One of the most critical aspects of designing custom window treatments for homes is finding the right balance of privacy and light control, and Hunter Douglas's Silhouette shades are often the perfect solution for our clients.
Hunter Douglas is a leader in innovation in blinds and shades and always stands behind its products. Silhouettes are a true engineering marvel and one of its most popular products, and Hunter Douglas constantly improves them by adding new fabrics, control systems, and functionality.
The allure of Silhouette shades lies in their unique combination of a light-diffusing shade's beauty and the privacy and light control of custom blinds. They feature soft, adjustable S-shaped fabric vanes that seem to float between two vertical layers of sheer fabric. The vanes can be opened, closed, or rolled up out of sight in a fabric-covered headrail, providing an elegant solution for your window treatment needs.
As you can see in the photos, the innovative design of Silhouette shades can transform a room, filling it with warm, ambient light and allowing for privacy adjustments at any time of the day. Their elegant appearance is a sight to behold, and when paired with draperies or other embellishments by a skilled window fashion designer, they can create a stunning look for any room.
The benefits of Silhouette shades for your home.
They turn harsh outdoor sunlight into soft, beautifully diffused light in the room.
They allow homeowners to enjoy their views while maintaining control over privacy.
The unique fabrics engineered by Hunter Douglas also provide UV protection and can reduce solar heat gain and loss.
Most clients add motorization to their Silhouette shades and create elegant transformations in their rooms at the touch of a button.
Below, you'll find the success story of two of Adrette's clients who chose Silhouette shades as part of their design. Their experiences will help you find inspiration for your custom window treatments.
Debbie and Brian sought both privacy and light control for their dining room.
Our clients Debbie and Brian wanted new shades for their dining area that would cut the afternoon sun while still allowing them to look out the windows and enjoy their view.
At first, they were thinking about honeycomb shades. After we discussed the pros and cons of these shades in their home, they realized that the flexibility they needed to control light and privacy throughout the day could have been better. Honeycomb shades create a static effect. Their fabrics can be room-darkening, light-dimming, or even translucent, but they won't allow daily adjustments for privacy or light control. Meanwhile, Brian and Debbie were also looking for something with a more elegant feel.
After I showed them a sample of a Silhouette Halo shade with the Clearview fabric option on their windows, they loved the idea. The Clearview fabric lets you see outside with clarity while allowing you to adjust the fabric vanes for privacy. It's an incredibly elegant visual in any home.
And after choosing the Clearview fabric, there were more stylistic questions to answer. Their two large corner windows called for Silhouette shades with 4" vanes, which feel almost like shutters. Then, they decided to take the extra step of having them motorized and requested that they could control their shades from their smart devices in addition to a hand-held remote control.
When we installed their shades, it was a hot July day, which only made them more grateful for their newfound control over the light and heat entering the room. Now, as the light shifts throughout the day, they don't even have to get up and interrupt what they're doing. A quick adjustment on their phone adjusts the Silhouette shades at the touch of their screen.
Why Dan and Kate traded wooden blinds for Silhouettes
“BEFORE”: wooden blinds
“AFTER”: Hunter Douglas Silhouette sheer shades
Dan and Kate had lived in their home for over a year and wanted to update it with cleaner, whiter tones. Like many homeowners, they had started life in their home by repainting rooms but had put window coverings off for another day. Now, as they also shopped for new furniture, they were ready to create something unique and make their home truly their own.
Catherine, their designer from Parker Furniture, called me to collaborate on this project. Before we met at the house, I spoke with Dan and Kate to understand their needs and desires for custom window coverings. They were thinking about white-colored wooden blinds because they liked the versatility of opening and closing the louvers for privacy and light control.
I met Dan, Kate, and Catherine at their house and walked through each room together. It allowed me to see the home firsthand and hear more about their thoughts. Walking through a home together always brings much-needed clarity for designers and owners.
We looked at wooden blinds, but then I showed them Silhouette shades as another option. They both fell in love with these shadings' softness, versatility, elegance, and the many features and lift-system options they offer.
In fact, they wanted Silhouette shades with 3" vanes for the office, main living spaces, and bedrooms! So, the next step was to look at fabrics and lift systems.
Hunter Douglas Silhouette shades with 3” vanes and Clearview sheer fabric
For fabrics, they preferred room-darkening shades in the bedrooms, and due to the glare on the computer screen, they also chose them for the office.
But what kind of room-darkening fabric did they need? Homeowners are often surprised at how complex these choices can be. I explained that the Hunter Douglas fabric options were translucent or light-dimming. There would be light leakage between the vanes, and these products would not make the rooms dark enough for their needs.
Then, I introduced them to two other Silhouette enhancements: Duolite shadings and A Deux shadings.
Hunter Douglas Silhouette A Deux shadings feature a sheer shade and a room-darkening roller fabric in a single headrail, for flexible light control.
These shades have a second, room-darkening fabric panel that fully lowers to provide light control and privacy. This versatility ensures homeowners can manage their environment throughout the day, adapting to changing light conditions and privacy needs.
Strike the perfect balance of light and privacy with Duolite®, a system that combines two fabrics—one light filtering, the other room darkening—into a single shade. Now every space in your home can be multi-functional.
With the Silhouette Duolite shading, one control operates both fabric panels. The vanes on the translucent shade remain open when the room-darkening panel is in the down position.
The Silhouette A Deux shading has a dual roller system with two controls: a translucent shade and a room-darkening panel operating independently. This way, the vanes can tilt even when the room-darkening panel is down.
Hunter Douglas - The Silhouette A Deux Shade with Pebble Remote.
So, Duolite shades were the best choice for the office and guest bedrooms. Manual operations would work fine in these rooms, and they chose the UltraGlide lift system, which has a single, retractable wand that guarantees safety for children and pets.
Then, due to the large size of the primary bedroom window, we chose the A Deux shade and added Powerview Automation with convenient, rechargeable batteries and the Pebble remote control.
Duolite vs. A Deux at a glance
Both add a second, room‑darkening panel behind the sheer. Here is how they differ, side by side.
Silhouette Duolite shading by Hunter Douglas
| Compare | Duolite One control | A Deux Two controls |
|---|---|---|
| How it’s operated | A single control raises and lowers both fabric panels together. | Two independent controls — the sheer and the room‑darkening panel move separately. |
| Vanes with the panel down | The vanes on the translucent shade stay open. | The vanes can still be tilted while the room‑darkening panel is lowered. |
| Light control | Room darkening, with the sheer set behind it. | Room darkening plus independent vane tilt — finer adjustment through the day. |
| Suits | Home office and guest bedrooms, where simple operation matters more than fine tuning. | Primary bedrooms and large windows, where light changes through the day. |
| Typical lift system | UltraGlide — a single retractable wand, safe around children and pets. | PowerView Automation with a rechargeable battery and Pebble remote. |
| In Dan & Kate’s home | Chosen for the office and guest bedrooms, operated manually. | Chosen for the primary bedroom, where the large window warranted motorizing. |
Swipe the table sideways to see both options.
Most homeowners are surprised by how many of these choices exist. Deciding between them is easier with samples held up to your own windows — which is what our design consultation is for.
Finding the right Hunter Douglas Silhouette shades for your home?
As you can see, there are far more choices than you would expect when looking to find the perfect shades for your living space.
Window treatments are surprisingly complex, and an experienced designer can help you find the right practical features for your room while creating a stunning design that matches your style.
One of the most valuable things an experienced window fashion designer brings to you is confidence in your decisions. Quality window treatments are a significant investment, and you want to know you've made the right choice for your lifestyle and found a design that will make your space feel warm and inspiring every time you walk into it.
Furthermore, while Hunter Douglas Window Fashions are innovative and designed for longevity, it is wise to purchase them from a reputable Hunter Douglas dealer who has your back and knows how to navigate their service department when your shades need future repair or new parts. Hunter Douglas offers a Lifetime Limited Warranty to the original homeowner and provides parts during the window treatments' useful life (usually 10 to 15 years). Hunter has our back, and we have yours as your advocate, so you get as much time and value out of your window treatments as possible!
At Adrette, we aim to help you create moments of inspiration and joy at home. We love what we do and like to say we are one of Portland's "Best Kept Secrets." Our boutique design firm serves a finite number of clients throughout the year to preserve the quality of our highly personalized, joyful design experience.
Schedule a design consultation here to receive the personal attention and care you need to bring your vision to life and make the best decisions for your home.
Frequently asked questions
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Silhouette shades are sheer window coverings made by Hunter Douglas. They feature soft, S-shaped fabric vanes between two layers of sheer fabric. You can tilt the vanes to control privacy and light, or roll the shades up for an open view.
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No, Silhouette shades are still popular. Hunter Douglas regularly updates them with new fabrics, control systems, and features like Halo and Clearview. The biggest change is that clearer sheers and larger 3-inch and 4-inch vanes are now more common than the smaller 2-inch vanes from twenty years ago. Choosing the right vane size for your window is more important than following trends.
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A standard Silhouette shade does not block out all light. Translucent and light-dimming fabrics still let some light through the vanes. If you want a room-darkening effect, you’ll need a Duolite or an A Deux shade, which adds a second room-darkening panel behind the sheer in the same headrail. Many homeowners are surprised by this and appreciate learning about these options during a design consultation.
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Both combine a sheer shade with a room-darkening panel. A Duolite uses one control for both fabrics, and the vanes stay open when the room-darkening panel is down. An A Deux uses two independent controls, so the vanes can still tilt while the room-darkening panel is lowered. A Deux offers more flexibility; Duolite is a little easier to use.
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Hunter Douglas provides a Lifetime Limited Warranty to the original homeowner and supplies parts for the product’s useful life, usually 10 to 15 years. It’s important to buy from an authorized dealer. If your shade needs service or a part years later, your dealer can help you with the process.
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Yes, you can motorize Silhouette shades. Many of our clients choose to motorize at least some of their Silhouettes. PowerView Automation uses rechargeable batteries and works with a Pebble remote, a smartphone or tablet, or a smart home system. For hard-to-reach or very large windows, we recommend motorization as a smart investment.
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Yes. Cordless lift systems like UltraGlide use a single retractable wand instead of a hanging cord, and motorized shades have no cord at all. We suggest these options for homes with young children or pets.
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A standard-sized window is 60 inches wide and 72 inches tall. Most Silhouette shade projects we install in Portland and Salem area homes cost between $2,400 and $3,900 per window. The price depends on your fabric choice and whether you want manual or automated controls. Adrette’s full service includes expert design advice, custom measuring for the best fit, fabrication, and professional installation.
About the Author
Marlys Wiegand is a co-founder and the lead designer of Adrette Custom Window Coverings in West Linn, Oregon. For more than 27 years, she and her team have created handcrafted custom drapery, shades, blinds, shutters, and motorized window treatments for design-conscious homeowners throughout Portland metro, Salem, the Willamette Valley, and beyond. As an authorized Hunter Douglas Window Fashion dealer, Marlys combines old-world artisan craftsmanship with modern smart-home technology. She works directly with each client through Adrette's in-home design consultation process, which begins with a complimentary Design Discovery Call.