When you have beautiful windows overlooking your property, it’s only natural to want to put furniture in front of them to enjoy the views. But if those windows get lots of sunlight, you’ll quickly run into a problem: UV rays can and do lead to furniture damage, like sunlight fading the fabric.

Is it possible to put furniture in front of a window without that major downside? We’ll explore how you can protect your furniture from sunlight below.

Can you put a couch in front of a window? What about other furniture?

Your home, your rules! If you want to put a couch, armchair, or any other furniture in front of a window, go for it! But you should know that the position of your window relative to the sun will affect how susceptible that furniture is to UV damage.

If a given window is east or west-facing, sunlight will shine straight through that window for some part of the day (east in the morning and west in the evening). Depending on the kind of furniture you place in front of the window and whether it has been protected, you could be setting it up for several hours of straight sunlight exposure – which might lead to unintended furniture damage.

Why does UV light lead to furniture damage

Anyone who’s looked at a sofa beneath an east-facing window knows that sunlight fading occurs on furniture if it sits in direct sunlight for too long. But why does this happen?

In a nutshell, UV or ultraviolet rays emitted by the sun break down the chemical bonds in dyes and similar compounds. In fact, dyed textiles and painted wood are some of the most vulnerable substances to UV-related damage and degradation.

The more a piece of furniture is exposed to sunlight, the more UV rays it soaks up – and the more likely it is to experience color fading or bleaching. This is the same reason why certain patches of carpet or hardwood floors can also experience color changes if sunlight consistently shines on them in a single spot.

The smartest ways to put furniture in front of windows

On the bright side, you can take a few easy steps to protect your furniture from sun damage, even if it's sitting right in front of a big window.

1. Hang drapes or curtains

One of the easiest methods of furniture damage prevention is to simply place another barrier between your furniture and the sun. Drapes, curtains, or other window treatments can get the job done and dress up your windows to make them look better than ever at the same time! To make the most of this trick, choose thick, light-colored shades or curtains, which are less likely to fade compared to dark-colored curtains.

2. Rotate your furniture

Of course, you can also protect furniture from sun damage by rotating the furniture pieces in front of your various windows. For instance, if you have a favorite armchair in front of a big picture window, move it in front of a different window or out of direct sunlight entirely for a few weeks, then move it back.

Doing this will extend the color lifespan of your furniture pieces, though it's admittedly a bit of a chore (especially if your favorite home furniture is on the heavy side).

3. Pick light fabrics for furniture

Since UV rays have a bleaching effect on fabric and other surfaces, dark-colored fabrics are much more likely to show signs of too much sunlight soaking faster than light-colored fabrics. The solution? Pick furniture with light-colored fabric in shades like cream or white.

Lighter fabrics can still lose their colors over time, but any effect will be less noticeable overall. This is a great solution if you can't move your furniture out of the path of a specific window or hang drapes for one reason or another.

4. Seal or condition wood or leather furniture

What about high-quality wood or leather furniture pieces, like tables, chairs, and so on? In addition to using drapes or curtains, your best bet is to seal or condition those pieces to prevent them from gradual furniture damage.

For instance, wood furniture pieces can be sealed, which protects them from spills and UV radiation. As an extra bonus, sealing your wood furniture pieces can improve the aesthetic of the wood grain and make those pieces look better than before.

Leather furniture should be conditioned once or twice a year to prevent it from cracking, anyway. That's because the natural oil in leather furniture slowly evaporates as time goes on. Regularly conditioning your leather furniture pieces will make them comfortable and protect them from fading due to UV exposure.

5. Install energy-efficient windows

You can protect your furniture from the sun and improve your energy usage at the same time by installing energy-efficient windows. Many of the best energy-efficient windows have Low-E coatings, which reduce how much UV light gets through their glass panes. According to ENERGY STAR, properly designed windows with these coatings can reduce furniture fading by up to 75%.

Energy-efficient windows also keep your home comfortable and regulate its temperature, plus prevent ambient noise outside from getting inside. They’re cost-effective upgrades for more than one reason, and they are the perfect companion windows for cornerstone furniture pieces you don't want to move anywhere else.

Trust Window World for window installation

Energy-efficient windows are the overall best upgrades to make sure your furniture, carpet, or hardwood floors don’t degrade from constant UV light exposure. Fortunately, these windows are available in dozens of different styles and types, and you can find many of them at your local Window World.

At Window World, we can connect you to the best windows for your home and your interior décor ideas. Even better, we'll handle the installation to ensure your new windows are fitted perfectly from day one. Contact us or request a quote today to get started!