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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Picture of the Week: Bali Diffusion

Welcome to natural light and a bright, open feel with privacy intact. Welcome to a sleek, modern appeal. Welcome to Bali Diffusion.

Bali Diffusion is an innovative product offered exclusively by Bali. The privacy is created by the textured side of the blind, which scatters light while allowing it to fill your room, creating complete privacy in your home. From as little as 6 inches away from your blind, your privacy is complete- and so is your enjoyment of the beauty of natural light.

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Picture of the Week: Envision A Clean Look

With select Comfortex Envision Roman Shade fabrics, the clutter of cords visible to your neighbors is a thing of the past. The pleated liner is seperate from the back of the shade, and the cords rest between the liner and the roman shade fabric. This means the clean, tailored look of your shades isn’t dampened by knowing how they look outside your home. This option is available on both Flat Panel and Hobbled romans, so no matter what your style is, we have you and your strings covered. With Envision, your shades are beautiful from front to back.

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Picture of the Week: Great Prints, Good Housekeeping

Good Housekeeping light filtering roller shades, Floral Pattern in the color “Solitude”

What we love about this picture is how the light print adds life and whimsy to the room while letting in the perfect amount of light. Available in Rollers, Flat Panel Romans, and Cellular Shades, this pattern can pretty up any room and coordinates easily throughout the home. What’s more, the Good Housekeeping line of window coverings passed the vigorous testing of the Good Housekeeping Research Institute, so their quality is guaranteed like no other shade on the market.

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For Timelesss Beauty, Look to Rome(ans)

When you think of Roman shades, what comes to mind? Is it home-made, bulky, drapery-mimicking window coverings that obscure half the view of your window and have no place in your modern home? Roman shades don’t have to be that. In fact, a Roman Shade can be as versatile a window covering as a cellular without the crisp pleats and modern style of a cellular shade. Because of the wide variety of patterns and fabrics available, these gorgeous creations can lend themselves well to any home, and have an added bonus: Timelessness.

Romans are available in many fold styles, but most internet retailers limit themselves to a tailored flat panel or a hobbled style for the greatest variety of lift options.  A hobbled shade can add rich texture to a formal room, while the clean uncluttered lines of flat panel shades offer a deceptive simplicity. A flat panel Roman is the perfect touch to a simplistic modern style of design, and if down the road you decide to get more traditional with your décor, the soft beauty of the fabric will add dimension to any style you choose. Simply add drapery panels and voila: get your fancy on!

In addition, Roman shades can free you from the traditional pull-cord blahs. Want lots of light and lots of privacy? Go top-down bottom-up, with or without pull cords. Have high, inaccessible windows, or large picture windows and don’t want to build your biceps raising and lowering your shades every day? Try motorized shades (available with a wall switch if you tend to lose remotes). Have child safety in mind? Roman shades are available with cordless lift for a beauty all ages can enjoy.

This year, don’t settle for the hard line. You don’t have to worry about pleat sizes and whether or not something looks busy. Wrap your home in the timeless beauty that is a Roman shade.

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