doors.
Sidelights
See blinds and shades for sidelight windows.
Sliding Glass Doors
See blinds and shades for patio and sliding-glass doors.
Skylights
See blinds and shades specifically suited for skylights.
Automated
See all options for automated blinds and shades.
Blackout
See our options for blinds and shades that best control light.
Energy Efficient
See blinds and shades that help save energy at the window.
Light Filtering
See blinds and shades for light filtering and UV protection.
Child and Pet-Friendly
See blinds and shades that are safer for children and pets.
Hunter Douglas Products
More Products & Services
Inspiration & Solutions
Interior Design Ideas
Blinds & Shades by Room
Blinds & Shades by Window Shape
Blinds & Shades by Function
Window Treatment Opacities Defined near Honolulu, HI
Shopping for custom window coverings can raise several questions. One our team at Design 5 often hear is, "Can you explain the difference between the various opacities?" At Design 5, we can answer any questions you have, including those about light control and window treatment opacity. Let’s get started.
The Basics of Opacity
At some point, we all learn what it means when something is transparent or opaque. You can't see through opaque objects, like doors and walls, while our windows are transparent - we can see through them. Some window treatments make your decision easy - blinds and shutters are opaque regardless of the material they're made from. Some fabrics have different levels of opacity from sheer to room darkening.
Sheer Shades
Sheer shades diffuse light more so than control it. This opacity is ideal for rooms where you want ample Hawaiian sun to fill the space, like living rooms or kitchens. Your sheer shades will offer the best view of the outdoors but the least amount of privacy.
Our Suggestion
- Silhouette® Sheer Shades provide exceptional light diffusion and glare reduction with fabric vanes nestled between dual sheer panels. Adjust the vanes to achieve the precise amount of light and privacy you desire. Three vanes widths allow you to choose the perfect look for any interior design setting, from traditional to contemporary. If strictly sheer is too restrictive for your wants, consider the Duolite® system. Duolite® places a room-darkening shade behind your Silhouette Sheer Shades for enhanced control of light and your privacy. Don't worry; we'll get to what room-darkening means in just a bit.
Light-Filtering Shades
Light-filtering opacity is the fraternal twin of sheer opacity, incredibly similar but not quite identical. This opacity is most commonly an option available on solar shades. They block more light than sheers while also maintaining your view outside. Think about how a coffee filter works - enough coffee passes through to affect the water, but actual grounds are contained.
Our Favorites
- Designer Roller Shades are available in over 350 options, including opacities ranging from sheer to opaque, but a light-filtering opacity is one of the most popular. Your shades can be textured, solid, or patterned to fit any aesthetic you can imagine. Are you having trouble choosing a single fabric? The Dual Roller system places two shades together with one in front of the other, and you can combine any two fabric options from the Designer Roller Shades collection.
Room-Darkening & Blackout
As the name implies, room-darkening window treatments filter out most of the natural light. The benefit of choosing a room-darkening opacity is that it will darken your room to varying degrees depending on what type of window covering you use. If you need as much darkness as possible, blackout opacity is the route to take. While no window covering can block 100% of incoming light, blackout shades come very close.
Options to Explore
Since room-darkening opacity is so versatile, we have a couple of favorites to implement this level of light control. Vignette® Modern Roman Shades are available in a room-darkening option and can be mounted inside the window frame for a clean, crisp aesthetic. For a room-darkening shade that also adds great texture and an organic vibe, you can't go wrong with Provenance® Woven Wood Shades. Woven shades are handcrafted using 100% natural materials, like grasses and bamboo, resulting in one-of-a-kind shades that adorn your windows. On their own, woven wood shades are more of a light-filtering opacity, but the addition of a room-darkening liner ups their light control game.
A blackout opacity window covering is essential if you love to sleep in on the weekend. Duette® Cellular Shades in a dark-colored fabric and opaque opacity will provide the perfect setting for the sweetest dreams. The available LightLock™ system utilizes innovative side channels that absorb and deflect the most light possible. Passing cars, streetlights, and sunrises will never interrupt your slumber again.
Contact Us
Design 5 has been locally owned and operated for over 20 years, and we have amazing customers to thank for our success. We're looking forward to helping you choose window coverings with the best opacity for every room in your home. Get in touch with us today to schedule your consultation. We’re located in Honolulu, HI, and are happy to serve the entire Island of Oahu, Kahala area, Waialae iki area, and Hawaii kai area in HI.