Aria™️ Fabric Blinds
Crafted of lightweight and translucent fabric. For a first-of-its-kind design.
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.
Sonos Audio
At Smart PNW, we’re thrilled to be your go-to local Sonos dealer, offering the best place to buy Sonos products while supporting a small business that’s rooted in our Proctor and Tacoma community.
Consumer Financing by Wells Fargo
We offer financing options for our customers, subject to approved credit.
Window Covering Measuring & Installations
Our measuring and installation service will ensure an exact fit for your window coverings.
Blower Door Test
Whether you're a builder or a home owner, we are here to make your blower door test as smooth as possible.
Energy Audit
An energy audit, designed for home owners, includes a blower door test, a thermal camera, and a smoke stick.
About Us
Smart PNW was founded by James Roddy and his wife, Jill Roddy. The Roddys wanted to start a company to provide local families with employment opportunities and education about energy efficiency and home improvements.
Seattle, WA
We are James and Jilly Roddy, owners of Smart PNW, and we are invested in the beauty of the Seattle community.
Tacoma, WA
At Smart PNW, we’re proud to call Tacoma, Washington, home.
Testimonials
See what our customers say about our products and services.
Interior Design Ideas
All Design IdeasBlinds & 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
The Differences Between Blackout vs. Room-Darkening Shades
Contrary to belief, room-darkening shades and blackout shades are two different types of window treatments. Although they’re closely related, they serve some different purposes.
The talented Smart PNW design team compiled a useful guide featuring Hunter Douglas window treatments near Tacoma, WA, to help you determine which style is right for your home.
Light Control Levels
The main difference between blackout versus room-darkening shades lies in the amount of light they filter and block. Room-darkening shades reduce the amount of light entering a room without blocking it completely, letting some light filter through. Room-darkening window treatments create a more controlled atmosphere than standard blinds or curtains. You’ll love room-darkening window coverings in areas of your home, such as:
- Living rooms.
- Dining rooms.
- Kitchens.
Blackout shades strive to block most incoming light from entering a room. Comprised of heavier materials or lined fabrics, these shades create a pitch-black environment, even during the brightest part of the day, which is especially appealing to those who work at night. These benefits make blackout shades a suitable choice for rooms like:
- Bedrooms.
- Nurseries.
- Media rooms.
Better Energy Efficiency and Insulation
Room-darkening and blackout shades offer potential benefits for energy efficiency. By reducing the light that enters a room, these shades help regulate indoor temperatures. With their thick, dense materials, blackout shades are especially effective at providing insulation. They can keep rooms cooler in the summer by blocking heat from sunlight and warmer in the winter by preventing cold air from sneaking through the windows.
Room-darkening shades help to reduce some heat and cold flow through windows, making them a more energy-efficient option compared to traditional curtains or blinds. If you're looking to maintain a comfortable temperature while enjoying natural light, room-darkening shades are a great option for living spaces where you spend the most time.
Types of Hunter Douglas Room-Darkening and Blackout Shades
There are a few Hunter Douglas semi-opaque fabrics that turn some of their styles into room-darkening shades, including:
If you want to block out as much outside light as possible, consider enhancements, such as:
- Duette® LightLock® system.
- LightLock system.
- Silhouette® Duolite®.
- Vignette® Duolite®.
- Duette Architella®.
Should I Choose Room-Darkening Shades or Blackout Shades?
If you’re still wondering, “Should I choose room-darkening shades or blackout shades,” that answer depends on the function and atmosphere you want to create in each room. Room-darkening shades are perfect for reducing glare and softening natural light without blocking it entirely, creating a cozy feel.
We recommend blackout shades for bedrooms, particularly if you need to sleep during the day, have small children who don’t sleep well, or are sensitive to light. They’re also ideal for enhancing a home theater experience by blocking most light for better viewing experiences.
Visit Our Hunter Douglas Blinds Shop Near Tacoma, WA
Let us help you choose the ideal shades, whether you're after the most darkness or a more balanced ambiance. Smart PNW, your trusted shades, shutters, and blinds shop near Tacoma, WA, offers Hunter Douglas and Carole™ Fabrics products, superior design services, and more, like Sonos Audio Systems to enhance your living or media rooms further.
Request a consultation online or call (425) 448-3279 to begin finding your ideal room-darkening or blackout shades from Hunter Douglas. Find Smart PNW and our window treatments near Tacoma, WA. We proudly serve our neighboring communities, including Seattle, Belleview, North Seattle, North Tacoma, Gig Harbor, Olalla, Silverdale, Poulsbo, Bremerton, and Bainbridge Island.