How to Treat Oversized Windows Without Breaking the Bank

Outfitting your home can get expensive. There is always furniture to buy, home improvement projects like flooring and kitchen countertop replacements to facilitate, and countless other expenses to worry about. Window treatments can also prove to be quite expensive since most homes have a lot of windows that require covering. With the wide range of custom blinds, staying within a strict budget can be difficult. Fortunately, BlindSaver.com has you covered from all angles. No one will guess you paid so little for your window blinds.

The key to staying within your budget is to know what type of blinds you are looking for. By comparing different styles in reference to your expectations of the blinds (light control, privacy abilities, ease of cleaning, ease of operation, overall appearance, etc.) you can get an idea of what you can afford while keeping in mind what you want.

Here are three of the most affordable yet attractive window blind options for large windows:

Vertical Blinds – One of the most popular options for large windows and patio doors is vertical blinds. They provide privacy, light control and protection form the sun’s damaging rays. They are available in a limitless range of styles from value priced vinyl to high end decorative fabrics. The 3-1/2” vertical vanes draw across the window like a drapery and rotate open and closed for light control.

Roller Shades – The simplicity and timeless look of roller shades offer an extremely affordable option for a window treatment. Roller shades are available in a wide variety of fabrics, from designer looks, jacquards, silk looks to cotton and vinyl which range from black out to sheer. They are simple to operate, never go out of style, and their value can’t be compared to other types of custom blinds.

Solar Shades – One of the hottest new window treatment choices are solar shades. The sun can be a particularly powerful nuisance for windows that face any direction and solar shades are an inexpensive and effective way to remedy the problem. While they do not offer any privacy, they will block the harmful sun’s rays so you can still enjoy your view. Bali, Levolor, Graber and BlindSaver brands offer functionality and affordability with solar shades.

Regardless of which of these blinds you may choose for your home or office setting, keep in mind that they can be affordable and still beautiful. You don’t have to compromise style for price. Envision the look you want and work around that vision to find something within your price range.

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Transform a Room in 3 Hours for Under $100

Sounds impossible, right? Changing your window treatments and painting the room can completely transform the feel and atmosphere of any room in your home. This is an easy project that can be done in less time than it takes to cook a turkey.

First, click on over to our online store and pick the style of shade you want for your room. For our under $100 challenge, we picked an 8’ x 8’ room and the Bali Roller Shade style in green. The Bali collection of roller shades is stylish, simple and functional. The Chorus fabric collection features light filtering opacity, which should help balance the light and privacy needs of the room. The beaded chain is easy to operate and always stays the same length no matter the position of the roller shade. We chose an inside flush mount to accent the wooden window frames. With free shipping to the contiguous US, the total price is under $50.00 (plus tax, but only if you live in Colorado).

Next, carefully remove your old blinds. Most of the time, this only takes a screwdriver. Read our post about How to Remove Old Blinds without Damage. If they are still in good shape, drop them off at the closest Goodwill on your way over to the paint store. Place all of the hardware into a plastic bag and include it with your donation.  You won’t need it as all shades ordered through Blindsaver.com come with their own hardware and installation instructions. Don’t forget to purchase some used bed sheets while you are at Goodwill to use as drop cloths.

Once you’ve picked the right paint color to match your new shades and the rest of the room, buy enough paint for two coats. In our case, we needed just one gallon of “waterscape” by Behr. We opted for the zero VOC premium paint in eggshell finish. It’s a little more expensive, but it cuts down on the fumes and is much better for the environment and our own respiratory systems. We painted over white walls so we didn’t need a primer, but you may need one if you are moving from a darker color to a lighter color. Don’t forget to pick up masking tape, brushes and a roller. We found a combo pack with everything we needed for $14.99.

Take down wall decorations, unplug all electrical cords, and move any furniture to the center of the room. Spread out your drop cloths to protect the floor and your furniture. Tear open the masking tape and apply a strip to areas you may accidentally hit while painting. Remove or tape any outlet covers. If you just came from the paint store, a quick stir is all you need to mix your paint. Use the paint roller for big areas and the brush for detailed areas. Apply the second coat according to the instructions on the can.

Remove the tape, put away drop cloths, and clean out brushes while the second coat is drying. Put your furniture back in place, but don’t let the furniture touch the walls yet. You can also use this time to unpack your new roller shade, read through the instructions, and gather the required tools.

Once your second coat is dry you can finish re-arranging furniture and install your roller shades. Check out our tips post to see how to install blinds like a pro.

new roller shade = $45.28 +
1 gallon of paint = $25.99 +
masking tape & paint brush & roller combo pack = $14.99 +
old sheets for drop cloths = $10
Grand Total = $96.26, Total Time = 2 hours, 55 minutes (2 people plus drying time)

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Feng Shui for the Home

“Feng Shui” is a term that gets thrown around a lot these days. You hear it a lot (mostly from people that don’t know much about it) in sentences like “That is SOOO Feng Shui, I love it!” and “This lantern is Feng Shui- it’s supposed to bring luck.”. Feng Shui- the ancient Chinese practice of creating a harmonious energy balance in the home- has become more and more popular in the United States as many aspects of eastern culture enrich our society.  

That being said, I will not attempt to fully explain every faucet of Feng Shui in this article. Feng Shui is a complex architectural and design endeavor worthy of a master’s thesis. If you were going to strictly adhere to Feng Shui principles you would need an architect to reposition doors, and in some cases whole rooms. Also, Feng Shui is considered to be a life-long endeavor and can require years of study to fully understand. However, by following a few simple basic concepts, you can make any room more peaceful, balanced, and energized (depending on your needs). I will attempt to lay out a few basic ideas and then give some tips for the “big threes” of any living space- the three places you’ll spend the most time in- the kitchen, living room, and bedroom.  

Feng Shui is all about balancing “energy”- active or “yang” with passive or “yin”. It also centers around making the energy of the room flow freely from one area to the next. Energy here can be thought of as the thing that causes people to instantly feel a certain way when they walk into a room. When you walk into an office (provided you enjoy your job, of course) you feel motivated and focused. When you walk into a store you feel relaxed by the easy, flowing layout and calm, quiet music. The same can happen in your home. In your office you want to feel focused and ready to work- so you take down distracting decorations, paint the walls a neutral color, and probably face your desk away from the window. A few simple rules to apply to your home are as follows:  

• Keep your home clean and clutter free: Every time you enter a room that’s cluttered, it creates clutter in your mind. You feel antzy, or the desire to get out of that space, and it’s hard to relax.
• When painting and decorating, avoid contrasting colors like red with green, yellow with deep or “true” purple, and blue with orange. While combining the two colors in a space brings out their intensity, it’s usually too much intensity. In a culture where home is usually the only place we can relax, such intensity is just agitating. Don’t be afraid to use bold colors, just use them in combination with colors that complement them, like reds with yellows and oranges, and blues with greens and purples.
• Walk into each room in the house, including the bedrooms. Does the room invite you to do what you want to do in that room? Is it an obstacle course to move through? Does it have lighting that is too harsh or too soft? Can clean air move freely through the room? These things (simple as they may sound) really are the basis of Feng Shui.
• Remember that certain colors have a measurable effect on the mind. Purple, for instance, has a tendency to suppress appetites and therefore is not a good color for the dining room unless the whole family is dieting. Likewise, pink would be counterproductive in the room you exercise in.

The Bedroom  

Roman Shades in Bedroom

• Make sure both sides of the bed are easily accessible and the bed is not directly facing the door. 
• Keep exercise equipment, TVs, and most electronics out of the bedroom (a small stereo is fine). These things are equated with yang (active) energy and are otherwise distracting to the two main functions of the bedroom- sleep and attentiveness to your partner.
• If a bedroom is Feng Shui, it excites and calms at the same time. A mixture of active and passive colors is a good idea- like white or cream with crimson accents.
• Clean air while you sleep isn’t just good Feng Shui- it’s also a key to better health. Clean air promotes healing (and your body does a lot of repairs while you sleep), clear skin, and healthy lungs.
• Have adjustable light sources whenever possible.
• Use natural blinds that allow you to block light when you want- try wooden blinds or roman shades. With most roman shades you can choose a color that reinforces your Feng Shui efforts.

The Living Room  

• What you have in your living room will reflect what you do in your living room, but you should keep in mind that in order for it to be a comfortable space energy needs to flow through it. If it is an obstacle course rather than a relaxed gathering place you may find it difficult to have comfortable conversation with your company. I repeat, keep the clutter at bay.
• Is your living room a place where you sit and talk with friends and family? Choose “yang” colors- yellow, red, orange, or black. Keep the space open and easy to move in, but intimate. Lots of light also facilitates a feeling of openness, so if you have small windows keep the colors lighter and make sure your light fixtures are up to the task.
• Is your living room an area where you simply want to unwind with a movie at the end of the day? Bring the furniture a little closer together to keep the energy in a cozy “pool”, but still avoid clutter. Choose passive colors- blue, green, white, and purple.
• If you have large windows, use window coverings that help keep heat in in the winter and out in the summer. Go for a light filtering shade that will allow in some light to keep the space bright and welcoming.

The Kitchen  

• Keep the kitchen clean, bright, and welcoming, and if you have lots of gadgets find cupboard space for them.
• Flowers or a living plant provide a healthy energy for the kitchen.
• Yellow represents warmth and friendliness and, according to Feng Shui principles, aides in good digestion, making it an excellent choice for painting your kitchen.

There is more information available on Feng Shui than I could possibly list here. However, a couple of good, easy to navigate, and practical sites on Feng Shui are:   www.thespiritualfengshui.com and  fengshui.about.com.

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