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Types of Window Shades

Posted: Monday, April 23rd, 2012 | Filed under: blackout shades, Folding Shades, Roller Shades, Roman shades
Window Shades

Window Shades

There are two distinct categories for window shades: folding shades and rolling shades. Both offer great shading solutions and are excellent window treatment options for your home or office. Since folding shades and roller shades have a few different features, one may be a better option than the other, depending on what you’re looking for in window treatments.

Folding shades come in many different styles. The three main types of shades are Roman shades, honeycomb shades and pleated shades.

  • Roman shades are used to block out the sunlight. What makes Roman shades different from other window shades is that when opened, they stack up evenly.
  • Honeycomb shades are accordion-style pleated shades. If you look at these shades from the side, they look like a beehive, hence the name. What makes honeycomb shades a great window treatment option, if there high level of energy efficiency.
  • Pleated shades are similar to honeycomb shades except that don’t have the cell. These shades don’t block light fully, but offer great style features and privacy.

 

Rolling shades are usually a single, solid piece of fabric that is opened and closed on a roller mechanism. These types of window shades offer great solar control. There are two main categories: Solar roller shades and privacy or blackout roller shades.

  • Solar shades are designed specially for controlling heat and light. Because of the variety of fabric choices designed for these two demands, solar shades can satisfy both function and style demands.
  • Privacy shadeswere designed for privacy solutions, but there are a variety of levels of privacy. Basic privacy shades block other from seeing inside your commercial or residential space.
    • Room darkening and blackout shades serve both privacy concerns and light concerns. These types of roller shades are usually installed to block visible light from entering a room. Often times, businesses seek shading solutions for media and conference rooms in the New York City are to block the outside light and noise.

 

Folding shades and roller shades are both great window treatment options. With all of the style choices as well as the fabric choices available, it’s easy to customize your window treatments to fit your style and aesthetic demands.

Do Blackout Shades Work?

Posted: Wednesday, February 22nd, 2012 | Filed under: blackout shades, room darkening window treatments, window treatments

Room Darkening Shades

Room Darkening Shades

Blackout shades are designed specifically to keep light out of a room. There are varieties of fabric and styles to choose from, but most of them perform the same. Most people who are looking to block natural light or want to install window shades for privacy concerns use blackout shades, or some type of privacy shade.

Depending on your want or need (completely eliminating light, block UV rays or both), you can choose which type of blackout shade is right for you. Blackout shades are thicker than your traditional window shades and some require a blackout liner. Roman shades, cellular or honeycomb shades are often made with blockout material and can perform as blackout shades. Other window shades such as woven wood shades require a blackout liner. Each material is different and will have different effects depending on how it’s treated.

Blackout shades also serve as solar control and can help save energy and reduce your heating and cooling costs. Since sunlight passes through windows, by having blackout shades installed during the winter, you can keep in the heat (and keep the heat out during the summer). During both seasons, blackout shades can serve as insulators.

Since blackout shades are pretty standard, you can customize the color and fabric. They offer a sleek look to your window, but if you want to decorate your window even more, consider adding draperies or a valence. All in all, blackout shades are effective. If you’re looking for a good night’s sleep on Madison Avenue with all the commotion, blackout shades can surely help you achieve that. If you’re looking for a dark living room to watch your favorite movie, consider installed blackout shades.

What are Blackout Shades?

Posted: Wednesday, February 15th, 2012 | Filed under: blackout shades, Greener living, interior design, modern window treatments
Blackout Shades

Blackout Shades

Blackout shades are a type of window treatment used in homes and offices to prevent light from entering a room. Blackout shades are often used in apartments throughout New York City because well, it’s known as the “city that never sleeps.” If you’re looking for complete darkness in your bedroom to get a full night’s rest, consider installing blackout shades. Many times blackout shades are installed in media or home theater rooms as well, where a television or other piece of viewing technology is. Blackout shades prevent glare from the sun on televisions, computers and other viewing screens.

Material varies for blackout shades and there are different levels of “blackout.” Depending on the amount of light you want to enter, if any at all, you can decide which level of opacity you want. Here are a ways manufacturers determine which blackout shades are appropriate for which clients:

Room darkening shades

Although room darkening shades aren’t exactly “blackout” they are a level of classification. Room darkening shades can block sunlight from entering a room, but they don’t block the same level of light that other blackout shades do.

Blockout shades

Blockout shades actually block up to 99% of visible light. These shades are great for bedrooms and media rooms. Since blockout shades leave a halo of light around them, you can choose to add draperies to completely block off the light entering or allow the seepage.

Light-Tight shades

If you’re looking for full darkness, light-tight shades are the choice for you. These window shades also block up to 99% of light, but there are no seepages as all. They are snug around the edges not allowing light to enter.

Since most of these options can be customized to your personal fabric choice, it comes down to the amount of light you want to enter your room. Each option, whether it be room darkening shades, blockout shades or light-tight shades all offer similar features.

What Are Blackout Shades?

Blackout shades are a type of window treatment that is used to prevent light from entering a room. Blackout shades are often used in bedrooms when the light needs to be shut out to allow for a comfortable sleep. This type of window treatment can also be referred to as blackout shades, room darkening shades or light-tight shades, depending on the amount of light they allow into a room.

Room darkening shades reduce the amount of sunlight entering a room. They don’t block out as much light as blackout of light-tight shades, but can still control the amount of exterior light entering the room. Depending on the fabric you choose for your room, you can determine how much light is blocked.

Blackout shades and curtains are typically an effective solution to block light and trap energy. Exposure to light when you sleep can trigger health problems. Employees that work night shifts are forced to sleep during the day and without blackout shades can disrupt natural sleep patterns. Blackout shades are a great solution and an excellent idea if you work night shifts or even if you just need to block out the morning sunlight to be sure you receive your full eight hours.

Blackout shade materials can vary. Some blackout shade window treatments are made with fiberglass, others are vinyl and plastic. Large windows can be a bit more challenging to cover, but adding a motorized option can help solve the problem. Power controlled shades can simply resolve the awkward opening and closing of blackout shades. Homeowners in New York City are very familiar with blackout shades because as you know “the city never sleeps.”

Blackout Shades and Room Darkening Shades

Posted: Saturday, February 5th, 2011 | Filed under: blackout shades, window blinds, window treatments
Blackout window treatments

Blackout window treatments

Many people have no idea what the difference is between blackout shades and room darkening shades. Some people have one thing in mind when they think of blackout shades; they only want the room dark. If the room is darkened as desired this doesn’t mean you have true blackout shades. True blackout shades will block almost all light from coming into a room. Room darkening can be almost any window blind or shade. A Venetian blind can darken a room, but it is not considered a room darkening blind nor a blackout blind or shade.

Room darkening window treatments

Room darkening window treatments

Room darkening shades reduces the amount of light from entering a room just by simply closing the blinds slat, lowering your window shade, or closing your drapes. Doing so will make your room significantly darker. This is why many people interchange room darkening for blackout. If all you need is room darkening shades there are many options such as roller shades, cellular shades, pleated shades, sheer shades or even regular drapes.

Blackout shades blocks almost all light from coming into a room making the room very dark. This is ideal for bedrooms, nurseries, and media rooms. A blackout window treatment cannot make a room completely dark but will be the best at making your room as dark as it can possible be. Blackout shades work because of the tight fit within the window casing to cut back on the light seeping through with very little gaps between the material and the window itself. If you want blackout shades blackout cellular shades, blackout curtains, blackout roman shades and blackout woven wood shades are great to add to your home. All of these shades are made with a blackout material or come with a blackout liner.

Whatever does the job is all that is needed. If you don’t mind a little sun seeping through your window then room darkening shades will do. If you want the most of your room being dark then blackout shades are what you’re looking for. When looking for shades let an expert know your intentions for the shades and they should steer you in the right direction.