Zebra shades that let you choose the light, all day

How they work

The fabric runs in a loop, front and back. When the sheer bands on both layers line up, you get soft, filtered daylight and some view. Lower the shade a few inches and the solid bands slide over the sheer ones, closing the window for privacy.

Where they fit best

• Living rooms — open in the morning, closed in the afternoon sun, without raising the whole shade.
• Street-facing windows — daylight without people seeing straight in.
• Home offices — cut screen glare but keep the room bright.

For a room that has to be completely dark, a zebra shade is the wrong choice. Use ablackout shade there.

Manual or motorized

A chain or cordless lift works well on most windows. On tall windows or a room full of them, motorize them: one button sets every zebra shade in the room to the same band position.