5 benefits of power screens for glazed living - Grand Designs Magazine

5 benefits of power screens for glazed living

Are you finding your bifolding doors lack privacy, heat up your living area far too much or just let in too much light? We round up the advantages of installing mesh power screens instead of traditional blinds or curtains so you can enjoy all the advantages of having glass surround windows and doors.

By Jenny Mcfarlane |

Too much light, heat and lack of privacy are just some of the concerns house owners face after they install large glass surrounds. Enjoy your glazed living area again with the benefits of power screens by Phantom Screens.

SPONSORED

phantom screens large power screen in a modern open plan living area with black sofas, minimalist decor

Image: Phantom Screens

Big glass doors and oversized openings are the 21st Century home-development zeitgeist. This year, we’re falling in love with the ever-growing range of bifold and sliding doors, and building longer relationships with our homes. In short, if we’re not building from scratch, we’re improving our homes – and loving it.

The visual impact of very large glass doors is delivering on expectations, but the consequent gain in light, heat, bugs (and onlookers), has taken some renovators and self-builders by surprise. Phantom Screens says the solution could be screens; more specifically, hi-tech mesh power screens – fit for 21st Century homes.

Here are their top five advantages to including power screens in your renovation or build plans.

Retain Clean Architectural Lines

Having invested in a build project, we want to enjoy clean, open architecture and are reluctant to compromise the look with bulky curtain fabric. Retractable, fully recessed screens don’t impact on architectural design; they simply disappear from view when not in use.

This means homeowners can maximise every inch of available light with no distraction from architectural lines. Further subtlety is created by drop bars and frames that match any RAL colour to blend seamlessly with existing door colour palettes. Phantom Screens is the only UK company currently offering a recessed, four-sided zipped screen up to 12m wide in a single span to meet the demands of contemporary architecture.

Too much light, heat and lack of privacy are just some of the concerns house owners face after they install large glass surrounds. Enjoy your glazed living area again with the benefits of power screens by Phantom Screens.

SPONSORED

phantom screens large power screen in a modern open plan living area with black sofas, minimalist decor

Image: Phantom Screens

Big glass doors and oversized openings are the 21st Century home-development zeitgeist. This year, we’re falling in love with the ever-growing range of bifold and sliding doors, and building longer relationships with our homes. In short, if we’re not building from scratch, we’re improving our homes – and loving it.

The visual impact of very large glass doors is delivering on expectations, but the consequent gain in light, heat, bugs (and onlookers), has taken some renovators and self-builders by surprise. Phantom Screens says the solution could be screens; more specifically, hi-tech mesh power screens – fit for 21st Century homes.

Here are their top five advantages to including power screens in your renovation or build plans.

Retain Clean Architectural Lines

Having invested in a build project, we want to enjoy clean, open architecture and are reluctant to compromise the look with bulky curtain fabric. Retractable, fully recessed screens don’t impact on architectural design; they simply disappear from view when not in use.

This means homeowners can maximise every inch of available light with no distraction from architectural lines. Further subtlety is created by drop bars and frames that match any RAL colour to blend seamlessly with existing door colour palettes. Phantom Screens is the only UK company currently offering a recessed, four-sided zipped screen up to 12m wide in a single span to meet the demands of contemporary architecture.

Image: Phantom Screens

Improve Internal Environment & Save Energy

phantom screens' brise soleil installed in a house with a sunny garden to save energy

Image: Phantom Screens

There’s little doubt that large volumes of glass will help extend the warmth of the summer months by increasing the internal temperature. Being able to enjoy fresh air in the height of summer – without letting the bugs in or obliterating the views – has got to be an advantage.

The solar management feature of performance mesh contributes to energy saving by reducing the requirement for HVAC cooling systems in the summer. Building standards dictate that architects calculate the heating, cooling and lighting performance of a building during the design phase.

When included in these calculations, screen fabric can contribute significantly to the building’s overall performance rating. Hi-tech mesh fabrics provide a variety of solutions depending on need; from insect control at around 50% openness, to privacy control at around 5% open.

Link to Home Automation

Automated, remote-control power screens can be linked to home automation systems with optional sun and wind detectors to adjust screen position.

When connected to a light sensor, they can self-adjust depending on the time of year and on daily sunlight levels. When the sun reaches a certain level of brightness, the screens will automatically close, maintaining a consistent light level and helping to manage temperature gain.

Add Privacy Without the Bulk of Curtains

Internal and external views of Phantom Screens on a house's large glass surrounds which create privacy

Image: Phantom Screens

Screens offer a great one-way privacy solution. Most of us are not completely comfortable with passers-by observing every aspect of our daily routines.

And with large doors and windows, more of our daily routines are on show than ever before. No one wants to see the return of net curtains, and blinds are rarely available in the widths needed to seamlessly screen large openings.

Keep Views to the Outside

Screen fabrics reduce glare and diffuse the light but retain views to the outside so you keep the feeling of openness and the connections with exterior landscape. Solar screens block up to 97% of harmful UV rays, so they not only protect your skin, but your furniture, rugs and other furnishings too.

Different coloured mesh achieves different effects too. Dark mesh allows you to see through and focus on the landscape beyond; this is because dark mesh reflects less light and glare. Light colour mesh reflects light back towards you making it harder to see what’s on the other side of the screen; consequently, light mesh works well as an internal blind/screen solution.

When we install large glass doors, we want to connect inside and outside spaces. Keeping the views intact with screens makes perfect sense to us.

 

Phantom Screens can be recessed at build stage or fitted after doors are installed – inside or outside – depending on requirements. Visit their official website to learn more. 

 

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Do you have large bi-folding doors? If so, what are your main gripes with them? Tweet us @granddesignsmag or post a comment on our Facebook page. 

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