Many people move into a new home and just accept the window treatments that come with the home. Other people remodeled their homes 15 or 20 years ago and have recently started thinking that some updates or changes might be a good idea. Instead of just heading out and purchasing some more practical shades, why not consider making your window treatments into art. It’s really not that hard. All it takes is a little knowledge and a little creativity and before you know it, blinds and shades have become the focal point of your room. Blinds and shades provide valuable services, such as cutting glare, reducing light, noise, offering privacy and increasing energy efficiency in a home. But they can be so much more that that. Blinds and shades can be fashionable, stylish and attractive.

Shopping for window treatments sounds pretty easy until you realize all the choices you have. You could probably look at different styles and patterns for months without seeing the same thing twice. So one way to narrow down the search is to start with a color palette that you want to work with as well as what you want out of your window treatments – energy efficiency, glare reduction, privacy, etc.

Top Five Ways to Turn Window Treatments Into Art:

Layer energy efficient, cellular shades with custom drapery. Use decorative curtain holders to sweep the drapes back from the window while maximizing energy efficiency and sun glare reduction.

2. Step away from your current color scheme and contrast your window blinds with a complimentary color from a color wheel. If your room is neutral, use your window treatments to add a bold splash of color and light. Roman Shades are a great option for this and come with a valance for a finished feel to the room.

3. If you like the look and feel of the South Pacific, then bamboo or woven wood blinds can be a dramatic focal point. Decorative window tapes can either incorporate a bit of color or pattern or they can frame the blinds. They protect the edges and can also be found in more neutral colors

Install shutters. This adds a quaint feel to any room. Pair it with a nautical color scheme and let the window treatments stand as the focal point of the room.

Paint the window trim as if it were a frame for a piece of art. Use complimentary or contrasting colors of paint.

Believe it or not, you can have fun decorating your home. Consider that window treatments are often the first things noticed in a room. This is because the bright light from windows draws the eye towards them and whatever is surrounding them becomes the next noticeable item in the room. Make an impression with window treatments.

There are so many options to choose from, fabrics, styles, patters, weaves. There really is an option for every personal taste. Because you’re living with window treatments, why not order something you like, something that makes you happy when you look at them?

Learn more about custom window shades. Stop by Blinds Chalet to find out more about quality discount window blinds, shades, shutters and custom drapery.

Are you ready to update the look and feel of your home? One thing to consider is the sun’s glare. It can cause serious damage to our eyes, to our furniture. UV rays can be filtered to eliminate their fading power, all you need are some fabulous spring window treatments and you’ll be on your way!

Spring is literally right around the corner and with spring comes warming temperatures. The days are longer, meaning more hours of sunlight. Being prepared with appropriate window treatments can mean a reduction in eyestrain from the sun’s glare as well as reflections on surfaces like computers and televisions. Using solar shades or roller shades can help prevent fading of irreplaceable art, furniture, carpets, oriental rugs and more.

Window Treatments to protect you home against the sun:

1. Solar screen shades. Solar screen shades protect against the sun’s rays. They help control light, privacy and heat that enters. They come in various openness factors, which refers to how much view you can retain, or the amount of open space in the weave.

2. Soft Sheer Shades. These window treatments come in light filtering or total privacy options. They are made of durable nylon and polyester. While they offer a soft, summery appearance to the eye, they are in fact, very durable. They offer excellent light control and are Greenguard certified.

3. Bamboo Shades or Woven Wood Shades. In the summer, these keep the light out, but allow air to move through the home. The woven pattern provides a unique window treatment every time. There are a wide variety of stains to choose from to fit with other wood accents already in the home.

4. Roller Shades. Roller Shades are now soft to the touch. These are classic window treatments that allow maintenance of views while blocking UV rays that can damage a home.

5. Honeycomb cellular shades. These shades have become extremely popular for insulating against the cold, but they don’t get as much kudos for insulating against the heat, which they do equally well. The higher end products allow for a federal tax rebate. With top-down, bottom-up options, you get to control view, light and glare reduction.

Don’t waste another minute before buying spring shades. If you’re updating your home, remodeling, or sprucing up your home for sale, new window treatments are a cost effective way to not only change the look of your house, but improve energy efficiency and reduce glare and heat.

Want to find out more about custom window shades, then visit Blinds Chalet for the best selection on blinds, shades and window treatments.

Aging comes with little quirks of the body. Some days hands and knees are stiff, other days the whole body can feel just tired. Those who have heavy window shades may find it becomes harder to open them and close them while trying to prop the middle section for support. If you feel that way, you aren’t alone. However, there is a solution: purchasing window treatments that are lightweight and easy to operate. No one needs to waste time fussing with a window treatment just to let a little light in.

Blinds and Shades for Seniors:

* Those who live in homes with oversize or large windows often use one window treatment for the entire space. If the window treatment is slatted or wood, the weight of the blinds can be difficult to open and close. Consider instead using a series of lightweight blinds instead of one and uniting the blinds with a single valance.

* Lightweight window treatments such as cellular shades, soft sheer shades, roller or solar shades and roman shades are all easy to operate and weigh a lot less than blinds such as wood and faux wood blinds.

* Arthritis can make gripping cords a chore that isn’t necessary. Cordless blinds resolve the problem easily. There is a huge choice of fabrics, colors and styles. Look for honeycomb cellular shads, roman shades, pleated shades and aluminum mini blinds.

* Motorized blinds and shades are operated with a remote control, so no actual handling of the blinds is necessary. Roman shades, roller shades, solar screen shades and collegiate shades are all easy to adjust for glare reduction of blackout privacy.

For those looking for energy efficient blinds, we recommend honeycomb double cell shades. They can insulate up to 15 times more than a single pane of glass. For summer locations, soft sheer shades and roller shades will help protect against UV rays and help insulate against the sun.

A more traditional look can be had with Roman shades. Roman shades are best known for their rich fabrics that include silk and satin. Alternative options can incorporate a more modern look.

Many companies offer discounts on a wide variety of window treatments. Be sure when looking into blinds and shades for seniors, you look for the best pricing. Any reputable dealer should offer samples they can mail free of charge as well as a customer service line for any questions you have. Be sure to measure windows correctly and if you have questions, don’t hesitate to ask so you can ensure you get the right window treatments for you.

Learn more about custom window shades. Stop by Blinds Chalet to find out more about quality discount window blinds, shades, shutters and custom drapery.

Where were these window treatments when I was in college? These are so fun and fabulous. Window shades now come with your school’s logo on them. There are a variety of logos to choose from for each school to match your color scheme or you can just pick your favorite design.

These blinds were made specifically for college students. Therefore, it’s no surprise that they come with blackout liners. The blackout liner blocks that tiny ray of sun and helps you get a better night’s sleep. And what good does sleep do you? We know it’s college, but when you get 8-10 hours of sleep a night, you will be less grouchy and lots of people will be happy about that. You will also be more alert, be more creative and more productive with the time you are awake.

Don’t just think these will look good in the dorm room or student housing (although they look great there) they also work well in rec centers, game rooms, and heck, take a set home to your parents if they are alumni. Set them up in the home theater room or the man room.

All the logos are officially licensed if you purchase through a trusted on-line dealer. On-line we have found 39 schools participating with more being added every month. It doesn’t matter if you are in the Air Force Academy, at Penn State or a Wisconsin Badger, there is a Collegiate Window Shade for you. The window treatments are custom sized for your individual window needs and on-line instructions as to how to measure the window can be easily found. All logos are sized according to window size so it doesn’t look weird if you have an unusually large or small window.

The window shades are roller shades, making it easy to adjust them to offer the desired amount of light in a room. Without the blackout shades, the light will filter in through them, softening glare and making it easier for students to work at their computers without the risk of eye strain and related headaches.

These Collegiate window shades are a fun way to show your support of your school. The demand for this type of window treatment created a line of window treatments that will be appreciated and in demand for years to come. Show your pride and show your enthusiasm for your school through collegiate window treatments.

Looking to find the best deal on custom window shades, then visit Blinds Chalet for the best advice on custom window treatments.

Matchstick shades are also known as bamboo shades or woven wood shades. They offer an elegant South Pacific or tropical feel to a room, apartment or guesthouse. Generally, each woven wood shade will be slightly different in appearance as the unique characteristics from each piece of wood will be slightly different.

Woven wood shades are available in many different colors and patterns. The line I prefer is the Tavarua line of bamboo shades, blinds and drapery. They offer a wide selection of textures and colors, so matching these window treatments to existing wood furniture or flooring is a cinch.

The Tavarua line of matchsticks shades are a popular line and include more than just shades, they also offer sliding panels and bamboo drapery: Tavarua Basics Bamboo Shades, Tavarua Woven Wood Shades, Exotic Woven Wood Shades, Designer Woven Wood Shades, Sunscreen Bamboo Roller shades, Bamboo Drapery and Bamboo Sliding Panels. You could easily decorate every room in the house with a different style of matchstick shade without duplicates.

Most matchstick blinds come with a privacy liner or blackout liner as an upgrade. Because of the weave of the wood, light filters through to create a soft glow and views are easily maintained with some products. While the blinds cut the sun’s glare and help insulate against the heat, they do not provide complete privacy without a liner. The liner also adds an extra bit of insulation against colder weather.

The south has really popularized these shades. The amount of sun down south can cause fading and UV damage to interior furnishings, but these shades help cut that. They also come with edge bindings as an upgrade. Edge bindings are a cloth material that matches the blinds and protects the ends against splitting or cracking.

Here are just a few colors of blinds available: Borneo Dappled, Bora Bora Natural, Baja Sand, Aspen Walnut, Sumatra Espresso. The Tavarua line of woven wood blinds also comes with color-coordinated cords and tassels and a matching 6-inch valance. When lifted, the style resembles the roman fold style so the blinds look like a waterfall. When lowered, you get a very basic, unobtrusive face of bamboo.

For those who like some amount of privacy no matter what the weather holds, the top down, bottom up options would be a great choice for you. You determine how much open window space you want and how much privacy.

If you’re interested, do a search for Tavarua matchstick shades to check out the options available. You won’t be disappointed.

Learn more about custom window shades. Stop by Blinds Chalet to find out more about quality discount window blinds, shades, shutters and custom drapery.

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Some of us have a good night’s sleep every night, but others of us struggle with light sensitivity from street lamps, or the inability to sleep during the day. Those with night jobs often struggle to get 8 – 10 hours of sleep, the recommended amount of time needed for a good night’s sleep, as their bodies are telling them they should be awake with the sun. New shades have hit the market to help resolve this problem. They are called SlumberShades and they block light from windows, using an innovative sidetrack system. According to the National Sleep Foundation, the best night’s sleep comes from a dark, quiet, comfortable atmosphere.

So the National Sleep Foundation was asked for their input on window treatments to help people sleep and the result is the SlumberShade. The sidetrack system ensures no light creeps in around the corners of the blinds or at the top or bottom. The more sleep you get, the better you feel.

To encourage a decent night’s sleep, each purchase of SlumberShades comes with a copy of the National Sleep Foundation’s Guide: Better Sleep Through Light Management. The SlumberShade’s exclusive sidetrack system blocks light from entering along the edges of blinds. The outside facing edge of the track comes in white, tan or bronze to match window trims, however the inside strip is lined black to absorb light. The tops of the blinds are sealed in by a fuzzy seal to block exterior light at the top of the shade. The sidetrack system is attached magnetically and is easy to pop off for cleaning the window treatments.

Because of the honeycomb design, these shades help increase energy efficiency by keeping drafts out. The R-value tops 7.0 when used in conjunction with double-pane vinyl windows and give 2 – 3 times more insulation than comparable shades that don’t have a sidetrack system.

So if you have windows anywhere from 9×9 to 96×120 inches, these blinds will cover it for and you are custom made to your specs. Hardware options include:

* Standard Rectangular

* Top Down Bottom Up

* Smoothly Continuous Cord

* Cordless

* Cordless Top Down Bottom Up

There are different fabrics and colors to choose from that give a neutral street facing appearance. They are the most effective blinds for darkening a room and are great not only for day sleepers, but for baby rooms, offices and home theater rooms.

Be sure to purchase blinds and window treatments from an authorized retailer. On-line stores often offer free shipping as well as additional discounts for shoppers. Look for companies that have a customer service line staffed by people as well as a company that has been in business for several years. Samples can be ordered through on-line stores to ensure color and material matching before an order is placed.

Looking to find the best deal on custom window shades, then visit Blinds Chalet for the best advice on custom window treatments.

Every year children die or are injured from dangling cords attached to window treatments, blinds and shades. The threat comes from kids or pets playing near window treatments where they can become entangled in the cord. While organizations are set up to help educate parents about this issue, we don’t think there can be enough information about children’s safety.

Window treatments installed before 2001 may have dangerous cords. These cords can be retrofitted with a free kit available through the Window Covering Safety Council. However, for parents who want to replace window treatments, blinds and shades, there is a wide selection of styles and brands that use cordless technology to eliminate potential dangers for babies, children and pets.

There are a ton of different blinds that are now available with a cordless option. We’ve found a few of our favorites and compiled them below:

* Single and Double Cell shades – some of the best insulators on the market

* Blackout Single and Double Cell Shades – these offer insulation as well as complete privacy

* EnergyTrack & ComforTrack Cell Shades. These window treatments qualify for a Federal Tax Credit

* Cordless Mini Blinds – some of the most affordable

* Light Filtering Roman Shades – roman shades are known for their timeless beauty

* Woven Wood Roman Shades – woven wood incorporates nature and style

* Textured Linen Roman Shades – have additional insulation through a cell shade layer

* Satin Roman Shades – a classic

* Light Filtering Pleated Shades with No Holes Privacy – offer privacy and filter light

* Room Darkening Pleated Shades with No Holes Privacy – the best for complete darkness

Children’s safety is a top priority for us. We want to see children grow up healthy and protected from needless dangers. Every year we do our best to educate parents and parents-to-be about the need for cordless blinds in baby and children’s rooms as well as play rooms. We urge pet owners to be aware that pets, too can become entangled in hanging cords. For the safety of your loved ones, we encourage homeowners and renters alike to replace old blinds and shades with safer cordless blinds.

Looking to find the best deal on custom window shades, then visit Blinds Chalet for the best advice on custom window treatments.

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Let’s talk faux wood blinds for a minute. I know, the holidays have just ended and money’s a little tight right now. The recession isn’t over and no one is throwing around money. So if you are remodeling a home, apartment or office building, or need to update your house or finish your home for sale, you might feel like you’re in a bit of a pickle. You need blinds but you don’t have a lot of money to spend.

And we have good news for you. Some people hear faux wood blinds and they think cheap blinds. Well, yes, they are cheap in price, but most people can’t tell the difference between faux wood blinds and real wood blinds. You get the look without the high cost.

Faux wood blinds are made using PVC and a composite of man-made materials brought together with wood particles that are compressed. These window treatments can be washed down and wiped off without fear of warping. Humidity has nothing on these blinds, making them a great choice for warmer climates.

Because these are faux wood, they come in all the same colors and finishes that real wood blinds come in. You can choose between oak and honey, white, off-white and more. And if you order from the right place, you’ll get a choice of decorative fabric window tapes. This cloth brings color and warmth to the blinds and adds an extra design element.

Faux wood blinds compliment a variety of environments from the kitchen, living room and bedroom to the office. They come with a free cornice style valance upgrade that sits outside the window frame. Because the recession is still in effect, some companies are offering great incentives if you buy now. The best deal we have found is the ‘Buy 3 Get 1 Free’ sale that some companies are having.

You also want to make sure to buy from a company you can trust. This way you’ll not only get great blinds, but the company will stand behind their products and be available to answer questions and send samples if needed.

So to sum up, faux wood blinds provide:

-Cheaper than real wood blinds

* Same look as real wood blinds

* Durability that won’t warp with moisture or humidity

* Simple to wash surface.

* Easier maneuvering than real wood blinds

* Discounts

-Decorative tapes that come with faux wood blinds add color to a room.

If you’re in a hurry to get a room or house fixed up, remodeled or ready for sale and you don’t have a huge budget but want to make a huge impression, then faux wood blinds are the choice for you. They are durable and work well in just about any environment.

Want to find out more about custom window shades, then visit Blinds Chalet for the best selection on blinds, shades and window treatments.

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