Looking to put the finishing touches on your home decor, but can’t decide which set of window shades will best suit your needs? If practical operation and sleek lines appeal to you, then plantation shutters and classic horizontal blinds are your two best options. So how do you decide between the rustic charm of interior shutters and the polished look of horizontal window blinds? Each design caters to homeowners with different concerns, including energy efficiency, budget-friendly prices, long-lasting durability, and versatile function, so it will be up to you to determine which criteria are the most important.

On one hand, plantation shutters offer a great deal in terms of energy conservation, resilience, and value. Due to their frame-filling arrangement and unique construction, these wood window shutter designs are able to insulate your home effectively, keeping your interior cool in the summer and warm in the winter. While plantation shutter installation might have a higher initial cost, you’ll be able to save significantly on monthly utility bills, especially if your windows tend to be drafty. And if you’re looking for a low-cost alternative to solid wood shutters, composite wood blends are available that look just like real wood without the expense. Regardless of which type of wood you opt for, you’ll be able to enjoy the organic appeal of classic wood grain that lasts for years.

On the other hand, horizontal blinds provide homeowners with a multitude of choices, versatile light management, and affordable prices. With horizontal window blinds, you’ll get to choose from a wide array of designs, textures, and colors in order to customize the precise look you want for your decor. A horizontal blind also allows you to control the level of sunlight entering the room at any given time, which means you can shut the blinds in the summer to keep your interior slightly cooler and open them in the winter to add a little extra warmth. Because they’re made of composite materials, horizontal blinds are also available at a more cost-effective price and will last for a lifetime.

Boiled down, plantation shutters are a great solution for homeowners willing to spend a little extra on natural, energy-efficient window treatments, while horizontal blinds are tailored with versatility and tighter budgets in mind. Regardless of which option you choose, remember to have your window shades installed by a professional to ensure truly long-lasting performance. If you’re still having trouble deciding on which pattern or wood stain will best complement your existing decor, ask one of the consultants at your local window shade store for assistance. These specialists have a creative eye and will be able to find the perfect match for your home without much hassle.

Window shades, blinds, and plantation shutters provide a lot more than just attractive looks for your home. Your window treatments can also add privacy, light control, and even energy efficiency!

The right draperies or blinds put the beautiful finishing touch on your decor, but they also do so much more. From providing you with privacy and light control to adding energy efficiency, your window shades and blinds are a high-performance addition to your home no matter which style you choose!

Privacy

Whether you select a light-filtering design or a room-darkening shade, window coverings of all kinds can help add a little privacy to your home. Translucent options like sheer blinds and shades can both let the maximum light in and keep prying neighbors’ eyes out while options like bamboo or woven wood shades can filter light for a great compromise between privacy and illumination. Of course, full-coverage options like cellular shades or Roman shades can help ensure complete privacy when drawn.

Light Control

Just about all window treatments provide great light control when closed: plantation shutters, horizontal blinds, and Roman shades all keep the sun’s glare out when drawn. However, there are a number of great window covering options that can help manage your natural light levels even when open. The innovative new sheer blinds are one of these. Window films are also a great choice for constant light control. You can even get clear window films that let all the light in yet block 99% of dangerous UV radiation–you get the benefit of beautiful sunlight without the harmful and fading effects of the Sun.

Energy Efficiency

While privacy and light control are offered, to varying degrees, by just about every type of window treatment, not all window blinds and shades provide energy-efficient performance. However, there is an increasing selection of these energy-saving window treatments on the market. Two of the most notable are plantation shutters and cellular shades. In fact, there are even great new cellular vertical blinds available to help you get energy efficiency and attractive appearance for patio doors and extra-large windows!

So when the time comes to add new window blinds, shades, or shutters to your home or office, make sure you consider more than just looks. With the privacy, light-control, and energy-efficiency benefits of many kinds of window treatments, you can get the performance and appearance that are just right for your specific needs.

Today’s window treatment stores offer far more than just window blinds! Check out all your options in window coverings–from high-tech motorized window treatments to energy-efficient cellular shades–to get the absolute best for your home!

When you’re in the market for window treatments, don’t just limit yourself to basic blinds and window shades. Today’s selection of beautiful, functional window coverings spans the gamut from high-tech to high-class, so there’s sure to be a fantastic option for any room, lifestyle, and even budget.

Motorization

Wish your blinds could go up and down at the touch of a button? With motorized window shades, they can! Combining beautiful horizontal blinds, sun shades, and other window treatment styles with a durable opening mechanism, motorized shades make it simple and easy to optimize privacy and light control in any room of your home. Available with remote control or switch operation, motorized window coverings can also be connected to light sensors or timers for full automation!

Energy-Efficiency

Your windows are at fault for much of your home’s energy loss: Because they allow the transfer of heat between your home’s interior and the temperature outside, your windows can create heat loss in winter and heat gain in summer. Even the most energy-efficient windows can be causing your energy bills to be higher than they’d have to be. But with the right window dressings, you can actually help prevent a great deal of this heat transfer. Insulating window shades, like cellular shades, not only look beautiful and help you manage light and privacy concerns, they can also help keep your bills lower with their energy-efficient design.

Custom Design

And don’t forget, many of today’s window treatments are available in personalized looks. From Roman shades to custom drapery to roll-up shades, you can select the right fabric, pattern, and style for your specific decorating needs. Many types of plantation shutters and blinds can be custom color-matched to your existing trim or color scheme. So why settle for one-size-fits-all window coverings, when you can get top-quality shades and blinds customized to meet your specific needs!

If you’re ready to explore all of the great possibilities for your home or office’s new window coverings, contact your local retailer today.

From easily opening and closing shades on hard-to-reach windows to operating your window blinds when you’re not even home, motorized window shades offer myriad benefits for any home. Use the latest technology to get the ultimate in comfort and convenience for your windows and your home!

Once regarded as luxuries only suitable for the most opulent homes and wealthiest people, motorized window shades are actually a relatively affordable solution for maximizing the comfort and convenience of your home. With options available from remote control operation to high-tech sensors, you can have your window shades motorized in a way that best suits your home and your specific needs. For demonstrations and additional information on motorizing window treatments for your windows, contact your local window shades and blinds store today!

Adding motorized window treatments to your home and office can bring you a huge range of benefits: these window blinds and shades offer a huge range of benefits beyond just looking cool! Motorized window shades provide:

Convenience for inaccessible windows. Does your cathedral ceiling mean the living room has windows far out of reach? The answer is a cellular shade or window blind with an integrated motor. Now, instead of being impossible to reach, these window coverings will go up and down at the touch of a button, enabling you to control natural light levels even on the highest windows.

Hassle-free operation for all types of window coverings. Have large, hard to move window blinds? Wish you didn’t have to get up from the sofa when the sun’s angle suddenly means light shining in your eyes? The great news is that having your window shades motorized makes it simple and easy to open and close all type of window covering. Whether operated by remote control or sensors, your window treatments will open and close themselves, making your life easier!

Increased comfort and protection. The sun offers beautiful natural light, but it can also be a nuisance by making rooms too hot in the summer, fading furniture and flooring, shining too brightly, and more. But with automatic window shades, you can precisely control the amount of sunlight that streams through your windows, providing protection for your decor and comfort for you and your family. From re-angling the tilt of your horizontal blinds to drawing your shades down, having motors on your window treatments allows you to keep your home looking and feeling great.

Safety and security. When you’re on vacation, it’s always a challenge to make it look like there’s someone at home (an important step in dissuading would-be thieves from breaking in). You can always put your lamps on timers, but the question remains: leave the blinds opened or closed? Automatic window shades let you do both! With light sensors or timers installed, your high-tech window blinds can open and close themselves without anyone home, so even when you’re miles away it looks like someone is inside!

So if you’re ready to take your window blinds and shades to the next level, contact your local window covering specialist now. These experts can help you find the right motorized window shade or blind for your specific needs–get ready to enjoy all these great benefits and more by having your window shades motorized!

Window treatments don’t have to be formal. Get the right look for your decor with elegant and laid-back looks from custom draperies to mini blinds.

Many homeowners tend to think of formal plantation shutters or custom draperies when they’re considering window treatments, but the simple truth is that window coverings of all kinds are available both to dress up or dress down your decor. Depending on whether you’re going for an elegant look, a down-home style, or a rustic retreat, your local window treatment dealer has the ideal window shades and blinds to help you create the right aesthetic for your home or office.

Plantation shutters, custom draperies, and cellular shades are generally considered more formal options for elegant window treatments. But with the right fabrics and finishes Roman shades, sheer window draperies, and other window shades can all create a luxurious ambience.

Vertical and horizontal window blinds as well as mini blinds, roll up shades, and woven wood shades, are the most common of the “informal” window treatment styles. However, many other window shades can also be quite laid-back if designed in casual fabrics and styles, even traditionally refined options like draperies. In fact, when finished in simple wood tones, some plantation shutters can even be quite informal!

Remember, most window treatment stores also offer ultrasonic blind cleaning services to get old, dusty window blinds and shades looking new again fast. A safe, affordable, effective solution for revitalizing older, tired-looking blinds, professional cleaning services help your window treatments–and your home–look their best.

With all of the options on the market today, you’re sure to be able to find a great shade or blind no matter what your style. Whether you want a sophisticated custom valance or a natural-looking woven wooden shade, your local window treatment store can help you get a great window dressing at a great price. So what are you waiting for? Get started on the plantation shutters or mini blinds of your dreams today!

Not sure where to start when it comes to redecorating your home? Get help from a professional interior design service and get the look that’s right for your style and your home!

Is your interior decorating “style” a mishmash of hand-me-downs and leftovers from your college days? Does your living room look like a flashback to the 1960s? Is it time to revitalize your home with a fresh interior design? If you’re struggling with interior decor that’s outdated, unorganized, or just needs to be freshened up, sometimes it’s hard to know where to start. But with your local interior design service by your side, you can make getting the decor of your dreams simple and straightforward!

When it comes to the interior design of your home, there are so many choices. Do you want horizontal blinds or Roman shades for your windows? Do you want new flooring or should you refinish your existing hardwood floor? Is it time to buy a new sofa or chair or should you consider furniture reupholstery? With the expert guidance of a professional interior decorator, you can easily navigate all of these design questions and more. Keeping your budget, lifestyle, and other practical concerns like room use in mind, your decorators can make recommendations about the best products and options for your space. So whether it’s plantation shutters for the living room or a new paint scheme for the den, having professionals on your side can help make certain you get not only the look you want but also the practical function you need for your home.

If you’re considering redecorating your home, don’t go it alone. Regardless of whether you’re interested in doing one room or want a fresh design for the whole house, an interior design service can help make the project a success. From window shades to paint colors to furniture choices, they’ll guide your design from start to finish. Eliminating stress and ensuring you get the look that’s right for you, your local interior decor specialists will help you bring out the best in your home.

Worried that moving cross-country is going to be more stressful than you can handle? It’s the little things that make all the difference in a successful relocation. From making sure you’ll have window shades in place at your new home to making sure your possessions are safely transported, the little things can go a long way toward relieving your anxiety and stress!

Sometimes it seems like moving across the street can be stressful enough, but if you’re moving across the country, to a town where you know virtually no one, the anxiety and stress can really start to snowball. But moving–even from one coast to another–doesn’t have to give you gray hairs. Take a deep breath, and read the following advice for taking the edge off your relocation nerves! You’ll be amazed at the difference the little things make.

For starters, hire a reputable moving company. Trying to get all of your boxes and furniture safely from point A to point B can seem like a logistical nightmare, but for long-distance movers that handle this kind of relocation all the time, it’s a piece of cake. You might save yourself a couple of bucks by moving yourself, but is the hassle and stress–let alone the risk of damage to your prized possessions–really worth it? Probably not! In most cases, your best bet is to leave the actual packing, transportation, and unpacking of your household safely in the care of professional movers. And by hiring a reputable moving company, you’ll know your belongings are in good hands, freeing your time and energy to focus on other issues–like finding a new house.

Once you’ve purchased your new home, you’ll want to assess the window covering situation. That’s because moving into a home with bare windows can just add even more stress to your entire relocation experience. A great way to make your new house feel homier right from the start–as well as add needed privacy and light control–is to order new window shades before you move in. Your local window treatment specialist can visit the property, take measurements, and fabricate your new plantation shutters or Roman shades so they’re ready to be installed as soon as you arrive. That way you won’t have to live with gaping, bare windows while your window treatments are being manufactured: by preordering them, they’ll be ready when you are! Whether you want horizontal blinds for the bedrooms or custom drapery for the living room, your window treatment pro can help.

Other great ideas for making a smooth transition into your new home or community include: painting walls and ceilings before the movers deliver the furniture (it’s way easier to paint when you’re not dodging sofas and beds!); hiring a landscaping service to handle the mowing and trimming (you’re busy enough); joining a civic organization, Newcomer’s club, or church to make personal connections; and signing the kids up for scouting, after school clubs, and summer camps to help them make friends. Don’t let your relocation make your life miserable. Following these basic steps can help make the move easier all around!