Eglin O'Club

Located near Valparaiso in the Florida Panhandle, Eglin Air Force Base has long supported essential missions and training for several branches of the military.

Over the years, the base's O'Club has provided a welcome respite from the rigors of duty for thousands of pilots, commanders, and support staff. The club's social center is its party and banquet area, featuring a bar, tables, and a dance floor. Large windows in the space overlook a waterfront patio and frame views of Choctawhatchee Bay, bringing ample sunlight into the space.

During hot Florida days, the space requires attractive and functional shades to cut glare and UV, as well as to reduce cooling loads from passive solar heating. To meet this need, experts from Hodell Window Coverings -- a veteran-owned dealer specializing in Armed Forces and GSA projects -- specified Silhouette FR shadings by Hunter Douglas. The sleek fabric shades and headrails fit seamlessly into the space, and feature sheer facings that cut reflections while preserving the view.

After sunset, however, the club needs more complete control to keep light from shining out over the bay, where it could potentially confuse native sea turtles or other wildlife. So Hodell mounted room-darkening Duette FR honeycomb shades in front of the Silhouette shadings. In addition to preventing "light pollution," the Duette shades also enable the room to be used for A/V presentations day or night.