Hear from Our Customers
Your AC stops running nonstop. That’s the first thing you notice.
When you install outdoor roller shades on your patio or exterior windows, you’re stopping solar heat before it ever reaches the glass. That means your home stays cooler without cranking the thermostat down to 68 and watching your electric bill climb past $300 in July. In Brentwood, where summer temps regularly hit the mid-90s and AC can account for 50-70% of your monthly energy costs, exterior window blinds create a buffer that actually works.
Your outdoor space becomes usable again. No more abandoning the patio at 10 a.m. because the sun turns it into a griddle. Outdoor shade blinds with 97% UV protection let you sit outside during the day without squinting or sweating through your shirt. You can host weekend lunches, let the kids play outside past breakfast, or just drink your coffee in peace.
And your furniture stops fading. UV damage doesn’t just hit your skin—it destroys outdoor cushions, indoor rugs, and anything near a west-facing window. Blackout roller shades or high-grade outdoor patio blinds act as a shield, keeping your stuff looking newer for longer.
We’ve been working in the Austin area since we started, and we’ve seen what happens when exterior roller shades are done right versus done cheap. We focus on custom outdoor roller shades that fit your exact window dimensions, patio layout, and how you actually use your home.
We’re not a national franchise. We’re local to Texas, we use Texas-made products when possible, and we understand what Brentwood homeowners are dealing with—older bungalow-style homes with big windows, high cooling costs, and outdoor spaces that sit empty half the year because of the heat.
You’ll work with installers who’ve done this for years, not a rotating crew learning on your house. We measure, we mount, we test the motorization if that’s what you’re adding, and we make sure it works before we leave.
You reach out, and we schedule a time to come see your space. We’re looking at window size, sun exposure, what direction your patio faces, and whether you want manual or motorized outdoor roller shades. This isn’t a sales pitch—it’s a measurement appointment so we can give you an accurate quote.
Once you approve the quote, we order your custom exterior roller shades. These aren’t stock sizes. They’re built to your specs, using shade fabric that’s designed to handle Texas sun and wind without warping or tearing. Most orders take a couple weeks to fabricate.
When your shades arrive, we come back and install them. For motorized setups, we mount the motor housing, run the wiring if needed, and sync it to your remote or smart home system. For manual outdoor patio blinds, we install the crank or pull mechanism and make sure it operates smoothly. The install usually takes a few hours depending on how many windows or how large the patio coverage is.
After install, we walk you through how to use them, what to do if something feels off, and how to clean the fabric. Then you’re set.
Ready to get started?
You’re getting shade fabric rated for outdoor use—UV-resistant, weather-resistant, and available in different opacity levels depending on whether you want full blackout or filtered light. Most of our Brentwood clients go with 90-97% solar shades because they block heat and glare but still let you see outside.
You’re getting custom dimensions. Brentwood homes were mostly built in the 1960s and 70s, and window sizes vary. We measure each opening so your outdoor roller shades fit flush and actually block the sun instead of leaving gaps on the sides.
You’re getting a motorization option. If you want to control your exterior window blinds from your phone or voice assistant, we can set that up. Some systems even have solar panels that power the motor, so you’re not running new electrical lines. If you’d rather keep it simple, manual operation works just fine.
And you’re getting installation by people who know what they’re doing. We’ve handled enough outdoor shade projects in Texas to know how to mount them so they hold up in wind, how to angle them for maximum coverage, and how to integrate them with your existing setup if you’ve already got other shades or shutters.
It depends on how much sun hits your windows and how high you’re currently running your AC, but most homeowners see a noticeable drop. In Texas, air conditioning typically makes up 50-70% of your summer electric bill—sometimes more if you’ve got west-facing windows that bake all afternoon.
Exterior roller shades block solar heat before it enters your home, which means your AC doesn’t have to work as hard to maintain temperature. Some studies show exterior shading can cut cooling costs by up to 30%, though your actual savings will vary based on your home’s insulation, window quality, and thermostat settings.
What we hear most often from Brentwood clients is that their AC cycles less during peak heat hours and their monthly bills drop by $40 to $80 in July and August. That adds up over a summer, and the shades keep working year after year.
Outdoor roller shades mount on the exterior of your home and stop heat and UV rays before they hit the glass. Blackout blinds for windows mount inside and block light, but the heat has already passed through the window by that point. Both reduce glare, but only exterior shades reduce the actual heat load on your home.
If your main goal is energy savings and keeping your patio or indoor rooms cooler, outdoor roller shades are the better option. They act as a first line of defense and can lower the surface temperature of your windows by a significant margin.
If you’re trying to darken a bedroom or media room and heat isn’t the main issue, blackout roller shades installed inside work great. A lot of our Brentwood clients end up doing both—exterior shades on sun-facing windows and patios, and blackout shades inside bedrooms for sleep quality.
Yes, if they’re installed correctly and built for outdoor use. The motors are sealed to protect against moisture, and the fabric itself is designed to handle UV exposure, wind, and temperature swings without breaking down.
That said, you don’t want to leave them down during a storm or high winds. Most motorized systems come with wind sensors that automatically retract the shades if gusts get too strong, but it’s still smart to bring them up if you know severe weather is coming.
We use outdoor-rated motors and mounting hardware that’s built to last in climates like ours. The systems we install in Brentwood have been running for years without issues, as long as they’re used as intended. If a motor does fail, most come with a warranty that covers replacement parts and labor.
Absolutely. That’s one of the main reasons people choose solar shades over blackout options. Solar shades are rated by openness percentage—usually anywhere from 3% to 10%—which tells you how much light and visibility they allow through.
A 5% openness shade blocks about 95% of UV rays and heat but still lets you see outside during the day. You lose some clarity compared to an unobstructed view, but you’re not staring at a solid wall of fabric. It’s a good middle ground if you want heat protection without feeling closed in.
If you want maximum heat blocking and don’t care about the view, you can go with a tighter weave or a blackout fabric. We usually recommend walking through fabric samples in person so you can see the difference in light filtration and visibility before deciding.
For a typical patio or a few exterior windows, installation usually takes two to four hours. If you’re covering a large outdoor area or adding motorization with smart home integration, it might take longer—closer to a half day.
The timeline also depends on whether we’re mounting to brick, stucco, or wood, and whether we need to run any wiring for motorized setups. Most Brentwood homes are single-story bungalows, which makes the install straightforward since we’re not dealing with multi-story access or complicated angles.
The bigger time factor is the fabrication. Once you approve the quote, your custom outdoor roller shades take about two to three weeks to build. We don’t keep stock sizes because every install is different, and custom fit is what makes these shades work properly. After they arrive, we schedule your install and get them up as quickly as possible.
If your interior blinds aren’t keeping your home cool or your energy bills are still high, then yes—exterior shades make a big difference. Interior blinds block light and provide privacy, but they don’t stop heat. By the time sunlight reaches your interior blinds, it’s already passed through the glass and started warming up your room.
Exterior roller shades intercept that heat outside, which is why they’re so much more effective for temperature control. You’ll still get use out of your interior blinds for privacy and light control at night, but the exterior shades handle the heavy lifting during the day.
A lot of our Brentwood clients keep both. They use outdoor roller shades on patios and sun-facing windows where heat is the main problem, and they keep their indoor blinds or shutters for bedrooms and front-facing windows where privacy matters more. It’s not an either-or situation—they serve different purposes and work well together.
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