Ha. Well, that’s not a problem.

We have the Hunter Douglas Duettes that are top down/bottom up shades and really like them. I think they are a little more opaque than the silhouette. When I pull from the top down it is the opaque shade. When it is pulled up it is totally private. Or I can pull both shades (made as one piece) up to see the window pane. Mine are an off white and you do know if its daylight or night, but very private when closed. Hope that isn't too confusing. You can go to HD site and see examples as well as in stores that sell them.

And speaking of destruction by pets, here are my brother’s draperies redesigned by his cockatoo. Replacements cost $3k. Doesnt the bird look proud of himself?

Still interested in hearing about Silhouettes.

Lizbeth, are your shades half cellular and half sheers? Hadnt thought of that.

OMG, Ded, that would make me sick!

Lizbeth, this is only one example of what he’s destroyed over the years, like almost an entire fireplace mantel. Id have wrung his skinny neck by now, bit my brother likes him. Good thing because they live to be like 1000 years old.

I will have to see if I can find the paperwork to see what they are actually called, but I think just duettes. They are honeycombs with a shade inside a shade, so you can have total privacy, totally pulled up (open) with window exposed or the one shade up that gives privacy in the daytime, but you can see out. Silhouettes would probably fill your needs, but we have very close neighbors and wanted the up/down option, too, for the days we want full on sunshine and privacy, too.

ETA: there are duettes that don't have the second shade, so these must have another name.

I'd do some research about bugs getting trapped in them and staining them. I don't know if it's a real problem or just something that I saw once or twice that stuck in my head.

I had TDBU pleated shades. LOVED them on the street side! I had both name-brands. The window faced west, in hot SETX sun, and the glue that held the cells together eventually discolored and broke down. We owned the house for 14 years, and I no longer remember the timeline, but they were very good shades for quite a while!

Except for the cat issue I am very happy with my Silhouettes. I love the look and they have held up well.

In our first house, I had them in our living room. I knew nothing, but I liked the look. This was 1981. I know they've come a long way but my recollection is that they did get soiled ( I do recall a bug or two) and there really was not way to clean them.

Since then I have put in blinds which I love. I have replaced most of the shades with the blinds. In our bedroom which faces WEST we do still have the shades as I think they block out more of the sun than blinds would, but I dislike not being able to see out unless they are raised.

I didnt realize that they now have the option of the second layer. I might consider them.

I do need privacy butit's more a question of trying to keep out som eof the roasting sun in our bedroom.....one of those things one really wouldn't be able to foresee. I've been in other west facing rooms but this one ( of course the one we sleep in) is always like 5 degrees warmer than the rest of the house.

I'd go and look at them. The silhouettes look to be updated venetian blinds in that they work much the same way with slats that you rotate. I have the honeycomb duettes. They are great for insulation, the fold up out of the way nicely, but mine are not room darkening. They're in the kitchen/fr, so I didn't want room darkening....not sure what they offer in that regard.

You might want to consider the shades that have 2 different shades in one ... one for darkness and one for privacy ... like this one from the shade store...

Or you might consider a combo of window treatments to get both functions...shade for daytime privacy/drape for nighttime darkness...cafe curtain for privacy/room darkening shade for nighttime....

I've not seen it, but there's no reason one can't have 2 separate shades...one inside mount, one outside mount....one for light control...one for privacy... like maybe a room darkening roller shade inside and an outside mount light filtering shade for day....

You might also consider a window film for privacy and use the shade for room darkening...

Right now i have light filtering roller shades inside the window frame and cloth roman shades that are mounted above the window frame. Unfortunately, the roman shade allows a lot of light to come in along the sides since itprotrudes beyond the frame. The window alongside mmy bed lets the light hit right in my eyes.

i’ll look into your other suggestions.

I sleep with eye mask on as there's still a lot of light in my room from the alarm system pad, the cable box, etc. So that's an alternative too.

Yes, i use an eye mask sometimes . I wish it would automatically pop off at dawn!

I have them at two of my houses. I like them. We don't pull the blinds for sleeping so I can't speak to that. They do get bugs inside of them. We have a couple bugs inside of ours and so far I've just ignored it as I haven't figured out a good way to clean them out of there though I'm sure it can be done. They are perfect for letting in filtered light but blocking the view. We have a detached townhome (aka villa) and look right out at the neighbors on one side. Those blinds are always closed - nice light but we don't have to look at their house. At our new house in SC they even put this type of blind in the garage - what a dumb thing to do. Those are loaded with bugs.

Thanks, 3katz. I have heard that bugs like living in them. Same with cellular blnds, which i have. I imagine they are like a semi sheer curtain when the vanes are level and i hope they are room darkening when the vanes are closed.

We have a Shade Store nearby so i may go in there to look although id rather use my usual window treatment prrson. He does not have a showroom.