Cellular shades — also called honeycomb shades — are built with a honeycomb layer of air between two faces of fabric. That trapped air is why they are the shade people choose when a room is too cold in winter or too hot in summer, and why they’re the most common upgrade from a plain roller blind.
Why the honeycomb shape matters in a PEI winter
Most heat loss at a window happens at the glass. A honeycomb shade sits close to it, and the cells trap a layer of air that slows the transfer — so the room feels less draughty and the glass itself stays a little warmer. Warmer glass also means less condensation on the window, which is the familiar wet-sill problem in Island homes from December through March.
Being straight about this: a cellular shade improves the window, it doesn’t turn a single-pane window into a new one. We’ll tell you what to realistically expect from your windows rather than promising a bill reduction.
Cell size: the practical difference
Cellular shades come in more than one cell size. A larger cell holds more air and insulates a little better but takes up more room at the top of the window; a smaller cell looks more compact and less bulky. Which suits you is usually decided by the window depth and how you want it to look, and we’ll show you both.
Light control — the choice you’ll live with every day
- Sheer — softens daylight, keeps the view, gives daytime privacy
- Light filtering — bright but private; the most popular choice
- Blackout — proper darkness for bedrooms and shift sleep
- Top-down / bottom-up operation — some cellular shades can be opened from the top to let light in while keeping the lower half screened, which is useful on a street-facing window
Where they earn their place
- Bedrooms — blackout cellular, for warmth at night and dark in summer
- Living rooms with big windows — light filtering, to take the edge off a bright room
- Basement and lower-level windows, which are often the coldest in the house
- Cottages and seasonal homes, where keeping the heat in matters when you’re there and mould down when you’re not
- Rooms with skylights or tall windows, in a motorized version
Operation
Cellular shades are available with a cord, cordless, or motorized. Cordless is the sensible choice in a home with young children or pets. Motorized is worth it where the shade is high or awkward to reach — see our motorized blinds page.
Questions we’re asked most often
Do they really save energy?
They reduce heat loss at the window and make the room feel warmer, and that effect is real but modest — the biggest gains come from covering the glass properly and keeping the shade closed on cold nights. Anyone promising a specific percentage saving is guessing.
Are they hard to keep clean?
No, but they need a gentler approach than a roller blind because of the cells. A soft brush attachment on a vacuum, used gently, is the usual method. We’ll tell you what your fabric needs.
Inside the window recess or over it?
Inside looks tidier; over the recess gives better light blocking. With honeycomb shades it also affects how well they insulate, because a shade fitted close to the glass works better than one standing off it. We’ll advise per window when we measure.
Can I mix them with a roller blind on the same window?
You can, and some people do on very bright windows. It’s usually simpler to choose the right fabric for the room instead — we’ll talk through it.
Next step
Call +1 902-314-0877, email [email protected], or request a consultation and we’ll bring samples.
Serving Charlottetown, Stratford, Cornwall, Summerside and communities across Prince Edward Island.