Sunbrella fabrics range in weight, but thicker options like Alma, a heavyweight-linen-like material, and Velarte, a durable canvas, are great choices for curtains to keep heat out.
Light-colored curtains in pastel or neutral shades are also recommended for summer as they help to keep the room bright and cheerful. Avoid heavy fabrics and dark colors as they can trap heat and make the room feel stuffy during hot summer months.
Normal drapes and blinds will keep the sun out and potentially keep the home cooler, but the most efficient cooling fabric to hang is a blackout fabric. Luckily, so-called “blackout curtains” aren't always black, and they don't always have to be the main window dressing you install.
Light-coloured curtains & blinds
Choose blinds and curtains made of light-coloured and lightweight materials such as cotton, linen, or sheer fabrics. The reason is simple - lighter colours reflect sunlight rather than absorb it, helping to keep the room cooler.
By effectively blocking sunlight, blackout curtains significantly reduce heat gain in a room, leading to a more naturally cool environment. This not only enhances comfort during the hot summer months but also results in lower air conditioning costs.
The darker the object, the better it emits heat, because it's a better absorber of light. On the other hand, a white object appears white because it reflects all the different wavelengths and absorbs little to no light.
During summer days, you should close draperies on windows receiving direct sunlight to prevent heat gain. Studies demonstrate that medium-colored draperies with white-plastic backings can reduce heat gains by 33%.
While curtains offer a certain classic look, alternatives such as blinds, shades, and shutters provide a spectrum of styles, materials, and functionalities that can better suit modern interiors or specific design themes.
Black and white are the colours that you might be wondering about which colour will give your room a cooler temperature. Well, the answer is white curtain colours keep the room cooler than a black coloured curtain fabric because the colour white reflects the thermal energy and black absorbs it.
(WEHT) – During the hot Summer months, we often recommend wearing light-colored, loose-fitting clothing to help stay cool. The reason behind that is that lighter colors, for example white, will reflect most of the sun's wavelengths. That reflection will keep those fabrics cooler.
Work with the Furniture
For example, if your window frame is large, there will be lots of fabric from the ceiling to the floor. In that case, colors darker than your couch may be overwhelming. If your windows are smaller, darker colors than your sofa would be complementary and not take over the space.
Light coloured curtains are good for rooms that get a lot of direct sunlight as they're less prone to fading from the sun. Dark and bright colours tend to fade faster. Good summer options as a white/lighter colour is more likely to bounce the sun's rays away keeping rooms cooler.
Blackout curtains, of course, are the most foolproof idea to consider, whenever you need to deal with the Helios (Greek term for Sun!). These curtains, as suggested by their name, are specifically designed to repel all the heat and light and to optimize the interior temperature up to a maximum extent.
Both linen and cotton curtains allow air to circulate while blocking sunlight, allowing your room to stay cool and airy.
They still are trendy, despite growing in popularity – minimalistic style. Lace curtains make your room comfy and stylish. How can you use their potential?
Use blinds to keep your home cool
They block almost all sunlight and keep your home cooler. Blackout blinds also have a special side that reflects sunlight, keeping heat out. Some, like cellular shades, have a unique design that traps air and stops heat from coming in through the windows.
1: Close curtains and windows
Tempting as it might be to throw your windows open during a heatwave, leaving them shut when the day is at its hottest will keep the house cool. So try to only let the air in early, or late, in the day.
The short answer is yes! The right window coverings can help keep unwanted heat out of your home in the summer by blocking light and sun heat. This can reduce your energy costs by as much as 25 percent!
Bright sky blue, light turquoise, and soft azure provide moderate UV protection while keeping you cool in the summer heat. Royal blue is another lighter blue shade that blocks more rays than deep navy.
The two colours that make the grey colour is black and white and they should be of equal volume. 50:50 proposition of black and white colours is to be mixed to make the grey colour. Now you can add black if you want a darker shade or white to get a lighter shade as per your requirement.
As the physical temperature of the object rises, color transitions from red (long wavelengths – low energy) to blue (short wavelengths – high energy) through ROYGBIV (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet). When it comes to light sources, physically, blue is warmer than red.