Window treatments can be expensive and you don’t want to waste a lot of money on something that you regret. Get Blinded shares 10 things to take into consideration before you purchase a Window Treatment
- How Much Light do you want and need?
- You might want to think about whether or not you want your room bright and airy or “buttoned up” and cozy. Blinds don’t have to be raised in order to allow light through while most shades do. For many bedrooms the goal is to block out light to allow for sleeping while the fabric in the kitchen is used only for privacy, but to allow as much light as possible.
- How much time and effort are you willing to spend cleaning?
- You can clean most blinds at home but they can collect dust and need regular attention. Textured fabrics and weaves can hide soil better and can be cared for with vacuuming or professional cleaning. There are a number of options for dustless blinds available as well.
- What is your decorating style?
- Bold colors can be fun or dramatic and break up the monotony of a room giving a more contemporary look, but neutral colors can be so versatile, they will work with all colors in a room. In general, window treatments should blend into the space and not contrast with the current color scheme in the room. Occasionally they can be the focal point of a space, while keeping with the overall theme.
- You may want to show off certain pieces in your home, such as a decorative cornice or latch handle of the door. Choosing inside or outside mounting can make this difference.
- Do you have children in your household and need cordless blinds and shades?
- Window cords can pose a potential strangulation hazard to young children. According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, corded window coverings are among the top five hidden hazards in American homes. Check your window coverings for exposed or dangling cords and retrofit or replace them with today’s safer products. Safety experts recommend using only cordless window coverings in homes with young children.
- How do you want to operate your blinds?
- While you may think of the traditional pulling a cord or pulling down on a roller shade, there are many other options for blind operations from remote control and even smartphone controls to traditional cords and cordless systems where you simply push or pull from the bottom of the blind. For higher or more difficult to reach windows, cordless and motorized options are available as well.
- Are you looking for added insulation?
- Because of the multiple slats in blinds, it is difficult to control heat loss through blinds, but in the summer, when they are completely closed and lowered, they can reduce heat gain by about 45%. Due to the many styles and options with draperies, it can be difficult to generalize their insulating properties, however, some studies show that draperies can reduce heat gain in a room by up to 33% and heat loss in a room by 10% in the winter.
- Many manufacturers make a cellular blind that due to the shape of the blind- a honeycomb shape keeps pockets of air and can add up to an extra 4 R-value of the windows. Many customers have commented on how they have felt the difference after having these installed in their homes.
- If you are choosing blinds, what size slats are you thinking about using?
- The bigger the slat size, the fewer slats you will need to cover the window, and more spacing will be available between the slats to see out the windows. This also means fewer slats stacked up at the top or side of the window, allowing more light through the window when the blinds are drawn.
- Many windows don’t have the depth, requiring either smaller slat sizes to fit into the window, or outside mounting over the window.
- French doors often won’t allow for larger slat sizes due to the casing and also the door handles can get in the way of the slats on blinds with larger slats.
- Will there be a lot of moisture near the window treatments?
- Rooms with high humidity can warp and discolor wood blinds and woven wood shades. Cellular shades offer both privacy and moisture resistance, Faux wood blinds look like wood, but are moisture resistant, and top down bottom up blinds offer both privacy and style by allowing light above or below the blind and letting you adjust the position of the blind on either top or bottom as you need to.
- How much are you thinking about spending if you want blinds?
- If you are on a budget, you may want to think about starting with the more prominent downstairs windows seen from the street as it is important to think about how your home would look from the curb.
- Are you thinking about reselling in the future?
- If you are planning on living in the house for a long time, you may want to invest in a higher quality window treatment that will hold up to the years.. Shutters are one of the few window treatments that actually increase the value of the home in an appraisal.
For more information, or for a free estimate please contact Jon Harris President of Get Blinded, LLC. 240-803-3111, or jon@getblinded.com. www.getblinded.com
