Solar film will void any warranty that came with the windows. Solar shades that are cordless and have a remote control; they'll cost a bundle but you'll be done. You might also look into a product to protect floors and furniture in that sunny part of the house.

I wonder if you could erect an arbor outside to filter light but not create a daily hassle of raising and lowering shades. Might be worth considering.

Solar shades will be perfect for this type of windows. Yes the motorized ones are better but on the expensive side.

Motorized shades. You can motorize almost a limitless selection of coverings. You can even motorize sheers. The solution won't be inexpensive........if well done : )

Consult a local window treatment store near you. Not the big boxes. Do it once and right.

The motorized shades is the best idea, and the most expensive. But @Jan Moyer’s last sentence says it all.

I agree motorized solar shades .BTW you can even hav them on a timer so they open and close whenever you want.

Thanks all for the advice. Yes, apparently solar film will void my window warranty. I contacted a local blind company and got a quote for solar shades. $4000 to cover either the four windows inside mount or two outside mount side-by side. Yikes. I recognize that this is the best option, but it's currently out of our budget. Has anyone used Blinds.com for something like this? I've purchased simple 2" blinds from them, but nothing this large and complex.

Any other suggestions? Sheers or some type of light-filtering drapery on a corded or motorized traverse rod? I'm an experienced seamstress, so I could make them myself, I realize that there's not enough room for stackback on the sides.

GORGEOUS SPACE!!
Maybe get some quotes on roller shades. Should be more affordable:)

Love that your experienced in this field and totally take advantage of that. But yes, there isn’t much space for curtains here. Make some for your bedroom or something
💖💖

Since motorized solar shades are out of the budget, I would look into shades for the bottom two windows only, non-motorized and inside-mount.

Motorize the upper with a cell shade. Skip the bottom motor. You will get what you pay for with any treatment. The longer you wait, the higher that price shall be.

THE TOP IS ACTUALLY where the blinding light comes from in the heat of summer. In winter? It's the lower portion. High sun in a summer sky?? The worst.

I can tell just by looking at your move in pic where the real culprit is. ....and where that sun is : )

Also.....................Light fixture over table is WAY too high. Lower to no more than 36 table top to bottom of light.

Jan is right. The space is lovely; like so many homes built today . Unfortunately the window treatments always seem to be an afterthought when they should be considered from the beginning of the design stage. It would be a shame to skimp on this now. Price out the shades from different companies; hire a window covering professional and do it in stages if you have .

BTW, yes you can do a motorized rod and do semi- shears on that window. The rod will be a special order and a professional install. If you go hardwire you will need to hire an electrician. You will loose some of your view of course. You can order double width semi- shear fabric but when all is said and done you may not save too much.

Would a brise soleil on the outside of this house be more effective over the long run?

A brise soleil would work if exterior would have spacing to allow proper attachment. But cost could be higher than interior solutions.

Very true Flo. They may not work well depending on one’s elevation either. Certainly a complicated fix and expensive! This solution may have been better if considered in the architects original design!

I just thought maybe as a home improvement it could be amortized along with the house somehow rather than window treatments which would be out of pocket.

They would only be amortized if part of original construction contract. I think they are well beyond that point. One of my pet peeves in new residential construction is the use and placement of windows. If planned and designed properly, you can control light, reduce energy costs and provide proper wall space for furnishings. A lot of designer time is spent and clients’ dollars go to remediating these issues.

Short term consider installing the temporary pleated painter shades

on the top windows, at least, to get a sense of how you'd feel about living with those windows covered all the time. The fabric ones do a reasonable job of approximating cellular shades. Most likely you'd need 4 of the 36" wide, which you can order for less than $50. total.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Redi-Shade-Cut-to-Size-White-Cordless-Light-Filtering-Privacy-Temporary-Shades-36-in-W-x-72-1062495/202617422#product-overview

You may find most of the time your view is directed out of the lower windows and you'd be content with fixed shades on top. Not "once and done" but an inexpensive test drive to inform your more expensive long term choice. Don't leave them up indefinitely, though, or they will be difficult to remove.

To go back to conventional drapery for a minute, which I am not necessarily promoting in this case, you would use a traverse rod with a pulley and the height would not matter because you would not be pulling on the drapery fabric itself. This is another simple mechanism that a lot of people seem to have forgotten exists. I see drapery that probably costs $X000s where you have to tug on the fabric to open and close.

90 and 42 and 18 inches for hems and headers and $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$. .

Trust me. Motorize cell shade on the top, use cord on the bottom. Do a decent Hunter Douglas, or wait until you can. The real answer is find an HD dealer near you and at least get an in home estimate including the install.

Or buy 144 inch sheers, a rod.........and since you have a 72 inch width??? You will need at least 6 panels for these to look good. You''ll be out about 100 bucks and a rod . Four will give you a filmy less glaring view, and leave them closed. There are exactly four left : ) in oyster white

https://www.overstock.com/cart?TID=0:PRODPG:TBnSH:TB:addtocart-1

Personally I think a motorized awning is a better choice. They are pricey, but they are worth it. Then you don't need to block the view and they are infinitely adjustable. I have them on a set of french doors in a bedroom that faces west and they work great. They've lasted for about 15 years.

Agree! IF NOT FOR THAT ADJACENT porch roof line............

As far as aesthetics go? or the functioning of the awning?

You all are incredible! It's like a masterclass in window coverings. And I agree with those who blame the builder. He insists these windows are too beautiful to cover up, which they are. But my furniture and flooring is too nice to destroy by the sun. This could have been resolved with some design tweaks.

A friend of mine also suggested motorized awnings, as Diana suggested. I think that would also work. Here are photos of the outside- we're on a slope, so there's a lot of foundation.

I'd like to say I see room for an awning...........not looking very good. Woe. Woe Woe.

All you can do is call and get someone out to look.