"We thought it was in poor taste to fry our clients," quips architect Tim Carlander when asked what brought about the brise-soleil he designed to screen a Seattle home. In summer, when the sun is high, the 1/2-inch-thick by 3 1/2-inch-wide slats let in plenty of reflected light but minimize the amount of direct sun entering the home. In wintertime, when the sun is low, the screen admits more direct light, warming the house.

Made of durable Western red cedar, the screen is bolted to a steel frame and stands 4 feet from the exterior wall. Along with the home's cedar siding, it was finished with a semitransparent stain to tone down the variety of colors in the wood and create a cleaner-looking façade. The screen may have practical origins, but it's not short on style: The house stays ― and looks ― cool.

DESIGN: Vandeventer + Carlander Architects, Seattle (206/323-8770)