Posts Tagged ‘blinds’

There didn’t used to be as many choices in building materials as there are today. Something was either made of wood, metal or stone. Materials had to be harvested or mined and then fashioned into whatever shape needed to construct the finished product. Today it is much different. New, synthetic and composite materials are cropping up everywhere and are proving to be not only a viable alternative to natural materials, but one that makes like a bit easier.

How Faux Wood is Made

Faux simply means that it is not genuine or real. When referring to wood, it means that although it is not real wood, it looks just like it. However, that is where the commonality ends. It may look just like real wood, which is of course the desired look, but it behaves very differently.

The faux wood used in shutters is actually a polyurethane material. In short it is a really strong plastic. This compressed, man-made material is consistent from the inside out. This has great significance when being used to make shutters.

Shutters are often cut to size in order to fit into specific window measurements. Because of this, a “raw” edge is left on the top or bottom. With real wood, the cut edge would need to be refinished – either painted or stained – to match the face of the shutter. With faux wood, the material is the same from the core out. When you cut the surface, it does not splinter and even better, it is the same colour throughout. There is no touch-up refinishing required!

The Advantages of Faux Wood

Real wood is very porous. It is greatly affected by moisture and temperature changes. Just take a look at how interior doors seem to not close quite right during the hot, humid summer months, but work just fine in the winter. That is because with heat and humidity – or moisture of any kind – wood will expand and warp. When the weather turns colder, the wood then condenses to its original size. Moisture can also cause warping that is not restored once the weather changes.
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One of the easiest and least expensive ways to transform the look of a room is to change the curtains and window coverings. Instead of using the same old curtain rod and drapes, try putting your imagination to work to see what you can come up after being inspired by the following ideas for curtains and window coverings.

One of the most popular ways of making your own window coverings is to buy a designer curtain rod and pinch clips. These pinch clips grip the edge of the fabric and allow you to hang any kind of material, hemmed or unhemmed from your window. A popular look is to buy wrought iron gothic style rods and clips and attach hemmed or unhemmed sheers or a swath of plain fabric.

This is a very romantic look that can also be achieved by simply attaching long white sheets, which are much cheaper than fabric from a store. You still get that billowy romantic look without the expense. Whether you use sheers or fabric this look is also very much improved by tying ribbons or ties as pullbacks to enhance the appearance of the window coverings.

You can also buy curtains and window coverings that don’t require any type of clip that slides along the rod. These curtains, which come in a variety of designs and fabrics, simply boast loops at their edge that allows you to thread the curtain through the rod. It would also be very simple to make your own curtain like this by attaching ribbons or fabric strips with buttons to a length of fabric.
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There are many ways that you can decorate your windows. You have the choice of horizontal blinds, vertical blinds, shutters, or even roller shades, and that is just to name a few. Before you head down the road of confusion you should begin by asking yourself a few questions.

What kind of space are you working with?

Do not only focus on the window space but take a look at the whole room. It doesn’t matter if you are doing one room or a whole house. Look at the room by itself. Consider the location of the room. North facing windows bring in consistent light but could subject your house to the coldest exposure. For this you would want to consider energy-saving window treatments. They will also help with the heating and cooling bills since 40% of heat escapes through windows. That is something to consider in each room of your house.

East-facing windows offer bright light early in the morning. That means that the room will heat up quickly. There are options that will help capture the heat so it diffuses it before it comes in, such as cellular or pleated shades. Also, the traditional drapery would work well, although, it is not appropriate for every room.

West-facing windows are the worst for letting in the most light that is harmful. Rooms with these windows should be ones that block out the UV rays. You would want to consider energy-saving window treatments.

South-facing windows are the best for consistent, natural light. You want to have window treatments that let in light but also have the option for protection against the light.
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There are a few things to consider when deciding the answer to this question.

First, what are you installing?

If you are installing horizontal blinds, such as mini blinds or 2″ blinds, you could probably do it yourself. If you are installing vertical blinds or draperies, you might want someone professional to do it. It all depends on your handing-man skills. Your time is an important thing to consider. A professional installer could do it a lot quicker than the average person. Plus, if something goes wrong, they have the knowledge to work around that and get the job done.

Do you plan on measuring the windows yourself?

If you don’t feel comfortable measuring the windows yourself, you could hire someone to do it for you. If the same company is going to install your window coverings, the measuring is usually free. If they just come out to measure, they will most likely charge you a hefty fee. If you would like to learn to do it by yourself, you can visit the Windowblindcenter.com. There you will find an overview to help you get started.

What tools do I need?

Most window coverings come with the required hardware to install them. The hardware would include;

• Brackets
• Screws
• Clips (for hanging the valance)
• Center Supports (for wide blinds)
• Any string or extra attachments to hang the window coverings.

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As life’s color pallet becomes larger and larger, consumers can say good-bye to bland rooms. The availability of thousand of colors and new acceptable color combinations can enhance any room in the home without the need to spend thousand of dollars in new furnishings and accessories. Now we can use those items that once were thought outdated by the integration of new ideas and colors widely available to all thus creating a unique ambience. As décor goes, while white will continue to be the most popular paint color, the more diverse selections are moving at greater speeds, and this applies to all categories, including window treatments, such as blinds.

We are today able to take a plain white color room furnished with plain furniture and turn it into an eye catching space through the use of colorful window treatments, such as vertical blinds, horizontal blinds, roller shades and roman shades, which are readily available for visualization by visiting on-line retailers who display a full array of product lines and colors on the Internet. This modern capability gives the consumer the tools to design a specific scheme to fit the specific use of any room in the home or office. It is recommended that the window treatment is selected first then followed by the selection of accessories which will turn the bland space into the desired setting.

A plain, white room can also be enlivened through the use of stained wood blinds such as mahogany or other so called medium colors. The use of dark stained colors should be limited to specific situations that call for their specific use. Should a light blue room use a dark colored blind, the contrast can be quite striking and powerful. On the other hand, often these rooms will go the basic route of white blinds, which will diminish the distinction of the otherwise beautiful room.

Oftentimes we find ourselves dealing with a darkly painted room with a wall color which, for whatever reason, we do not wish to replace yet we wish to change its appearance and effect. This change in appearance and/or effect can be achieved by the use of vivid colors that allow exterior light into the room. Vertical blinds, horizontal blinds, roller shades and roman shades can all aid the consumer in creating the desired atmosphere by the availability of thousands of colors and also their operational features which allow the full control of light. Another important factor to be considered is the use of window blinds or shades that incorporate translucent materials and fabrics with varied openness factors.
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Decorating your home can be a fun adventure, but it does take time and effort to achieve the perfect look. When decorating you get to reflect your own personality within the home – whether it be through the paintings, the cushions, the linen or the bedding or even the window treatments like blinds and curtains. Window treatments along with blinds, curtains and shutters are perhaps one of the most important aspects of a room. This is because windows are the main source of light in a room and therefore the main focal point of a wall which attracts a lot of attention. Decorating with window treatments such as blinds will give each room in your house a very individual look.

You can find window treatments like blinds from many professional furnishings companies by shopping online. Online furnishings companies who specialize in window treatment products provide many beneficial features for home decorators who want to embark on some ‘do it yourself’ activities such as helpful information, discount window treatment such as blinds and curtains, and window coverings made in any fabric to complement your existing or planned decor. These sites offer a wide selection of window shades, vertical blinds, bamboo blinds and other options. In fact window treatments can even be fully customized to suit your specific room according to fabric density and window size.
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Confused by all the different products and prices?
Plantation Blinds or Wood and Faux Wood Blinds, Value Blinds or Mini Blinds, the options can seem endless. We can help make some sense of your window blind decisions. Window Blinds can have varying degrees of quality and it is important to understand the difference. It is also important to understand the different effects window blinds have on lighting and mood.

2” Wood Blinds and Faux Wood Blinds.
Express or Value Blinds vs. Custom Built Blinds – Express, Cut-Down and Value Blinds are simply a name given to partially pre-constructed Window Coverings. They are made in 2” increments in width and are pulled from inventory, trimmed down on each side to fit your specific window. The length is also adjusted for your specific Height. These are typically the same quality material used in Premium Blind or Custom Blind production… but the cost savings come from lower cost of partial assembly in China. Since these are partially pre constructed, you don’t get to choose the location for the tilt mechanism or raise and lower control. Typically, these are offered in a more limited color selection and come with tilt cord controls on the Left and Raise and lower cords on the right. At My Beautiful Blinds, we offer American blinds to go with any decore. We strive for 3 day blinds shipping but that varies depending on the production queue. My Beautiful Blinds offers quality blinds at Cheap Factory Direct Discount Prices.
Beware the cheap imitations.
Some large discount stores offer standard sized blinds for the most common size of windows. Not only are the materials generally inferior, but the fit of the blind rarely looks good in the room. For the same cost as a Value Blind, you can have a perfect fit… And you don’t even have to leave the house. Because all windows are not exactly the same dimensions and shelf stock blinds have to fit windows in certain size ranges, shelf window coverings do not fit as well as a custom made blind or shade. The widths of a Stock window blind must be shorter to accommodate as many windows as possible resulting in light gaps at the sides of the blind, shade, or shutter. The blind’s length also has to fit several different sizes and should be shortened so you don’t have a pile of slats sitting on the window sill. Shelf Stock blinds are one of the lowest priced blinds or coverings on the market. The lower price often means lighter weight cheaper materials, lower quality hardware, fewer sizes, colors and lack of a warranty. A Stock blinds have a life expectancy of 3 to 5 years. Advise.. Consider Using a Quality Value Faux Wood Blind, We use Quality Name Brand manufacturers like Timber, Royal and Prestige.

Custom made blinds are built from the ground up from your measurements. Each window is measured for it’s width and height to the nearest 1/8″ and the blind is built to fit the opening. The Standard for most Blinds or Shades factories is to allow about 1/4″ on each side for proper operation, while the bottom rail (bottom blind piece) sits right on the window sill. Custom blinds are made with the best materials and hardware. They come from well known companies such as Timber Blinds, Hunter Douglas, Levelor, Royal Windows, Graber, Prestige and Bali. They are usually warranted for as long as you own the home. The color choices range from many shades of white 20+ stained wood tones. The material choices are Faux “PVC” blinds, Basswood blinds, other Asian Hard Wood blinds and even some composite products. You can get these through many design centers, local retailers and most affordably through online discount blind businesses.
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Windows are an essential part of any home, office or any building because they allow natural light to come inside. Apart from that, windows enable us to look outside without actually having to leave home. However, there are times when there can be too much light coming in at a certain time of the day, and other times when we need privacy; hence, the need to cover the window. This is when blinds come into play.

Blinds have become increasingly popular compared to curtains, especially in offices and public buildings. Blinds are the best choice because they give the best overall coverage and protection, come in various styles and colors, and can be made to fit all size of windows. Blinds also last longer than any fabric material, are easier to clean, easy to maintain and, most importantly, they can protect your furniture and carpet from the bright ultraviolet light of the sun.

To get your money’s worth, do not settle for second-rate blinds. Getting blinds is an investment; they should last until you get tired of them or until they have worn out beyond their years. Getting the right blinds to suit your taste is also important, because they are going to be ‘hanging’ around for awhile. Blinds should also be easy to handle, which means opening and closing them should be a breeze.

You will be dazzled by your choices when you are actually on the hunt for the perfect blinds, as there are literally hundreds of different styles and colors to pick from, ranging from simple to exotic and funky. Whatever you fancy, choose the blinds that best suit your home or wherever you intend to place them, and make sure the color is also in perfect coordination with the color of the walls and tiles. The following are types of blinds you can choose from:
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