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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Determining Your Budget For Window Shades

Don’t let those old inefficient window blinds or dusty, dirty drapes put a damper on your holidays. Replacing your old worn out window treatments with new window shades or blinds from BlindSaver.com is as an easy and affordable way to spruce up any room in your home or office.

Decide on a style

At BlindSaver.com you can choose from a wide variety of window shades to match any style and meet any budget. Search the inventory for the style you are looking for whether it is wood blinds, Roman shades or cellular shades. You may search by brand such as Levolor, Garber or Bali. Wood blinds help to insulate drafty spots around your windows. Cellular shades also help to insulate your home around the windows and block nearly 100% of UV light. Cellular shades are durable and low maintenance with the dust resistant non-woven polyester. Roman shades add a classy touch with the look and style of drapes but the technology and durability of shades.

Measure your windows

Since all BlindSaver.com discount window shades are custom sized to order, it is important to take accurate measurements of each window before placing your order. BlindSaver.com has a database of professionals who may be hired to measure your windows before you order and install your new window treatments once they arrive. If you plan to measure and install the blinds yourself, make sure to check out the BlindSaver.com Measuring Guide for step by step instructions on how to take a precise measurement of your window. Remember to double and triple check your measurements before you finalize your order.

Choose from fabrics or colors and features.

Once you have accurately measured your windows, search the inventory for a color or fabric that fits your décor. Wood blinds and faux wood blinds look great with their natural wood finish as well as huge range of white tones. Cellular, roller and Roman shades come in hundreds of colors. Roman shades are also available in many stylish colors as well as prints, patterns and embellishments if you are looking to add a decorative accent. You may also search the inventory of discount window shades by special feature if you are looking for such features as blackout shades or if you need to cover a bay windows or French doors.

Get pricing

BlindSaver.com makes purchasing and installing new window treatments easy and affordable no matter what your budget. Simply select the discount window shades, wood blinds or Roman shades you want to purchase and select a color.  Then enter the precise measurements into the field, select the mounting type and control options. Then the price will be calculated for you automatically.  Once your order has been placed it is shipped to you with a three year extended warranty (restrictions apply). With BlindSaver.com it is easy to shop, compare prices and save while adding style and value to your home.

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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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Reduce Your Heating Bill with Cellular Shades

With the rapidly and wildly rising energy costs, many people are eagerly looking to reduce the heating bill in any way that is feasible. One simple and effective way to reduce the cost of your next heating bill is to install cellular shades. Honeycomb blinds are very popular window treatment solutions and a key component in efficiently and effortlessly saving energy while helping to maintain the indoor temperature in your home or office.

Easy to install cellular blinds can help reduce your heating bills this winter and even your cooling bills next summer. In fact, out of all manufactured blinds, honeycomb blinds are by far the most energy efficient option. No other type of blind comes close to the energy efficiency of honeycomb-shaped blinds.

Here is how cellular shades work to save money on the heating bill:
Honeycomb blinds strategically trap air inside their unique “honeycomb” shaped pockets. These pockets become instant insulators that stop or slow down the transfer of heat between your windows and the rest of your home. When this air stays trapped within the cellular blinds, your heater kicks on less, thus, saving energy and decreasing your heating bill. Cellular shades with larger cell pockets provide better insulation as they can hold more air within the cells. Also, honeycomb blinds with additional layers provide even better insulation. Black out cellular fabrics provide optimal insulation.

Save Money All Year Long
Cellular blinds can also work wonders in the summer months. Just as they trap cold air in the winter, cellular blinds do the same exact thing with hot air in the summer. Whether you are running the air conditioning or heat, it doesn’t matter. Either way, cellular-shaped shades are going to save you money.

Stylish, Useful, and Affordable
Windows are often a source of thermal inefficiency in a home or office. Older windows can be drafty for a variety of reasons. Some are single pane windows and lack the additional sheet of glass which helps trap air and add insulation. Other windows use wood or metal frames and don’t seal very well, leaking thermal energy. Modern double and triple pane windows are designed with energy efficiency in mind. Cellular blinds help trap additional air like the additional panes of glass in modern windows. While cellular shades over single pane windows are not as efficient as double pane windows, cellular blinds are less expensive than installing new windows. Cellular blinds can be a worthwhile investment until you are able to replace your windows and are durable enough that you can hang them right back up after you do.

If you are looking for an easy, stylish way to slash the cost of your heating bill, look no further than honeycomb blinds. These highly attractive and affordable blinds are available in several different colors and styles to match your home décor. Honeycomb blinds save money and look good while doing it.

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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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