Cut screen glare, improve video call lighting and keep your home office comfortable with the right window blinds. Practical recommendations for remote workers in the GTA.
Introduction
Working from home is here to stay for millions of Canadians. Over 4 million now work from home at least part of the week, and that number keeps growing. But most home offices still have the same window treatments they had before becoming workspaces. That costs you productivity.
Glare on your monitor, bad lighting during video calls, rooms that overheat in the afternoon sun: these are all fixable. The right window treatment doesn't just block light. It manages light so your home office works as well as a proper commercial space.
The glare problem
Why glare kills productivity
Screen glare causes:
Where glare comes from
Knowing your light sources helps you pick the right solution:
The desk position test
Before choosing blinds, check your desk setup:
1. Screen facing window: Maximum glare risk. You need blinds that block or heavily filter light.
2. Screen perpendicular to window: Moderate glare. Light filtering with adjustability works well.
3. Screen with back to window: Minimal screen glare, but you become a silhouette on video calls.
The ideal position is screen perpendicular to the window, with blinds that can be adjusted throughout the day.
Best window treatments for home offices
1. Zebra blinds (our top pick)
Zebra blinds are built for exactly the kind of light control a home office needs.
Why they excel for home offices:
Best positions: East or west-facing windows where light intensity changes dramatically throughout the day.
2. Light-filtering roller blinds
If your home office faces north or is already fairly shaded, light-filtering rollers are great value.
Why they work:
Best for: North-facing offices, rooms with indirect light, and budget-conscious setups.
3. Dual roller blinds (sheer + blackout)
The best option for offices that double as other rooms or need maximum flexibility.
Setup: Two rollers on a single bracket. A sheer roller for normal days and a blackout roller for presentations, intense screen work, or when the room becomes a bedroom.
Why they work for multi-use spaces:
4. Motorized blinds with scheduling
If you want to take it further, motorized blinds remove one more distraction from your day.
The remote comes standard; the scheduling and voice features below run through the optional wifi hub.
Features that boost productivity:
Video call lighting guide
The lighting problem on calls
Your window is either your best friend or worst enemy on video calls:
Optimal setup
Here's what good video call lighting looks like with blinds:
1. Position your desk so a window is to one side (45 degrees from your face)
2. Set zebra blinds to sheer mode for soft, diffused natural light
3. Add a small desk lamp on the opposite side to fill shadows
4. Keep the background wall evenly lit (no hot spots from direct sun)
Blind settings for common video platforms
| Platform | Recommended Blind Setting |
|---|---|
| Zoom/Teams (camera on) | Zebra: sheer position, or roller at 50% |
| Screen sharing only | Fully closed to reduce screen glare |
| Recording/presenting | Blackout + artificial lighting for consistency |
| Audio-only calls | Open for natural light and mood |
Room temperature and comfort
The afternoon oven problem
West-facing home offices in the GTA get uncomfortably warm between 2 PM and 6 PM from June through August, and past the mid-20s a room stops being somewhere you can concentrate.
Solutions by blind type:
Winter considerations
In Canadian winters, windows lose a lot of heat. The right blinds help:
UV protection for your equipment
UV light doesn't just fade furniture. It also works on the rest of your home office:
UV-filtering blinds block 95-99% of harmful UV rays while still letting visible light through. This matters most for south and west-facing offices.
Choosing by window orientation
North-facing office
East-facing office
South-facing office
West-facing office
Budget-friendly upgrades that still help
If a full window treatment upgrade isn't in the budget, these smaller changes still make a difference:
1. Reposition your desk so your screen is perpendicular to the window (free)
2. Add a monitor hood or anti-glare screen ($30-80)
3. Swap curtains for a basic roller blind (from $80 per window)
4. Add solar film to the glass as a supplement to existing blinds ($50-150 per window)
Free home office consultation
Your home office should work for you, not against you. We offer free in-home consultations where we:
Contact us today:
Your most productive home office starts with the right light.
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About the Author
Sarah Mitchell
Window Treatment Specialist
Sarah Mitchell is a window treatment specialist with over 30 years of experience in the window coverings industry. As part of the Blinds Planet family legacy since 1992, she helps homeowners select, customize, and install the perfect blinds for their spaces.
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