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Natural and Exotic Woven Wood Shades

Posted: Saturday, May 18th, 2013 | Filed under: Green shading, Greener living, Home Improvement, interior design, window shading, window treatments
Wood Shades

Woven Wood Shades

If you live an eco-friendly lifestyle, natural woven wood shades can add a natural look to any of the rooms and window treatments in your home, and the shades and textures of the eco-friendly window treatments can evoke a tropical, exotic feel to your living space. For many of our New Jersey customers, natural woven wood shades remind them of their honeymoon or a dream vacation. While on a getaway of a lifetime, they may have enjoyed the look and diffused sunlight of natural woven wood shades and were inspired to ‘bring that same feel home’ for their everyday enjoyment.

Today’s natural woven wood shades are available in sustainable materials, from bamboo to matchsticks, large reeds, flat wood slats, braided rattan and even assorted grasses. Colors range from barely-there tan to chocolate browns, reddish browns to tortoise greens, and natural woven shades can be designed with alternating rows of color – such as light and dark tan or a more dramatic light tan and dark brown – to create a natural, island-inspired effect and exotic feel. Read more »

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Window Treatments and Energy Efficiency

Posted: Thursday, February 28th, 2013 | Filed under: blackout shades, Cellular Shades, Folding Shades, Greener living, Home cooling, Roller Shades, window treatments
Cellular shade

Cellular shade

Blinds come in many shapes and sizes. Some are heavy, some are sheer, and some are downright ugly. While the selection is endless, the true competition comes down to the bottom line: which window treatments will save you money without breaking the bank to install?

We can rule blackout shades out this time. The cost of installation makes blackout shades more of a luxury than a marginal cost-benefit winner. Although blackout shades will reduce the heating and air conditioning bills, they’re not the only solution when it comes to energy efficiency. Read more »

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Cellular shades for Energy Efficiency

Posted: Friday, November 23rd, 2012 | Filed under: Folding Shades, Green shading, Greener living, interior design, modern window treatments, sustainable living, window shading, window treatments
Cellular Shades

Cellular Shades

Any window shades that are insulated will help you save on energy costs as well as increase the quality and comfort of your home. If you’re looking for options, cellular shades (often referred to as honeycomb shades) are well known for their energy efficiency.

Cellular shades are made of a solid fabric that stacks like an accordion. There are two sheets of fabric and in between are individual cells or tiny empty pockets of the shades that trap air. When the shades are pulled down, the pockets trap the air and help insulate the room. These cells protect your home or room against heat absorption in the summer and heat loss in the winter. The cells also run parallel to the seam to resemble traditional pleated shades and from the outside are viewed as a crisp window covering. Read more »

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Window Treatments for Fall

Posted: Thursday, October 11th, 2012 | Filed under: Green shading, Greener living, sustainable living, thermal window treatments, window treatments
Thermal Window Treatments

Thermal Window Treatments

Fall is a great time of the year to change your window treatments. Leaves are changing colors, weather becomes cooler and it’s very common for people to leave their windows open to enjoy the beautiful cool breeze.

Before you know it, fall turns into winter and winter turns into the holidays, so keep that in mind when thinking about changing your window treatments. If you’re always looking for ways to change the look and feel of your home, there are plenty of window shade options to choose from. Since fall weather is cool, you might want to start thinking about the winter months and thermal insulation to keep the heat in and the cold air out.

Fall is a great time to start winterizing your home. Start thoroughly investigating your windows to look for any basic repairs or air sealing that needs to be done. If you’ve noticed a draft coming through the windows, now is time to start thinking about fixing that. Seal leaks with caulk or foam and even using heat-shrinking plastic can help.

After winterizing your home, thinking about your window coverings. Winter window treatments are a great way to save on energy costs. By hanging window treatments such as thermal drapes or window quilts, you can save energy and even lower your heating bill. Because glass doesn’t slow the transfer of heat, the best option is insulated window treatments.

If you’re thinking about draperies or thermal window coverings, also consider motorized options or systems to install for easy opening and closing. Drapery systems can be installed in any home, on any window and the type of shades are up to you. There are tons of fabric choices, thermal and non-thermal to keep your home fresh!

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Window Shades for Solar Control

Posted: Friday, August 31st, 2012 | Filed under: blackout shades, Blockout shades, drapery systems, Folding Shades, Green shading, Greener living, interior design, modern window treatments, motorized window treatments, natural light, privacy window treatments
Solar Control

Solar Control

Not all window shades are designing for solar control, many are simply for décor. If you’re in the market for new window treatments, it’s important to thoroughly identify your needs for window shades. If you’re simply trying to add some color to your room, in addition to the honeycomb shades already on your window, you may not necessarily need solar control. In other cases, if you don’t already have window treatments on your windows, purchasing window shades that don’t protect against the harsh sun, you can fight against your air conditioning.

Many different window shade manufacturers offer solar control options. One of the best options for solar control is a drapery system. Since most draperies are thick and can protect your interior against harmful light or heat, they are a great option to consider in any room of your house.

Drapery systems allow you to adjust your curtains horizontally along with the sun’s movement. You can open and close your draperies throughout the day to allow light in at certain times, and keep it out when the sun is at it’s strongest in mid afternoon.

To ease the process even more, you should consider motorized systems for your draperies. There are a variety of different motorized shades solutions that can be customized for any home. Motorized systems are very easy to use and can be set up on a timer! So, instead of manually opening and closing your draperies all day every day, set up your motorized system to do it automatically for you.

Draperies are a great option for solar control, especially because fabric and color choices are almost endless. You can even opt to add a blackout fabric liner in your curtains to fully block the light. This is a great option for bedrooms, media rooms and other living spaces in your home.

Aside from draperies, there are solar rolling shades that offer a clean, simple look to your home. There are honeycomb or Roman shades, all of which can be customized for your style and need. Most options are also available in a motorized system, so keep in mind the simplicity, compared to manually operated window shades.

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