Can You Put Roller Shades Under Duettes?

Duette Shades

• Duette is a type of honeycomb shade made by the company Hunter Douglas. As the name “honeycomb” implies, each horizontal section of polyester fabric is constructed in the shape of a hexagonal cell when viewed from the side. This type of construction makes Duettes effective insulators while allowing for a wide range of opacity — you can choose from sheer, translucent or light-blocking fabric when ordering custom shades. Duettes can be installed with an inside mount or an outside mount, depending on the type of window you have. Inside-mounted shades fit within the window frame, while outside-mounted shades cover both the window and its frame.

Roller Shades

• Many off-the-rack roller shades commonly available in hardware stores are white or cream-colored, made of vinyl, vary in opacity from light filtering to room darkening and can be cut on the spot to your specifications. Custom roller shades come in a variety of colors, materials and sizes, ranging from vinyl of various hues to traditional printed fabric and natural woven linen. As with Duette honeycomb shades, you can install your roller shades using an inside mount or an outside mount. Traditionally, roller shades are mounted inside the window frame and hidden from view by outside-mounted draperies, valances or curtains.

Installation Options

• If you’d like to install roller and Duette shades on the same window, your most likely option is to mount the roller shade inside the window frame and mount the Duette shade directly onto the frame or above it, depending on the style of your window. If the window’s trim is wide and thick, you won’t be able to mount the Duette shade above it — rather, you’ll have to install it directly onto the top piece of molding. You can outside-mount the Duette shade to the wall above a frameless window and inside-mount the roller shade provided the window is recessed enough to accommodate it.

Considerations

• If your window is of standard depth and you already have an inside-mounted Duette honeycomb shade, you cannot hang a roller shade behind it without interfering with window function. In the event that your window casement is extra deep, you may be able to mount both shades inside the frame. In such a case, measure your window carefully to make sure it can accommodate both shades while allowing some amount of space between the two.

  Longer roller shades made from thicker materials tend to take up more space when rolled up. When not in use, consequently, long fabric shades may protrude slightly past the window encasement and obstruct the outside-mounted shade.