Your Roadmap to a Dream Roller Shade

Ordering Roller shades can be a frustrating process. There are so many fabrics, technical terms, and options that the whole process can be overwhelming. Take a deep breath- and use this guide to find your dream roller shade.

1. Light Control

First you need to decide how much light control you need. Do you want to be able to see out while protecting your furnishings? Or do you want to make the room dark to enhance your home theatre experience? There are essentially three kinds on fabrics to choose from:

• Solar Screens

Solar screens keep a room bright by allowing light in and preserving your view while blocking most UV rays from damaging your furniture. Solar screens are displayed with their “Openness Factor”- the percentage of the weave that is open. The higher the openness factor, the more details you can see through the shade. Another thing to consider is the color of your solar screen. The human eye perceives light more easily through dark fabrics than light fabrics, so for an optimum view choose a dark color. Solar screens provide privacy in the daytime, but it’s important to note that you can see in at night as well as you see out during the day- so Solar Screens aren’t suitable for bathrooms or bedrooms, unless you are adding curtains for privacy.

• Light Filtering Fabrics

Light filtering fabrics come in a dazzling array of colors, patterns and textures certain to match any décor style. They allow light to enter and typically block all UV rays. The only time your privacy may be compromised is at night when the lights are on inside and you are standing directly in front of the shade, and then the only thing visible will be your shadow. Additionally, many light filtering fabrics meet GreenGuard or EcoTek standards for indoor air quality.

• Blackout or Room Darkening Fabrics

Most blackout fabrics are a dense polyester or vinyl for optimum light control. If you are trying to have total light control, it is best to mount your roller shade as an outside mount, since deductions on width for roller shades are larger than the deductions on other blinds and can result in dramatic light gaps. These gaps aren’t typically bothersome on light filtering or solar screen fabrics, but are very noticeable next to a blackout shade. Mounting on your wall allows you to overlap your window casing and almost eliminate light leaks.

2. Roll Direction

Just like paper towels, roller shades can come off the roller in two directions. “Standard Roll” means the fabric rolls off the back of the roller, so the fabric lays closer to the window. This is ideal for most mounting situations and reduces light gaps. “Reverse Roll” means the fabric rolls off the front of the roller, and is most commonly used to avoid an obstruction such as a window crank. It’s also useful when you don’t want a valance but don’t like the appearance of the roll.

3. Valance Choices

Cassette Valance on M&B Roller Shade

Most roller shades offer three types of valances: fascia, cassette, and square-corner valances.  Fascias enclose the entire roller shade and have an industrial style. Cassettes cover the top and front of a roller and are curved, and are designed for residential settings. A square-corner valance is a PVC valance with a strip of roller shade fabric inserted for a coordinated look. Some roller shades offer fabric valances with scalloped trim for a more decorative, custom look.

4. Hem Choices

Roller shades are available with three different hem types. The most common is a hem pocket. The pocket hem has a wooden or aluminum bar sealed inside. Another common option is an external hem bar, available with or without a fabric wrap. You may also choose a decorative hem to match a decorative valance. The hem is in addition to the length of your shade, so if you order a 48” shade with a scalloped decorative hem, the hem will add as much as 6” to the length of your shade for a total length of 54”.

5. Lift Systems

This is often the most difficult choice when ordering roller shades. There are two common lift systems for roller shades, and one unique lift system offered by Bali.

• Continuous Cord Loop

The standard control system on most roller shades, the continuous cord loop is operated by a pulley-clutch with a plastic or stainless steel beaded chain. When the cord tensioner is installed properly, this option is safe for homes with children and allows the easiest operation of your shades. The clutch stops your shade when you stop pulling on the chain, ensuring precise positioning with ease. Something to take note of: manufacturers take an extra fabric deduction on the side of the shade with the control loop, so the light gap will be a little wider on that side.

• Cordless Lift

Cordless lift on a roller shade is controlled by a spring system. The quality of the spring system varies based on the manufacturer, so some economy line rollers will rise very quickly and loudly, while other rollers have a tensioning device that slows the speed of the shade as the bottom rail approaches the top of the window. This results in smoother, quieter operation. The height of the shade can be adjusted on cordless rollers by raising the shade completely and then pulling the shade down to the desired height. Cordless lift shades have the smallest light gaps of any roller shade and are child safe.

Bali Smart Pull Lift

• Bali SmartPull

Available only on Bali Roller Shades, Bali’s Smart Pull system operates with a single pull cord that allows precise positioning of the shade while retracting back to a set length after each pull. This option is a convenient

alternative to continuous cord loop systems, but may be difficult for children or older adults to operate.

Deciding which features to use in your home is easy when you understand their uses and limitations. Join us next week for tips on how to order a perfect fitting roller shade!

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Keeping the “Brrr!” Outside

Keeping the “Brrr!” Outside

Winter is upon us with a vengeance, and if you’re tired of walking around the house wrapped in a blanket, we’ve got some shiver-reducing tips that will have you warmed up in no time, while reducing the dreaded energy bill.

1. Get Friendly with a Space Heater

At nighttime when the temperature outside plummets, it may seem like your heating system is powerless but your bill is limitless. The solution to your woes is simple- space heaters. They can be adjusted for individual comfort levels, so you don’t need to shiver for the sake of the easily overheated members of your family. By turning down your thermostat to the mid-sixties at night and turning up the space heaters in the bedrooms, you can save a chunk of change. For safety’s sake, though, please invest in new space heaters with concealed coils that turn off when tipped over. Have small children? Wait to turn on the heater until bedtime, and remove it from your children’s rooms in the morning to store the heater in a safe place.

2.   Find the Draft and Plug It

Most drafts can be fixed in an hour or so, because they are the result of cracks in the seals in doors or windows. Your local home improvement store carries all the supplies to reseal these troublesome spots and it’s typically something that can be done with nothing more than a screwdriver. Have a draft coming in from a closet or wall? You may need to replace the insulation, and that is a project best left for warmer weather and professionals. In the meantime you can warm things up a bit with a decorative wall hanging- with the added bonus of a new look for the room!

3.  Insulate Your Windows

Windows are the biggest heat loss in any home- whether it’s a skylight, a bedroom window, or a sliding door, it needs a covering that insulates. Try cellular shades- they are available in a wide selection of colors, styles, and fabrics to match any décor. In addition, they can be made to fit any window- skylight, arch, sliding door, angled top: no matter the challenge, there is a cellular shade to meet that challenge. If you don’t see what you’re looking for BlindSaver.com, call our Customer Service Team at 1-877-388-0336 and we will find the solution and build a custom quote just for you!

Have blinds or shades in place that you love, but leave you cold? Hang insulating curtains over them to keep you warm at night, and tie the curtains back during the day to enjoy the view (or your current blinds). Look for curtains labeled “Energy Smart” at Target or your favorite retailer. An added perk to this choice? You can change out the panels to suit the season or a shift in décor as needed, at very little cost.

With just a little of your time, you can trade your blanket for real comfort and enjoy the time inside with your family instead of shivering through it.

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Picture of the Week: Top-Down / Bottom-UP

This versatile feature allows light in from the top while still offering privacy at eye-level on cellular, pleated, roman, and natural shades. An important consideration is whether you want this feature controlled with cords or without cords. Corded control is ideal when the top of the window is out of easy reach. This is most common above a sink or on a very tall window. Cordless top-down / bottom-up is perfect for children’s rooms and for any window where the top of the window will be within easy reach. Add this convenient feature for a great price today!

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5 New Year’s Resolutions to Make Your Home Bright

The holidays are over. Cousins, grandparents, and long-lost friends have gone back home, and the only disturber of your peace is that talking stuffed animal a well-meaning Auntie gave your little one- or the string of lights in every window- maybe it’s that cranberry sauce stain on the rug by the couch? It may actually be the thought of putting up all the knick-knacks you had to take down to put up your holiday decorations… Hmmm, maybe it’s the dusty film gathering on your window coverings that were neglected in favor of mountains of dishes?

Before you retreat to your bedroom to hide from the aftermath, take a day or two to face it. With five simple, no-fuss resolutions, you can have your home back in working order, leaving you free to veg out without looking guiltily at the Christmas tree in the corner every five minutes.

1. Don’t let holiday decorations stick around until Valentine’s Day.

Nothing wears you down quite as much as thinking about putting away your decorations- so do it fast. Thinking about it is more tiring than doing it, especially if you get organized. Sort things- garland in this box, ornaments in the next, lights in the next, etc. Get out the label-maker (or a thick black permanent marker if you don’t have one) so you can find things easily next year, and your storage space will be just a little friendlier throughout the year. Take the opportunity to pitch holiday décor you haven’t used in a few years. And please take out that tree! It’s the perfect home for bugs looking for a warm winter refuge. Bonus- your house will automatically feel better with no pine needles on the floor, and the embarrassing spectacle of a brown tree on the curb in the spring need not be yours this year.

2.  Start off the New Year with a New Look.

Garlands, cute little deer, and ceramic holiday villages take up lots of space. Once they’re gone and you have space again for your normal knick-knacks, consider this: you can redecorate a room without purchasing new things. Try rearranging them instead. Moving your furniture can make a room feel new again, and forces you to move pictures, vases, and other little treasures. Sometimes, putting something in a different space will make it seem new again. Bonus- now is the perfect time to zip-tie all the cables for your electronics into neat bundles for easier cleaning behind your furniture.

3.  Update playrooms and toy storage.

This may take some “strategery”- even though your children’s rooms are full of new toys and they never play with the old ones, kids want to hold on to toys forever. Send them outside to play and go in for the casualties- toss toys that are broken or missing most of their pieces. Also gather toys that never got much love and donate them to reputable charities. This doesn’t have to be a hassle- try visiting www.donationtown.org for local charities. Most areas even have free pickup services! Bonus- if you have older children, you can include them in the process, and use the chore of creating space for new toys as an opportunity to talk about giving to those in need.

Once you have tidied up the toy collections, try using cube furniture with bins to store the keepers. The bins may not be organized, but clearing the floor at the end of the day will be quick and stress free- and easy for the kids to do.

4.  Touch up damage to floors and upholstery.

For a quick way to freshen any room, tackle your floors. Most stains can be removed without shampooing. Mix 2 tablespoons of liquid hand dishwashing detergent with two  cups of cool water and blot at the stain- first to loosen the stain and then to lift it. Have a tricky stain? Check out the Good Housekeeping website for tips that don’t require a chemical arsenal to master. Bonus: by taking care of the worst spots now, you can save the heavy duty chemical deep-clean for springtime, when you can open up the windows and breathe fresh air.

5.  Clean dingy window coverings.

Windows are the best source of light in a room, and the first thing your eye goes to. Bring new life to a room by cleaning the window coverings. Most can be cleaned with a duster or a damp wash rag, and some can even be cleaned by submerging them in warm water in the bathtub (always check with the manufacturer first!). Have some cellular shades that have been getting dusty on the inside? Have them professionally cleaned- right in your home! This is a great option since the shades don’t have to be taken down, and the deep-cleaning will bring the color of your shade back to life. Bonus: even if you haven’t had the heart to go out in the cold to clean them, your windows will look brighter behind freshly cleaned shades.

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