The Shavin House—designed by Frank Lloyd Wright in the late 1940s and built in 1951—is a unique architectural gem, marking the only Wright-designed building in Tennessee. Originally owned by Seymour and Gertrude Shavin, the home is now in the hands of their children, including Karen Shavin. As a Usonian home, it holds significant historical value and is situated on the north end of Missionary Ridge, the site of the Civil War’s Battle of Missionary Ridge.
In December 2024, Chris DeLuca and the team at Tennessee Film Solutions in Chattanooga, Tennessee, completed a preservation project at this iconic home, delivering energy efficiency, heat rejection, glare reduction, fade control, and daytime privacy.
“I wanted to take on this project because of what Frank Lloyd Wright homes mean to me,” DeLuca shares. “This house is truly breathtaking. It’s one of the top 10 installations of my career.”
Challenges: Excessive Heat and Glare
“Glare, especially on the western side of the home where the sun sets in the summer, was a significant concern,” DeLuca adds. “Our goal was to reduce the squint factor while also addressing unwanted solar heat gain.”
Solution: Hüper Optik Ceramic 30 Window Tint
Hüper Optik revolutionized the window tint industry in 1998 by becoming the first company to patent nano-ceramic window tint technology. Over two decades later, Hüper Optik remains at the forefront of innovation, delivering standard-setting solutions that lay the groundwork for sustainable and secure architectural spaces.
On December 17-18, 2024, the Tennessee Film Solutions team—Chris DeLuca, Dayton Griffith, Steve Brown, JC Emberton, Gresham Rodie, and Damon Wilks—joined forces to enhance The Shavin House, transforming it into a more comfortable and inviting environment.
For this particular project, DeLuca and his team installed Hüper Optik Ceramic 30 Window Tint, featuring cutting-edge dual-layered, nano-ceramic technology. Whether enhancing a home, office, restaurant, or storefront, Hüper Optik Ceramic 30 Window Tint is the perfect choice for adding both style and functionality.
“Hüper Optik Ceramic 30 Window Tint is designed to reject a significant amount of heat while allowing as much natural light inside as possible,” DeLuca adds. “Maintaining the home’s aesthetics was crucial. Many consumers don’t realize that window tint doesn’t have to be dark to provide benefits. Education is crucial.”
Hüper Optik Ceramic 30 Window Tint features impressive performance metrics, including: Total Solar Energy Rejected (TSER): Up to 60%; UV Reduction: Up to 99%; Glare Reduction: Up to 66%; and IR Rejection: Up to 86%.
The Result: Costs Down, Comfort Up
After the installation, Karen Shavin, who grew up in the home, shared her thoughts on the project’s impact:
“This home, with its single-pane windows, was never very energy efficient,” Shavin shares. “The living room, in particular, experiences a lot of solar heat gain during the summer. I wanted to maintain the original feel of the house, and the window tint allows us to embrace modern technology without compromising its historical charm. With this solution, we’ve achieved the perfect balance.”