Most lower-level windows can take a cellular or roller shade sized to the frame. That's true even when they're small, high or sitting in a window well. Pick one that lifts all the way out of the way and doesn't mind a little dampness. In Bettendorf and Davenport, lower levels carry a lot of winter living. Plenty of homes here date from the 1960s and 1970s, when split-levels and bi-levels were common.

Why do lower-level rooms matter so much in winter here?

Because that's where a lot of families spend January. In mid-January the normal high at Quad Cities International Airport is just 31 F, KWQC reports. The normal low is 14 F. On days like that, the family room downstairs gets used a lot. So do the TV room and the spare bedroom.

The houses help explain it too. The City of Bettendorf says its population more than doubled from 1960 to 1980. The State Data Center of Iowa has the 2000 census numbers. That year, almost half of Bettendorf's homes dated from the 1960s and 1970s. That was the age of split-levels and bi-levels. Both put real living space partly below ground.

Davenport has its own mix of finished basements and walkouts. Up the river in LeClaire, the ground can drop off fast. The National Park Service record for the Cody Road Historic District describes it well. Buildings on the river side of the road "typically have high, stone, walk-in basements at the rear." That's because the ground drops so sharply toward the water. So lower-level windows show up all over the Quad Cities.

What fits a small, high basement window?

A shade made to the exact size of the frame. Small, high windows are usually short. Some are only a foot or so tall. Many are wider than they are tall.

Good picks:

Cellular shades. They're light and they stack small when raised. They also add a layer of air against cold glass.
Roller shades. They roll up into a slim tube. When the shade is up, the window looks bare.

Inside mounts look neat if the frame is deep enough. If it's shallow, mount the shade just above the window. That way it clears the glass completely.

These windows sit up near the ceiling, so go cordless or motorized. Nobody wants to climb on a couch to reach a cord.

What about a window set in a window well?

A window well is the curved metal or stone wall outside a below-ground window. It holds back the dirt and lets light reach the glass.

Inside, it works like any other small window. But two things matter more:

Light is already limited. The well blocks some daylight. Pick a light-filtering fabric or a shade you'll keep raised most of the day.
The well can be seen from outside. People walking past can look down into it. A top-down bottom-up shade covers the lower part and keeps the top open.

Snow adds one more wrinkle. The National Weather Service puts normal January snowfall at Moline at 10.8 inches. Drifts can pile into a well and cut the light even more. On those days a fully raised shade helps.

If a window in a well is meant to open all the way, choose a covering that lifts fully off the glass. Keep anything bulky clear of the opening.

How do I cover odd sizes, glass block or sliders?

Lower levels collect odd windows. Here's how we'd sort them:

Odd sizes: custom shades are made to your measurements, so an unusual width or height is no problem. Measure each window on its own, even if two look the same.
Glass block: it already blurs the view. Many people leave it bare. If you want a darker room, a simple roller shade mounted outside the frame works.
Horizontal sliders: a shade that clears the latch and the track is all you need. Check that the bottom rail doesn't catch on the handle.

How do I get light and privacy at the same time down there?

Use light-filtering fabric or a top-down bottom-up shade.

Light-filtering fabric lets daylight through but blurs the view in. It's the easy answer for a family room. A top-down bottom-up shade lets you open the top for daylight and keep the bottom closed. That's handy when a window faces a sidewalk or a neighbor's yard.

Is the room a bedroom or a movie room? Then room-darkening fabric is the better pick. You can still raise it all the way during the day.

Which materials handle a little dampness?

Lower levels can run more humid than the rest of the house. Summer is usually the worst. Pick materials that don't mind it:

Covering	Fits small or high windows	Handles some dampness	Light control	Lifts fully clear
Cellular shades	Yes, stacks small	Good in most finished lower levels	Light-filtering to room-darkening	Yes
Roller shades	Yes, slim roll	Good; many fabrics wipe clean	Sheer to blackout	Yes
Faux wood blinds	Fine on medium windows	Very good; made for humid rooms	Tilt to adjust	Stack is bulkier on short windows

One honest note. If your lower level has a real moisture problem, fix that first. Window coverings can't solve it.

What works on a walkout door?

A walkout door is often the biggest piece of glass downstairs. It's also the one you use most in summer.

Options that move out of the way of the door:

Vertical cellular shades or vertical blinds that slide to one side.
Panel track shades with wide fabric panels on a track.
Drapery on a rod for a softer look and a little extra warmth in winter.

Make sure the handle and lock are easy to reach when the covering is closed.

Think about the view both ways. A walkout often faces the backyard. At night a lit-up lower level shows everything inside to anyone in the yard. In December it's dark by late afternoon, so that starts early. A covering you can close in one easy motion gets used. One that takes effort tends to stay open.

If the walkout faces south, it may be the sunniest spot downstairs. That makes it a nice place for plants or a reading chair. Just make sure the covering can soften midday glare on the TV.

Should the lower level match upstairs?

It doesn't have to match. It should feel like the same house, though.

Here's a simple way to do that. Use the same color on the side of the shade that faces outside. From the street, every window looks the same. Inside, you can pick a warmer fabric for the family room or a darker one for a guest room.

In split-levels and bi-levels you can often see the lower level from the entry or the stairs. There, a shared color family on both floors helps the house feel connected. Our layout-by-layout window ideas for Bettendorf homes go into more detail.

Next steps

Start with the lower-level room you use most in winter. Measure each window and note which way it faces. Then snap a photo from inside and out. For more on winter light and warmth, see how Quad Cities windows change through the year. For small and chilly windows, cellular shades are a good place to begin.

Want us to take a look? Book your free consultation. Our Quad Cities team will come measure those odd little windows with you.

Kevin Sill is CFO and co-owner of the family-owned Budget Blinds franchises serving the Quad Cities.