Cellular shades aren’t limited to one style or collection. Hunter Douglas offers several ways to bring the comfort and insulating design of cellular shades to your windows, from traditional honeycomb shades to a cellular shade with the clean operation of a roller.
If you’re comparing Duette® Honeycomb Shades, Applause® Honeycomb Shades, and Sonnette® Cellular Roller Shades, the right choice comes down to how much customization you want, the type of windows you’re covering, and the way you want your shades to operate. Let’s look at what these cellular shade collections have in common—and what makes each one different.
What Do Cellular Shades Have in Common?
Cellular shades are known for combining energy efficiency, light control, and clean design. Traditional honeycomb shades feature insulating air pockets that help reduce heat transfer at the window and maintain more consistent indoor temperatures throughout the year.
This makes cellular shades a popular choice for Northern California homes dealing with bright sun, heat gain, and seasonal temperature swings. Depending on the collection, you’ll also find light-filtering and room-darkening fabrics, privacy options, motorization, and solutions for different window types. Explore our energy-efficient window covering solutions to learn more about improving comfort at the window.
Comparing Hunter Douglas Cellular Shade Collections
Different cellular shade collections offer varying levels of insulation, fabric choices, operating styles, and specialty features. Understanding those differences can help you narrow down which option makes the most sense for your windows and lifestyle.
Duette® Honeycomb Shades: The Most Customizable
Duette® Honeycomb Shades are the premium cellular shade collection from Hunter Douglas. They offer the broadest range of fabrics, configurations, operating options, and specialty applications within the cellular shade family.
Duette is an excellent choice when energy efficiency is a priority or when your windows call for more advanced customization. Options are available for enhanced room darkening, dual shades, specialty-shaped windows, skylights, large windows, and sliding glass doors. If you want to explore features such as Architella®, LightLock™, Duolite®, and Vertiglide®, our Duette page takes a closer look at the complete collection.
Applause® Honeycomb Shades: Streamlined & Practical
Applause® Honeycomb Shades provide reliable insulation with a more streamlined selection of fabrics and options. They are a great choice for homeowners who want the comfort, light control, and clean appearance of a traditional honeycomb shade without needing the extensive customization available with Duette.
With both light-filtering and room-darkening possibilities, Applause makes it easy to customize everyday spaces while keeping the selection process straightforward.
Sonnette® Cellular Roller Shades: A Different Take on Cellular Design
Sonnette® Cellular Roller Shades offer a unique alternative by combining the simplicity of a roller shade with an insulating cellular design. Unlike traditional honeycomb shades that form visible pleats at the window, Sonnette shades have a softly curved appearance and roll smoothly into the headrail.
This makes Sonnette a great option if you prefer the clean, uncomplicated look of a roller shade but still want the comfort benefits associated with cellular construction. Sonnette can also be incorporated into select specialty solutions, including Aura® Illuminated Shades.
Duette vs. Applause: What’s the Difference?
Duette and Applause share the recognizable cellular construction that makes honeycomb shades popular for insulation, privacy, and light control, but the two collections are designed for different levels of customization.
Duette offers the broader selection of fabrics, configurations, and specialty features. It’s particularly well suited for homeowners who want advanced light control, premium customization, or solutions for challenging windows and doors. Applause simplifies the selection while retaining the clean cellular look and insulating design that make honeycomb shades so versatile.
If you have specialty windows, want advanced light-control features, or simply want the widest range of choices, start with Duette® Honeycomb Shades. If your priorities are straightforward light control, insulation, and a streamlined selection, Applause® Honeycomb Shades may be the better fit.
Traditional Cellular Shades vs. Cellular Roller Shades
One of the biggest differences among these collections is how the shade looks and operates at the window. Duette and Applause are traditional honeycomb shades. Their pleated cellular fabric raises and lowers at the window, creating the familiar honeycomb shade appearance.
Sonnette takes a different approach. Its cellular fabric combines the insulating concept of a cellular shade with the smooth operation and clean appearance of a roller shade. That makes it particularly appealing in contemporary spaces where you want cellular comfort without traditional pleats.
Consider How You’ll Use Your Cellular Shades
The collection is only part of the decision. Think about what you need your window treatments to accomplish throughout the day. Privacy, natural light, room darkening, energy efficiency, window size, and everyday convenience can all influence which cellular shade is the best fit.
Privacy & Natural Light
If you want privacy without completely covering the window, consider how much flexibility you need. Select cellular shades can provide adjustable privacy and light control, making them useful for bedrooms, living spaces, bathrooms, and street-facing windows. For rooms where this is a priority, explore our top-down bottom-up privacy solutions.
Room Darkening
Cellular shades are available in light-filtering and room-darkening fabrics, so the right fabric can be just as important as the collection you choose. Bedrooms, nurseries, and media spaces often benefit from greater light reduction, while living areas may feel better with softly filtered natural light.
Motorization & Smart Control
Motorized window shades make it easy to adjust window coverings with a remote, smartphone app, or compatible smart home system. Scheduling your shades can also help manage sunlight throughout the day, particularly on large or hard-to-reach windows.
Large Windows, Specialty Shapes & Sliding Doors
The size and shape of your windows may help determine which collection makes the most sense. Duette offers particularly broad application possibilities, including specialty shapes and solutions for wide openings. For sliding doors, Duette® Vertiglide provides a vertical solution that maintains a coordinated cellular look while offering smooth side-to-side operation.
Which Cellular Shade Is Right for Your Home?
The best cellular shade depends on what matters most for your windows.
Choose Duette® if you want the widest range of fabrics, advanced light control, specialty applications, or premium customization.
Choose Applause® if you want the insulating benefits and clean appearance of a traditional honeycomb shade with a more streamlined selection.
Choose Sonnette® if you prefer the simple appearance and operation of a roller shade while still benefiting from cellular construction.
There’s no single collection that’s right for every room. You may even find that different cellular shade styles work best for different windows throughout your home. Our designers can help you compare fabrics, operating systems, light control, and specialty options in person.
Browse our custom window shades or schedule a free design consultation to get started.
