Are cellular shades out of style? It’s a fair question if the ones you picture are beige, a little saggy and hanging from a tangle of cords. The short answer is no. Cellular shades have changed a lot, and in Mill Creek, where the gray, damp months run long, they’re still one of the smartest things you can put on a window.

What’s Changed About Cellular Shades

The biggest change is in how cellular shades work, not just how they look. Today’s custom cellular shades still use the honeycomb design that made them popular, but almost everything around the fabric has been rethought.

· Cordless lifts. You raise or lower the shade by hand and it stays right where you leave it. There are no dangling loops, and the Consumer Product Safety Commission recommends going cordless as the safest choice when young children are in the house.

· Motorized control. With motorized window treatments, you can move your shades with a remote, an app or your voice. That’s handy for the tall windows nobody wants to reach.

· Top down bottom up. Lower the shade from the top and daylight pours in over it, while the bottom stays closed for privacy. It’s a simple fix for a street-facing window.

· More ways to filter light. Fabrics range from sheer and semi-sheer to light filtering and room darkening, so a bright living room and a dark bedroom can share the same style.

Are Cellular Shades Good for Mill Creek Homes?

Yes, and a long Northwest winter is a big part of why. Cellular shades trap air inside each cell and between the shade and the glass, which U.S. Department of Energy research on cellular shades calls particularly helpful in colder climates. In that research, they saved up to 20% on heating compared with no shades at all. They also beat standard vinyl blinds on heating savings.

It’s also why they’re our #1 window treatment sold for insulation. The other half of winter here is light, or the lack of it. A National Weather Service study of Seattle’s climate counts an average of 23 cloudy days in December and just 3 clear ones. Light filtering fabric softens glare and keeps neighbors from seeing in during the day, while still letting daylight through. On a short winter afternoon in Everett or Lake Stevens, holding on to that daylight counts for a lot.

Picking a Look That Won’t Feel Dated

A current look comes down to fit and color more than any one trend. Honestly, the cellular shades that seem dated are usually the ones that never fit the window properly in the first place. Four choices make the biggest difference.

1. Get the fit right. A shade made for your exact window sits cleanly in the frame instead of sagging or hanging crooked.

2. Choose the mount on purpose. An inside mount tucks the shade into the frame for a clean, built-in look. An outside mount sits on the wall around the window and can make a small window feel bigger.

3. Match the color to the room. A shade that matches your trim or walls blends into the room, while a deeper tone can make the window part of the design.

4. Layer with drapery for softness. Drapery panels add color and pattern at the window, while the cellular shade underneath handles privacy and insulation.

The best way to see how far cellular shades have come is to hold the fabrics up to your own windows. Schedule a free in-home consultation and a design consultant will bring samples to your home in Mill Creek, Snohomish or Mukilteo, measure every window and give you a free estimate. Our team handles the installation from there, so there’s nothing left to guess.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do cellular shades come in colors besides white?

Yes. They come in a broad range of colors and textures, so white is only one option. If the shades you remember were plain beige, today’s fabrics will surprise you.

Will room darkening cellular shades make a room completely dark?

They block most of the light, but a little can still show around the edges depending on how the shade is mounted. If you need a room as dark as possible for sleep, ask your consultant which fabric and mounting option suits that window best.

What happens during a free design consultation?

A design consultant meets with you at home or virtually, walks you through fabrics and styles, measures your windows and puts together a custom quote. If you decide to move ahead, professional installers take it from there.