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I sometimes come across a customer who needs privacy but also doesn’t want their room to look like a vampire’s dungeon. One of the most popular roller shades styles for this purpose is the sun screen. This material usually allows 1-16% of light to come through will still maintaining some privacy. Of course, if you’d like to enjoy the sun you can easily roll the shade up. While I wouldn’t recommend this style if you’d like complete privacy, this material is the most commonly used for roller shades. Sun screens are available in hundreds of color combinations.

Apart from the convenience this material offers, some are fire retardant which make them a safe and practical choice. If you’re worried about them losing their color, rest assured that most sun screens can last about 10-15 years without warping or fading. Care for this material is extremely easy.

All it takes is some warm water and soap and most stains will come right off. This is another reason why sun screens are so popular with customers.

If you’d like something other than a roller shade, then horizontal blinds are probable your next best option. The most common horizontal blinds are the 2” faux and bass wood types.

Like the roller shade, this style allows you to enjoy some light while not giving away all of your privacy. If you are on a strict budget 2” faux wood blinds are among the cheapest of options. If you don’t want cheap blinds, then the bass wood 2” blinds are the next step up. These are of natural materials so expect some of the coloring to be different from one another. Bass wood blinds add a natural beauty that unfortunately faux wood simply cannot. 

Ever wake up to sun light hitting you right on your face as if the sun was somehow upset at you? I have and I can tell you it’s not a pleasant thing. This unpleasant situation can be avoided using room darkening blinds. This type of shade is most commonly referred to as “Blackout Shades”. Blackout shades are a budget friendly shade. Unlike solar screens that block a certain percentage of light from passing through, blackout shades block 100% of light. They are great for using in rooms where complete privacy and light blocking are a must.

These are available in different materials and endless colors. I’ll discuss the two most popular blackout shades in the following paragraphs which will hopefully help you decide on which is best for your need.

The most economical option is the vinyl blackout. These are usually made up of vinyl material, hence the name.These are durable, easy to clean and easy to operate, making them an excellent choice for children bedrooms, laundry rooms, utility rooms and study rooms. The vinyl material of these roller shades is excellent at blocking light from passing through it.

Note however that roller shades have gaps on each side between them and the window opening; this gap will allow some amount of light into the room. The way to solve this is by adding a “side channel” on each side which will guide the shade through without letting any light in. This will give it a complete blackout effect.

If vinyl blackout is not what you’re looking for, then the polyester blackout blinds are the other popular option for room darkening shades. This has a fabric feel to it and is ideal for residential and commercial applications. These shades come with a white backing, so no matter how many colors you choose, you'll have a uniform appearance on the street side. Their slight luster makes them easy to clean and washable with mild detergent.

Apart from them being easy to maintain and clean, they eliminate glare from television or computer screens, making them natural choices for offices or theater rooms. So to recap, blackout shades whether vinyl or fabric are a great way to completely block the sun out allowing you to rest during the day or sit down and enjoy a movie on a lazy afternoon. For more window treatment ideas please make sure to follow our blog. 

Ever hear the term “cut down window blinds” or “ready made blind”? Well those types of blinds are similar and sometimes confused with each other. Let’s face it, not all of us are window treatment experts and that’s completely understandable. They are technically the same but I’ll explain the difference. A ready made blind is generally a blind made to a common size. For example, 36” x  36 ”.

This is the most cost effective blind out there.  A cut down blind is a ready made blind cut down to a specific size like 36” x 24 ½” . Since the slats are cut, the ends are usually not treated with anything so the durability suffers .They are a little more costly but in reality the same product. You are basically paying the retailer for labor. The biggest Pro of this blind is its cost. Whether you choose ready made or cut down blinds, they will be your most budget friendly option out there. Now that you know its biggest benefit, the biggest negative to this choice is obviously durability.

They are prone to warping, swelling, and maybe even rotting. While this type might be a cheap alternative to custom blinds, it can get expensive in the future. An additional con of this type of blind is that you are limited when it comes to colors and stains available. This is a bigger turnoff for some people since they’re only available in standard colors.

Now that I’ve discussed the ready made blind, lets move on to custom made blinds. They really live up to their name since they are made to your exact window measurements. This is especially helpful on windows that are of uncommon dimensions. Since this type is never cut down, the ends of the slats aren’t exposed and are treated just like the rest of the slat.

This makes a huge difference when it comes to durability. This is its main pro. They can last you years if taken care of properly. One set of these can last you two or three times as long as cut down blinds would!

This will no doubt make up for some of the price difference. However, my favorite benefit of custom made blinds is that they are available in lots of great colors and stains. They are made to fit almost any style which allows you to add a personalized touch to your home. This is especially important since most homes aren’t decorated in standard colors. The biggest negative to this style is however, its price. They are generally twice the price of ready made blinds. This difference as mentioned early can be made up with its durability and style.  So now that I’ve outlined some pro’s and con’s , take some time and decide which of these window treatment ideas is best for you!

Once you have chosen the right window blinds or window shades, it’s time to decide on the add-ons. There are numerous choices out there and most add practicality to the roller shades or blind. Some of them add aesthetic value to them without much functionality. I will be discussing the different options out there and their main purposes to help you better understand your options. Once you have a better understanding of them, you can make a well informed choice that is budget friendly and also meets your needs. If you still need more information after reading this, you might want to do some searching online to get any additional information you may need.

Let’s start with add-ons that add functionality. One of the most popular of these is a lift-assist system. This system is available through numerous retailers and its purpose is to help you raise a heavy or large blind with ease. They can reduce the force required to raise a window blind by up to 40%. Since this system would replace your basic clutch system, it adds no aesthetic value. Another popular add-on is the cordless lift system. This is a great option if you have small children or pets and are afraid of them getting hurt or tangled with the cord.

Since there are no cords, this system provides a clean, elegant look to your window shades. Now if you have a very large window that can’t be covered with just one shade, then multiple shades on one head rail would be your best option.  You might want to check with your retailer on whether or not they offer this option. This system gives multiple shades that are grouped together a clean look and they are able to operate independently.

Now that we’ve talked about add-ons with functionality, let’s go to the ones that make your shades look nicer. The most popular option is going to be a head rail system. There are different styles available such as cassettes, and fascia. They are also available in different sizes with the most common ones being the 3” and 4”. In addition to different sizes, some of them are flat or round and some even have fabric inserts. If the different head rails don’t interest you then maybe the bottom rail will. The most common style is a plain aluminum bar that is internal. The fabric is sewn around it so that it doesn’t show.

While it is practical, it doesn’t add much in the looks department. That’s where the decorative bottom rail comes in. It is made of aluminum which comes painted in different colors. In addition to the different colors available, this style bottom rail has a fabric insert which allows you to insert a strip of matching fabric which adds a nice touch. Before you decide on this style bottom rail, you might want to check with your retailer and see if they carry it.  Follow our blog for more window treatment ideas to make your final decision when buying window blinds.