3 Steps to Being Your Own Designer

Sometimes, the world of window coverings can seem intimidating- especially when you are ordering online. The prospects seem beautiful, but you are afraid of ordering a blind, hanging it in your window, and discovering it doesn’t suit you at all.  Take a breath- we are here to help you recover your Zen with these three easy steps to window coverings harmony.

1. Find Your Style.

Take a look around your home, making note of what you love and what you don’t.  Are you redecorating? What do you want your home to look like? This is the easiest time of year to do this, as you clear out the clutter from winter and open your windows for some fresh air at long last. Now choose the group of words below that best describes you and your ideal home.

1. Clean, Cool, Simple
   

 


2. Timeless, Soft, Warm
   

 


3. Textured, Bold, Energetic
   

We won’t dig into all the myriad of different “style” labels out there- because this is about simplifying your decision, not stuffing you in a box. Instead, we’ll stick to three basic categories of styles- Contemporary, Classic, and Adventurous.

If you chose “a”- you like more contemporary styles. You want all the clutter of life neatly concealed and in its place. You favor clean lines, cool colors (or grey scale), and simplicity. You have a hard time resting when you see knick-knacks taking up space, and don’t want anything that feels fussy.  Some great choices for your windows would be:

-Solar Shades

-Simple Roller Shades

-Cellular Shades

-Pleated Shades

-Panel Track Blinds

If you chose “b”- you like more classic styles.  You love small personal touches in your décor, and want your home to be inviting to anyone who enters. You favor timeless patterns, soft neutrals (or earth tones), and a sense of warmth.  You don’t like it when things feel sterile or impersonal, and want the room itself to invite you in. Some great choices for your windows would be:

-Roman Shades

-Dressed-Up Roller Shades

-Sheer Shading and Draperies

-Vertical Blinds

-Wood Blinds

If you chose “c”- you like adventurous or funky styles. You love a room that pops with personality and provokes thought and creativity. You favor textures, bold colors (or fun prints), and a sense of energy. You don’t like being tied to one theme, and often mix multicultural influences from around the world with your own personal flair. Some great choices for your windows would be:

-Bamboo/Woven Shades

-Fabric Verticals

-Colorful Mini Blinds

-Bali’s Diffusion Blinds

-Textured or Printed Roller Shades

-Bold Colored Cellular Shades

2.  Take Your Measurements.

You still have a lot of choices in front of you. Taking your measurements before you look at each individual brand can help narrow things down, because some products have size limitations. Use our printable worksheets and easy-to-follow measuring videos to measure each window with confidence

3.  Order Samples

Now comes the fun part. You’re armed with measurements and a list of products that seem interesting and will work in your windows. Now you can order samples! Go to our “Order Samples” page and select samples for any colors that seem interesting to you. We’ll send 10 samples for free, so pick whatever you like! When you receive your fabric samples, you’ll be able to see the quality and colors of the fabrics, hang them on your wall, and compare them to other things in your home.

How do you choose? The best advice we can offer is to go with your gut. Always pick “love” over “like”- if you are true to your vision for your home your purchase will bring a smile to your face for years to come.

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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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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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Alicia’s Decorating Dilema 101- Picture This

Last year after my son’s birth, my husband and I moved out of our large one bedroom apartment to a smaller, more affordable two bedroom space while we save for a home. The biggest challenge we face is less space, and our family photos exemplify the dilema perfectly.  Only two walls in our new home have enough space to hold photos, so I needed to pair down the clutter. I had a huge hodge-podge of frames that were the product of having my pictures spread throughout a large apartment with high ceilings.

The first step in the process was to go through the photos and decide which were the most important. Trimming out old snapshots and moving them to the family photo albums helped a lot. I then narrowed it down to the special shots from specific occasions- wedding photos, holidays, and my son’s introduction to his family.  I still needed some inspiration, so I went online to look at various collage frames. On Target.com I saw a lot of creative and fun frames, but nothing with the flexibility I wanted- many had inspirational phrases I didn’t want to be stuck with for years. What I wanted was the ability to adjust the style of the frame throughout the year, not a one-size-fits-all greeting card phrase.

Enter Crayola. Crayola sells “Window Crayons”- basically non-toxic grease markers in primary colors. You can write or draw on a glass pane and then come back later and wipe the glass clean with glass cleaner, even months down the road, and create a different design. This can also be done with eyeliner, but eyeliner isn’t available in the colors I wanted. I purchased the Window Crayons from a hobby store and picked up two RE Collage Frames with white matting from Target. I three 8″x10″ black frames from my orginal collection. I shifted the large photos into the 8″x10″ frames and put those frames in the dining room.  On the frames with matting, I used the Crayola Window Crayons to create a generalized, abstract winter design that will look nice until spring peeps its head over the horizon and I’m ready to change the design. These two frames will look great and fit comfortably in the living room.

Any space, no matter how small, can be a comfortable home. The key is being flexible and creative, and accepting that in small spaces less is more.

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