A honeycomb shade is a pleated fabric folded into hexagonal cells that run the width of the window. Each cell holds a pocket of still air, and still air is one of the better insulators available, which is why this is the most energy-efficient window treatment you can buy.
How the insulation works
A window is the weakest thermal point in almost any wall. Even good double glazing loses heat far faster than the insulated framing around it, and on a Colorado January night that loss runs continuously.
The cells address it by adding a captive air layer against the glass. Because each cell is closed at the sides, the air inside cannot circulate and carry heat away, it just sits there resisting conduction. A second row of cells adds another air layer and another step of resistance.
The gain depends entirely on fit. A shade with a half-inch gap at each side lets room air convect down the glass and around it, bypassing the insulation completely. On this product, fit is the performance, which is why measuring properly matters more here than on almost anything else.
Single, double or triple cell
- Single cell: one row. Lighter, stacks smaller, less expensive, and the cell structure is more visible when backlit.
- Double cell, two rows. Noticeably better insulation and a finer cell size. This is what we specify most often for Colorado Springs bedrooms and north-facing rooms.
- Triple cell, three rows. The most insulating configuration available, worth considering for a room that has always been cold or a home at higher elevation like Woodland Park or Palmer Lake.
Cell size interacts with this. A 3/8-inch cell gives a fine, tailored texture and a compact stack; a 3/4-inch cell has more presence and, in a single-cell shade, more trapped air. On a tall window a larger cell usually looks better proportioned.
Light control options
Honeycomb fabrics run the full range. Sheer cells glow and give soft daytime privacy. Light filtering is the most common choice. Room darkening uses a denser fabric, and blackout adds an opaque liner inside the cells themselves.
Blackout honeycomb is a genuinely good bedroom product because the liner is concealed within the cell structure: you get insulation and darkness in one shade, and from inside the room it looks identical to a light-filtering version.
One detail: on some cordless designs the pinholes where lift cords pass through show as small points of light. If total darkness is the requirement, ask for a design without through-cords, which eliminates them.
Top-down bottom-up
This option lets the shade open from the top as well as the bottom, so you can bring daylight in through the upper window while the lower half stays covered.
It solves a very common problem (a street-facing room where you want light but not an audience) and it is the best way to keep a mountain view usable while blocking low afternoon sun. Drop the top rail to keep the sky and peak visible, raise the bottom to cut glare at eye level.
It costs modestly more and it is the option customers thank us for most often.
Common questions
- What is the difference between cellular and honeycomb shades?
- Nothing, two names for the same product. 'Cellular' describes the structure, 'honeycomb' describes what the cells look like in cross-section. Manufacturers use both terms, sometimes in the same catalogue.
- Do honeycomb shades really reduce energy bills?
- They measurably slow heat transfer through the glass, working in both directions, holding heat in overnight in winter and keeping solar heat out in summer. The size of the saving depends on how much glass you have, its orientation, and how snugly the shades fit.
- Can honeycomb shades cover a patio door?
- Yes, in a vertical configuration where the cells run vertically and the shade stacks to one side. It is one of the better patio door solutions in a cold climate, because it insulates a large area of glass that is otherwise a significant heat loss point.
