blinds

blinds

General

No Money? No Problem! Here’s How to Decorate on a Budget!

Need new blinds but you’re on a budget? Don’t worry everything that looks nice does not mean you have to spend a lot of money. They’re some options that will make your home look like you just spent a million bucks. Whether you’re looking to purchase blinds and shades to simply eliminate outside light or your looking for window treatment that will complement your home décor, there’s a good chance you have a strict budget for this purchase. While most blinds and shades are relatively inexpensive, the cost of outfitting an entire home or several rooms with new window coverings can add up.  No matter what room you install them wood blinds always convey elegance and classic charm. They’re also highly versatile from a décor standpoint as they effortlessly complement almost any type of furniture, decorative color scheme, and window type. Wood blinds are among the best-selling window coverings due to their affordable price and their natural wood grain beauty.  In addition to the wood blinds they are highly effective at insulating your home during winter and summer.

Aluminum blinds are among the most commonly used window coverings in the world and for good reasons. They’re efficient at blocking out light and very affordable. 1-inch aluminum blinds feature a low profile, and available in many colors. Cellular shades would be a little step up in price, but it would make up for the cost in your energy bill. For insulation and energy efficiency cellular shades with their little pockets of cells keep your temperature serene. All those little pockets trap air and keep the summer and the warmth in during the winter. They are available in every color, they are ideal fit for most rooms and have many options that make them great for families with children.  If you have large windows or sliding doors you can’t beat vertical blinds. Vertical blinds are a much better fit as they are easily to open and closed and can cover even the widest window or doors. They are one of most inexpensive blinds to replace even if one slat brakes. The good news is that you don’t have to buy everything all over; just only the one or two slats that are broken.

The great thing about buying the simplest blinds or shades is that they can go with any décor that you decide to do.  Once you make this one-time investment in buying your blinds they are going to last for years just if you take good care of them. Remember you may have a beer budget but a champagne taste you are the only one who knows what you spent on blinds or shades. It is no need to go that expensive, just keep it simple.

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General Inspiration Products Tips and Advice

How to Mix and Match Window Treatments

Whether you’re looking for the functionality of added privacy and light control, or you just want to layer in some patterns or pops of color, it’s great to mix and match your window treatments.

LAYERING LIGHT

One of our favorite window treatment combinations is layering a blackout shade with a light filtering shade or Drapery panel. Not only does this create a beautiful finished look, but it also allows you to carefully control light and privacy, depending on the time of day or your personal preference. This is a great option for bedrooms and other commonly used living spaces.

PLAYING WITH PATTERN

Want to bring some excitement to your windows, but scared of going too bold? Pair a patterned shade with a more subdued solid, and you’ll achieve the perfect balance!

TWO TEXTURES

If a more neutral look is your go-to, try mixing your textures instead. We carry stunning Woven Wood shades, natural bamboo, and grass materials. These shades are beautiful and versatile – they look lovely paired with Roller Shades, Solar Shades, or Drapery! Woven Woods are the perfect way to bring in some dimension, while still keeping your window scheme calm and neutral. This allows you to go bold with the rest of the space, too!

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Products Tips and Advice

Oversized Windows

Large, wide and/or tall windows are things of beauty. They let in an awe-inspiring amount of light, allow amazing views of the outdoors, and can even make the room seem larger. We are excited to share some tips for how to choose a custom window treatments for your large or wide windows.
Our first recommendation is vertical blinds. This window treatment is perfect for windows that are wider than they are tall . They’re a durable alternative to drapes, and the PVC slats can hold up to elements such as sunlight or moisture; an important factor to consider if you are installing them over a large kitchen window or even a bathroom. The vinyl also helps to keep the light out when they are closed and will help with insulation as well. They also come in a variety of colors and styles, as well as fabric. Fabric vertical blinds are a great way to get that more “drapery” feel to your windows and a softer look in general.
Another option are Allure vertical sheers. These soft and elegant window treatments mimic a flowing drapery when open or closed. They are mainly light filtering but do allow for privacy when closed as well. They are a great option for someone who wants more of a fabric drapery look.
Roller shades and Solar shades are also great options for large windows. They can span wide widths and fit the decor of modern styled homes with large windows. Your home may have windows that are extremely tall or even out of reach. The solar shades also gives you a nice view outside when the shade is down and keeps the heat out.  selections blinds and shades will be the right solution for you, with the touch of a button, Motorization allows you to tilt your blinds, raise and lower your shades, even if they are out of reach.
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Blinds General Inspiration Products Tips and Advice

Plantation Shutters VS Blinds: Which Should You Choose?

Choosing a window treatment for your home involves weighing out many different factor. Two main factors include practical ones and also design preferences. Should you go with plantation shutters or blinds for your windows? While both window treatment options provide you with privacy and control over how much natural light you’re getting, there are notable differences between the two that you should take into consideration. Keep the following in mind when you’re deciding between plantation shutters or blinds for your home.

Plantation shutters can enhance the appearance of any room in your home while also providing you with improved energy efficiency and plenty of natural light. You’ll find that there are several styles and louver sizes to choose from, as well as different materials. How do you know which shutters to select for your home? Keep the following factors in mind, so you can narrow down your options and find the ideal shutters to suit your windows.

Your windows allow you to look at the world around you. They let the sunshine in so you can bask in the natural light the sun provides. For all the good they do, they also have a few drawbacks when it comes to your heating and cooling costs. Even though most windows today offer some degree of thermal protection, they can’t protect you from everything. Plantation shutters can take over where your windows leave off.

Plantation shutters are an investment in both the decor of your home as well as its security. Unlike curtains, plantation shutters serve several other purposes and can be easily adjusted to control both light and visibility. By choosing this type of shutter, you are actually adding an additional level of security to your home, all the while increasing your home’s curb appeal and resale value.

Buying a home means a lot of choices when it comes to decor and functionality. You want your home to look stylish, but you also want comfort and versatility. Your first few months in your new home will help you decide how to proceed when it comes to upgrading your windows and shutters.

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Inspiration Tips and Advice

Get the Right Look!

Window treatments are a big thing to consider when designing a space. There are tons of options to choose from that have different purposes and functions. When selecting window treatments, you must consider several questions to make sure you get it right. Do you need to block the light, create privacy, or just look pretty? Do you need the same throughout the house, or can you switch them up? Today we are answering all those questions about how to choose the right window treatments for your home. First things first: do you need to choose the same window coverings throughout your home? The answer is no! Each space has different functions, and different needs when it comes to privacy, light, and aesthetic.

Choosing the right window treatments for your home or business can be tricky. With many options, styles, patterns and colors to choose from, it can be difficult to make the right decisions; especially if your buying for a lot of windows. The process can be a little more complicated when you’re in the market for window treatments for unusual or unique windows and window arrangements; particularly rooms with multiple small windows that are very close together. When mounting inside mount is a great solution for close together windows that have their own separate frames. It helps maintain a sleek, uniform appearance without potential for overlapping that can occur with outside mount. If you are thinking of mounting your window treatments inside the frames of your close together windows, you can’t go wrong with micro aluminum blinds, 1” faux wood blinds, cellular shades, sheer shades, or bamboo shades. For one large window single frame an extra large or over sized window treatment can create the illusion that the room has one giant and luxurious picture window. Having a single shade can also make it easy to control light and privacy in the room. I would recommend roman shades, roller shades, or vertical blinds.

The whole idea of decorating is to make your home more beautiful, inviting, and comfortable with minimal expense and maximum effect. The thing is, no one else must live in your home but you. You have nothing to prove. Imagine you are making this change for you and you only. Stop thinking or worrying about the outside influencers. Good luck!

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Faux wood blinds setup in this gorgeous bathroom. Blinds General Shades Tips and Advice

Restroom Window Coverings

People often have the question; What is the best window covering for restrooms? There are a lot of options and one is not limited to a certain kind when you are considering to cover your restroom window. Most of the time, people want to have privacy while still letting in the light.

Since you typically have moisture in this specific room in your house, we often tell everyone that you can use most of the blinds like the aluminum, vinyl, and faux wood, but not the real wood. Real wood naturally have cracks in the slats where moisture goes through and warps the material. It usually takes years but when it comes, all you can do is  replace the whole thing completely. The aluminum is an option but with the 1” slats you have to clean more slats compared to the vinyl and faux wood. The aluminum is also a thinner material than the vinyl and faux wood so it may bend and dent, you have to be careful when cleaning it. Blinds are a good option because you can control the amount of light coming in and the privacy by tilting the slats in an angle.

The other option, of course, are the shades. We typically recommend those materials that are waterproof or the lighter fabrics. Roller shades are the most common people use because you have the light filtering option, most materials are easy to clean, and it gives you the privacy. Another material that is gaining popularity are the Cascades, it is a shade but since it’s an alternate between solid bands and sheers, you can open and close it to your desired openness for light and privacy. There are also other shades that has the top down-bottom up option. You can open it up from the top to have lots of light coming in and keep the shades close at the bottom, some shades that offer this option is the pleated, roman, and cellular.

Curtains or drapes are usually not a practical option as those are heavier materials, it is not something you would want to touch with wet hands and layering of fabrics will look too heavy and excessive for a restroom window.

Either you prefer a blind or a shade, there are options that you can do for your washrooms to better suit your wants and needs but practicality is the key when it comes to this window in your home.

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DIY General Tips and Advice

Instant Room Changers

At this point, we have been stuck inside for months now!! I can’t be the only one getting a bit sick of these walls and am aching to get back out side, but for now still too cold and the sun just isn’t out as late as it needs to be. So what can we do? Well, if you are getting sick of your current rooms (as I am) here are a few ways to really make a difference and help you out:

  1. Accent wall: if you want to make a bold change to a room adding a new color or texture is a great way to really get a new feel on your living space. Be careful when choosing colors though; going to dark (especially in a low light room) will make the space feel even smaller and eat the light that comes into it. Textures or wall papers have really come back in style and some of the new patterns are a lot of fun and sure to make a statement in any space.
  2. Window treatments: We know window treatments and we know that they can affect the whole style of the room, you could instantly change any room with a new window treatment. You can add some roman shades, cellular, wood blinds, drapes, or curtains. Each of these will change the feel of the room and a lot of them come in modern colors and patterns.
  3. Furniture: a bit of flare you could choose a bold accent chair that really makes you feel better – something bright and airy; or you could just want to change up your sofa and go with a new color for the room all together.
  4. Re-arrange: one of the biggest changes that you can make (and it won’t cost you anything!) is to re-arrange and flip around your furniture. The room will feel new and different and you really just need to invest in a few man hours and time to rethink the layout.
  5. Throws and pillows: simple but effective; just changing the throw blankets and pillows you have on your chairs and sofa or cushions on your kitchen chairs can make a huge difference and be the thing that ties a whole room together.
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General Products Tips and Advice Window Basics

Half Door Dilemma

When you move into a home, you always go in with the mind set – the brighter the better. Whether it’s coming from windows, skylights, or doors; the more light there is then the more appeal it has. Until it comes to realizing you need some privacy. Half glass doors often raise a challenge to a lot of new homeowners. Again, it’s nice to have some light filter in, but you are also creating a privacy issue by not closing the view from outsiders.

The most important thing to keep in mind with a window on a door – half or full – is that being it is a door, the less bulky, the better. One of the most creative ways we have seen the doors covered, is applying an actual film directly to the glass. There is a variety of styles available – from a simple frosted look, all the way to as decorative a stained-glass window. It is simple, you simply cut the shape you need and stick it to your glass. Down side, of course, is that you are losing the option of ever seeing out of the window, but up side is, you are eliminating any space/bulkiness option.

The second most common option is a curtain. They are generally attached with a small rod at the top and bottom of the window, to eliminate them flopping around when the door is opened or closed. Again, a great option because they are compact, and fit tightly against the door. The downside, through our research is that there are not a lot of options out there, and most appear to be your standard white sheer material. The upside compared to the film is you can always move them to the side, or peek out through a corner if you need to see out.

Blinds or shades are also a common option. When choosing the style, rather than necessarily match to the other treatments in your room, keep the idea of “less bulky” in mind. If going with a blind you can tilt open and closed, stick to a mini blind, due to the low profile. If you go with a shade, chose something with a small headrail that closes tightly. The advantage to one of these treatments is that you have a lot more control over the view – whether it is the tilt feature, or the raising and lowering depending on the time of the day. You also have a lot more option in terms of colors, styles, and even prints. The downside, again, compared to the other two is that they will definitely appear a little bulkier.

Whichever direction you go, keep in mind doors are generally high traffic areas, meaning whatever you go with will have a decent amount of wear and tear in it’s lifetime. And as always, any treatment you add will add a decorative element to the space – so make sure it flows with your style!

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Inspiration Tips and Advice Window Basics

Picture-Window Treatments

When first moving into a home, there is always an appeal to a picture window because it lets a ton of light stream in, gives you a great view of whatever is outside, and gives you a chance to let air flow into the space easily. The dilemma arises when you realize at night time, all of your neighbors can see right back into your house! Luckily, there are a few simple ways to cover the window, depending on exactly what you need the treatment to do.

If after moving in, like I mentioned, nighttime privacy is an issue, you probably want to invest in either a drapery or a shade. A drapery can be pulled across the window in the evenings, and pulled open during the day when you want the openness. The advantage to a drapery is that it does not obstruct any of the window if mounted above, and to the sides of the frame, and also that you have a huge variety of fabrics to choose from – at a range of prices and prints. The disadvantage in this case is that the drapery tends to cover up a portion of your wall, and can appear a little messy (especially if you have kids or pets that can get into it). A shade is great because it is generally compact – think pleated, cellular, or roller – and are mounted cleanly to the inside of the window. Again, they can be closed compactly during the day and lowered at night. The advantages to shades are that they can be mounted as one large one across, or three individuals (if you plan on opening and closing the side windows often), the variety of patterns and colors, and leaving the frame of your window exposed. The disadvantage is when purchasing what generally ends up as a custom treatment, you tend to want to choose a color/pattern that you will love for longer (because you will end up at a slightly higher price point).

If after moving in, the issue ends up being related to the amount of sunlight coming in during the day – tv screen, fading of furniture/flooring – you will want to look for an option that is more light filtering. Again, you can go with a drapery, generally for this purpose you would look for a slightly lighter weight material that more sunshine will filter through. You could also go with a blind in this instance. Blinds give you the advantage of being able to tilt open or closed depending on how much light you want to allow in.

Regardless of what path you chose, there is an option out there for you! Keep in mind that a picture window is generally a statement in the room. While color and pattern is okay, you want to make sure you don’t over do it, and overwhelm the space.

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Blinds General Products Shades Tips and Advice Window Basics

Basic Window Coverings for Renters

Landlords and property managers have a lot of responsibility when it comes to maintaining the appearance and safety of a property. While some features are required by law or agreed upon within leases, other amenities are strictly up to the landlord. One often overlooked decision to make about a rental is whether or not to install window treatments. Providing even basic window treatments will help attract renters.

If the home or apartment requires the landlord or property manager to provide window treatments, several factors should be taken into consideration. The window coverings should be cost effective and durable, as well as appealing to many prospective tenants.

Depending on the amount of windows needing treatments and the overall price of the rental property, cost is one of the biggest deciding factors in choosing what window coverings to buy for a property.

There are unlimited options available ranging from cost effective vinyl and metal mini blinds, faux wood blinds, or roller shades. You can also go for a more long term investment with wood blinds, Cellular shades or Roman shades for added character; or in some cases upscale properties will go with custom-made drapery.

 

Mini Blinds

Mini blinds are a standard choice for rental properties as they are offered in many slat sizes and colors at a low cost. Aluminum mini blinds offer a number of benefits: easy to install, making them ideal for a quick addition to a new property; easy to clean and replace; provide both privacy and light control as they can be easily adjusted. This is especially important for city living. They are also durable and reliable. Mini-blinds are available in 6 gage and 8 gage.

Faux Wood Blinds

Besides mini blinds, faux wood blinds are the next best low-cost solution for property owners. Faux wood blinds look like wood blinds but are more durable and less expensive. They louver easily, but because they are heavier than wood blinds, they are not recommended for large windows where the tenant may want the raise and lower the blind. Faux wood blinds are typically available in most popular and trendy painted and stain finishes. A great benefit of faux wood blinds include being easy to clean since they are made with moisture-proof PVC slats making them moisture resistant as well so you can use this blind in any room, including bathrooms!

Shades

Depending on the amount of privacy required in a rental, shades can be a good option. There are a variety of different shades ranging from standard roller shades to more elaborate and customizable Roman shades. Standard roller shades can block light efficiently. However, when mounted on the inside of the window opening, roller shades have wider light gaps than any other blind or shade. At their most basic, roller shades are inexpensive. Solar shades are modern and filter light while offering a view outside, but they do not offer any privacy. Roman shades will add aesthetic value to rental properties and they are still quite cost effective. They are lovely additions to condominiums and single-family homes. Fabric shades, whether roller or Roman, are not as easily cleaned as mini blinds or faux wood blinds, and they can show wear more easily.

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