Aluminum Blinds
Blinds made from horizontal aluminum slats.
Blackout
Blackouts are designed to block all external light.
Cordless Shades
Shades that are raised and lowered without hanging cords.
Cornices
Decorative molding that covers the mounting.
Frame Mount
Mounted on the outer molding or frame of a window.
Honeycomb shades
Like the cells of a honeycomb, the horizontal ‘slats’ of honeycomb blinds are actually cells made of fabric. From the front or back, they look like pleated shades, but without any visible strings. These are hidden within the cells of the honeycombs. From the side, the individual cells are visible.
Single Cell Shades
Shades made from a single layer of cells.
Double Cell Shades
Shades made from a single layer of cells, treated with a Mylar/ aluminum lining, allowing the shade to block all external light.
Inside Mount
Mounted within the frame of the window, rather than the surrounding wall or trim.
Insulation/R – factor
R-factor is a measure of how much insulation a given material provides.
Lifting mechanism
The device that controls how high or low a blind or shade is lifted, usually a cord or looped chain.
Light filtering
Shades or blinds that block out some light, but not all.
Motorized Shades
Shades that are lifted and lowered through a battery operated motor, either by a remote control or wall switch.
Motorized Blinds
Blinds that are tilted through a battery operated motor, but are still lifted and lowered with the use of a manual cord.
Outside Mount
Mounted on the surrounding wall or trim, rather than within the frame of the window.
Pleated Shades
Shades made from a single piece of material (typically fabric or paper) that has been pleated, or folded. Each fold is the same width, like an accordion. From the side, the folds form a zig-zagging pattern, like a W.
Roller Shades
Shades made from a single piece of material (such as fabric or vinyl) mounted on an aluminum roll, controlled with either a spring-loaded mechanism or a looped chain.
Room Darkening
Window treatments that block a large amount of light, to ‘darken’ a room.
Tilting mechanism
The device that changes the angle, or tilt, of the blind’s slats.
Top Down Bottom Up Shades
Shades that can be raised and lowered at both ends.
Valance
Decorative fabric, wood or vinyl hangings that cover the mounting.
Verticals
Blinds made with vertical slats (made from either fabric or vinyl) that are attached to an aluminum track. These can be tilted and moved from side to side.
Wood Blinds
Blinds made with wooden slats.
Woven Wood Shades Â
Blinds made from very thin slats of bamboo, reeds, grass, jute, or wood. These blinds are raised and lowered like shades, and do not tilt or angle.