Solar Screens for a Massage Room in the Ritz-Carlton Building in White Plains, NY

A massage room above downtown White Plains

Solar screens for a massage room in the Ritz-Carlton Building in White Plains, NY: this quiet treatment room sits high above downtown, behind a wall of floor-to-ceiling glass. The view over the city is part of the room. The sun that comes with it was the problem, bringing harsh light and heat into a space that is meant to feel quiet and cool. Clients come here to relax, and the room itself needed to hold that feeling through the brightest hours of the day.

With tall glass and an open view, the usual fixes all had a cost. A heavier shade would block the light but also the skyline. A bare window kept the view but left the room hot and glaring by early afternoon. The space needed something in between: steady shade from the sun, with daylight and the city still present.

Solar screens for heat and glare

Solar screens were the right answer. Westchester Window Fashions chose solar screens in a soft white fabric, one for each section of the window wall. The open weave cuts the glare and much of the heat that builds up behind the glass, while daylight still fills the room. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, well-chosen window coverings can meaningfully reduce the heat that comes through windows, which matters on a wall of glass like this one.

The openness of the weave was chosen for this window wall: tight enough to take the heat and glare off the room, open enough that the view stays readable through the fabric. At this height, with sun for much of the afternoon, that balance is what makes the difference between a room you shield and a room you keep.

Daylight still does the work of lighting the room, so lamps stay off through the afternoon. The white fabric sits quietly against the pale walls and ceiling. From inside, the screens read as a light filter rather than a covering: the room keeps its height, its view, and its soft, even tone.

The screens roll up neatly under the ceiling when they are not needed, disappearing completely above the glass. Lowered, they turn the bright glass into an even, gentle light, and the outline of the city stays visible through the fabric. On a bright day the change is immediate: the harsh edge comes off the sun, the floor stops throwing glare, and the room settles. The controls are simple, and the screens move quietly, which suits a room built around calm.

Calm light for a quiet room

The finished room stays bright without the harsh sun, and it holds a more comfortable temperature through the day. The massage table, the floor, and the walls all hold a steady, soft light instead of shifting with every passing cloud.

The screens also protect the room itself. Upholstery, flooring, and wall finishes in direct sun fade over time; filtering the light at the glass slows that down and keeps the pale palette true.

For homes and buildings in White Plains and across Westchester County, solar screens are a simple way to soften heat and light on large windows without giving up the view. Every window was measured on site, and the screens were sized to fall neatly within the frames, so nothing crowds the glass. To see more of our work or plan your own project, call Westchester Window Fashions at 914-685-9336.