I would match the Serena Roller Shades for the lower windows, to keep the design cohesive.

In the photo below, are our own brand, EcoSmart Solar Shades.

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I think the HD ones only come in honeycomb? we prefer the look of the roller shades

13 big windows, 2 doors, and 11 small windows. Putting roller shades in nearly doubles the price for such a small surface area

How about this: use light-colored solar shades (no blackout needed) on the large living/dining room windows, leaving the small windows uncovered.* For the bedrooms, use light-colored blackout cellular shades on all windows. With an inside mounts, the cellular shades would be almost invisible when they were open because the "stacks" would be short therefore nearly all the glass would be visible.

*You could add solar shades to the lower windows later if you decided they were really needed.

-- amateur

I think I've got it figured out. Will do Serena black outs over the 10 main window areas with an outside above frame mount blackout. And then a manual roller blind or honeycomb inside mount to provide the solar shade at 1 or 4%.

I find myself agreeing with wdccruise. Why do you need blackout shades in a living area? Will outside mount shades provide the light control you need? Or will light bleed out the sides?

Aesthetically, I'd prefer inside mount, and outside mount only if there was no room for inside mount.

Have you considered curtains that have automation? It looks like you have room to stack them. In fact, that's what I think I'd prefer, with window film.

We did consider the curtains with automation, but I think they are even more expensive?

The downtown plan has a 5 story apartment building going up to the left side of our living area. If it's built as planned, we are thinking we will need the blackout blinds.

Doing the outside mount with the blackouts would allow us to do the solar shades (manual) inside mount as you and wdccruise have suggested.

Not an ideal situation to need double blinds, but seems the best solution at the moment.

Our best guess on usage would be that we never raise the solar shades and use the automation to raise and lower the blackouts for privacy.

You are sacrificing the aesthetics of simple, inside-mount solar shades and cellular shades for those gee-wize, "look ma no hands" automated shades. Do you really want outside-mount shades with a massive headers that looks like this on every window just to not have to raise and lower the shades by hand? Notice that Lutron shows its roller shades with inside mounts in all its gallery pictures to hide how large the headers are.

You do not need blackout blinds in the living room and dining room, only in the bedrooms for sleeping. Neighbors in the new apartment building will not care what you are doing in your apartment and will not be sitting in their apartments looking in your windows. We all think that everybody is staring at us and interested in what we do; they aren't. Read about the spotlight effect.

I'm not too concerned with the header. This is a different look, but it doesn't bother us too much.

Living room needs blackout as the TV will on the wall to the right where a lot of light hits.

Main reason for automation is so we don't have to walk around the house in the morning and evening opening and closing 8 blinds. Will be nice either to schedule or hit a single button to raise and lower them. Plus the nerd factor of voice control

The cleaning and the look of cellular shades are the downsides for us. They will be cheaper and provide the best light control, so I agree that they would meet some of our aims

You have beautiful windows and views, and it looks like quite a bit of privacy. Why not use drapes in some the the areas instead? You can encompass the two larger windows and two lower windows with one set of drapes, so it is functionally easy, and it would also soften the hard angular spaces. If you like more privacy, combine sheers with blackout drapes.

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If you're using shades, in the living areas solar shades may give you all the privacy you need. You can mount one shade to encompass the wall of windows.

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Trying to avoid drapes, but looking into light filtering shades for some areas as you and others have suggested.

Drapes don't have to look traditional.

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following

He may not have space for drapes that when open would leave the windows fully uncovered.

Those drapes are really nice, I'd have to think how we could achieve the hidden rail look

wdccruise, you're correct in the bedrooms we wouldn't have enough wall space for the drapes. Downstairs likely would be ok

Quick update, wife wants blind light control in all bedrooms. So currently looking at walnut color wood blinds with 2" slats, cordless in all the bedrooms.

Then 5 Lutron light filtering roller shades in the dining/living space. Any recommendations for wood blind suppliers?

Are you doing all individual windows with interior mounts in the bedrooms, or thinking of exterior mounted for the windows combined? Wood blinds are very heavy, and will have a huge stack at the top when fully up. Just something to consider. Maybe you're planning to keep them down all the time, but you will lose a lot of light that way. Have you thought about top down bottom up blinds for the bedroom, to keep some light but still have privacy?

Top down, bottom up Silhouette. Privacy with a view. · More Info

There is no need to spend that much money on the bottom part of the window just to get it matched. I don't know what the size of your roller shade is but for example 47 x 71 is $371 and the small one below at 47 x 31 is $270. From here you could motorize the top one and manual the bottom one...

Contact us at www.PleatedBlindsStore.com

Decided to go with Budget Blinds for wood 2.5" slats for everywhere except the living/dining area. Really happy with the result. We will add some built in cabinets above the desks in the future as well.

Light filtering Lutrons going into the dining/living area in a week

Roller shades have been installed. Thank you to all for the advice, the light filtering worked out really well. So glad we didn't do black outs.

Top left is with venetians closed, bottom left is with venetians open.

Middle and bottom right are with the shades down.

I would not do drapery. You have a lot of room for inside mount, roller shade, cellular shade etc.