• search

Posts Tagged ‘Folding Shades’

Window Treatment Ideas for Apartments

Window Treatment Ideas

Window Treatment Ideas

Sometimes living in a small space can be tough, but there’s no reason to take it out on your window treatments. Decorating a small space can be challenging, but there are plenty of options to choose from including draperies, window shades, roller shades and more that will suit your needs perfectly.

One of the most common window treatments for apartments is draperies and curtains.  Draperies are a great window treatment for any size room. They help increase energy efficiency and have the ability to adjust horizontally to the sun’s movement. Draperies block heat from entering during hot summer months and keep in the warmth during the winter. Draperies come in so many different fabrics; you even have the ability to add a blackout liner to have the option of room darkening shades. There are different design elements you can add to draperies as well such as tassels or decorative rods.

Another great window treatment for apartments is roller shades. Since roller shades are a clean/minimal look, they are a great complement to any modern or contemporary home. Roller shades control the sun, heat and glare making them a perfect solution to any window treatment need. Roller shades can be customized to include blackout materials or solar control sunscreen materials. This type of window treatment is also available in a variety of fabrics to give you the look and feel you need for your home.

Both draperies and roller shades are great window treatments for any apartment, whether you’re in New York City or Los Angeles. Both provide sun and heat control and given the choices, can be customized to match any décor. There are also other window treatment options to consider including Venetian blinds, window film, valences and more. Depending on your personal style and preferences, any of these window treatments will work for your apartment.

Energy Efficient Window Treatments

Honeycomb shades

Honeycomb shades

Summers in New York City can get pretty hot and sticky. Therefore, it’s important to keep the sun and heat out of your townhouse or apartments. There are many different energy efficient window treatments that can help keep out the scorching heat so you can be comfortable in your living space and save on energy costs!

One of the most energy efficient window treatments are folding shades, specifically honeycomb shades. Since about 40% of unwanted heat enters through windows, it’s important to consider energy efficient window shades. By simply closing them during the day and opening them at night n the summer months, you can save tremendously in energy costs.

Folding shades are a great option for energy efficient window treatments.  The accordion style pleated shades are available in a variety of colors and fabrics to match any décor in your space. By installing the honeycomb shades as close to the window as possible, you can save even more.

If you don’t necessarily like the look of honeycomb shades, there are plenty of other options to choose from for energy efficient window treatments. Drapery systems are another great way to keep out the heat during summer. The thick fabric will block the sun and heat from entering your home. You can even find draperies with blackout liners for energy efficiency, room darkening and to block the noise.

Remember, the closer to the window you can get install your window treatments, the more energy you will be saving. Most window treatments these days are available in a wide variety of style options, including fabric and color choices, so depending on the look or function you’re hoping to achieve, there’s no doubt there’s a solution right for you.

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.

Window Treatments for Child’s Room

Posted: Friday, March 4th, 2011 | Filed under: modern window treatments, privacy window treatments, window blinds, window shading

Window treatments in a child’s room can really make the room special but safety is the most important measure to consider. While something colorful and whimsical is ideal for window treatments in a child room, safety must come first. Little hands can grab longer drapes and pull them down, while cords can cause strangulation and need to be removed or need to be easily breakable, one hard tug and it breaks to avoid any dangerous accidents. Making sure window covering are absent of decorations or beads as well. A young child can easily pull decorate beads off of drapes, this can be dangerous if swallowed.

Window treatments for children must be safe as well as functional, colorful, and fun. Light and airy window treatments are ideal, but you may want to couple these light and airy window treatments with a darkening window treatment for those that still take naps.

Wood blinds can be easily adjusted to control light, are easy to maintain, and have a nice and clean look for a child’s room. A roller shades may work better in a nursery. Coupling your blinds with a decorative fabric makes for a decorative and updated look. You can couple your blinds with drapes or with an attractive valance.

Another option to a valance is cornice boxes. Cornice boxes help to hide the hardware of a blind or shade. Cornice boxes also look nice if you continue the decorating theme of the child’s room by using the same fabric throughout your child’s room by adding the same fabric to cushions and pillows or other like items in the room. Your cornice box can double as a shelf because you can place collectibles on top of the board. In the end, whichever window treatments you use, make sure the window treatment is functional to your needs, looks nice, and is very safe.

Window Treatments to Give Your Room a Beach House Feel

Posted: Thursday, November 4th, 2010 | Filed under: Roller Shades, Roman shades, Shading systems, window shading, window treatments
Designer window treatments

Designer window treatments

Do you live near the beach and haven’t the faintest clue as to which window treatments are best for you? Maybe you don’t live near the beach at all, but your goal is to set a beach-like feeling as you walk through your home. If this is the case, there are many varieties available for you to incorporate a beach-like feeling within your window treatments as well as the rest of your home’s décor.

There are many varieties in window treatments available to give your home a beach house feel. Options to create a beach setting in regards to your window treatments are as followed:

• Use wide slat wood blinds in white or a natural color

• Use a reed style roll-down shades

• When using curtains or valances keep them light-weight and airy to let the natural light shine through.

Use woven wood shades, also known as bamboo shades despite the material they’re made from. You may find woven shades in materials like grass, bamboo, rope, wood planks & more. Woven woods offer casual, natural looks which will give you beach-themed décor.

• Plantation shutters work wonders. Shutters look very upscale and are less casual than woven wood shades. Shutters help with sun protection and help in storm protection, which is great if you actually live beach side. The beach can be hot and humid with scorching sunlight, faux wood shutters will not crack, fade or warp in these elements.

Any of these options mentioned will help you get the beach-feel you’re looking for. Mainly the important factor in choosing the right window treatment for your beach haven is to choose something light weight, letting the sun in and being able to see your beautiful ocean view, if you have one.