Try Zebra Shades for Modern Window Design
There's a window covering that lets you dial privacy up or down, without ever raising the shade—like blinds. Zebra shades pull this functionality off with a clever bit of engineering, and they've become one an often-requested product in 2026.
If you've seen them called banded shades, dual shades, or zebra blinds, they’re all describing the same thing. At SunGard Window Fashions, we showcase Hunter Douglas Designer Banded Shades in our Bloomington and Peoria showrooms, and here's why they're worth a look.
How Zebra Shades Work
Imagine a roller shade: a minimalist shade that’s made of one continuous loop of fabric. Designer Banded Shades have a similar structure, except with alternating stripes of solid and sheer fabric bands. That fabric panel runs on a roller, and moving it shifts how those two layers line up. Line the sheer bands up with each other, and light filters through while you keep your view. Shift the fabric so the solid bands overlap the sheers, and you've got privacy. Like blinds, you're adjusting light and privacy without ever having to change the height of the shade.
Why Homeowners Like the Look
Zebra window shades look both modern and approachable. With Hunter Douglas Designer Banded Shades, you can choose the classic look of horizontal banding to give a window some architectural interest, and keep the overall profile flat and clean. You can also choose geometric cutouts that may add movement and texture to contemporary interiors. You’ll find a wide range of colors, plus two band heights depending on how much view-through you want. We offer opacity options as well, so with many ways to customize, Designer Banded Shade can look different in a bedroom and a living room with different results.
Where They Work Best
Any window that you’d add blinds can hold banded zebra shades. Living rooms are the most obvious fit for when you want daylight during the day and privacy at night without the need for a drapery layer. They work well in home offices, too, cutting out dreaded glare without darkening the room.
But it’s on street-facing windows where they might earn their keep the most. Front rooms in Bloomington and Peoria neighborhoods often sit close to the road or a sidewalk, and banded shades offer privacy from passersby while keeping the room bright. The same goes for a bathroom or a dining room facing a neighbor's house.
Operating Options
A beaded loop is the standard for operating zebra blinds, but you’ve got options. The UltraGlide® retractable wand eliminates cords, offering a cleaner look and added safety in homes with young kids or pets. For the ultimate in convenience, PowerView® Automation lets you set schedules or adjust from your phone, remote, or a voice command.
See Them in Person
Photos don't quite capture how these work. Watching the bands slide past each other and seeing a room shift from bright to private is what makes them click for most people.
Stop by our
Bloomington or
Peoria showroom and try them yourself. SunGard Window Fashions has been family-owned in Central Illinois since 1973, and our team will measure, order, and install everything for you. Schedule a complimentary consultation, and let's find the right fit for your windows.
