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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3 Advantages to Roller Shades

Out of all the available window shade options, roller shades are among the most popular and practical. Roller shades are simple, affordable and convenient. Roller shades remain a best selling window treatment option consistently, year after year. Let’s take a closer look at these three advantages.

Simple yet Elegant
This timeless window shade design operates with a simple roller-based mechanism. The operation of roller shades hasn’t changed much over the years, except they have become more reliable and durable. The big difference these days is the plethora of fabric options available for a unique, contemporary look that can’t be beat. This simple functionality combined with a classic yet updated sophisticated look is just one of many reasons why roller shades remain among the top choices of window fashions. This style has been around for years and will continue to be around for many, many more. Clearly, this is a window treatment option that will never go out of style and can easily match any decor.

Inexpensive/Superior Value
Roller shades offer some of the highest value in window coverings today. This makes solar shades and other types of roller shades the choice of budget-conscious window treatment shoppers. Economic uncertainty makes price an important factor for most people and this type of shade is a great way to combine excellent value with unsurpassed, time-honored style. Roller shades are within most shoppers’ budgets and can vary in price to bare-bones to high end.

Motorized Option
Adding the motorized option to your new roller shade increases its convenience and functionality. Windows that are hard to reach can now also benefit from lighting control and add a splash of color. Whether you choose a solar shade fabric or something more opaque, a motorized lift system is the ultimate in convenience. Radio frequency motorization combines automated sophistication with an intelligent design. Is the sun in your eyes in that hard to reach window and you need your solar shades lowered? Remote-operated motorization is the ideal way to make life easier for you. With the motorized option, your roller shades are no longer a burden to put up or down.

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What Window Treatments Would Santa and Mrs. Clause Choose?

Ho, ho, ho, if you traveled up to Santa’s North Pole workshop and home, what window blinds do you think you would see? Every room at the Claus homestead has a need for light control, privacy and a splash of color or warm wood tones to keep that good cheer going year round.

Mrs. C knows beauty and function and keeps Santa happy with blinds that can take the heat and cold like the faux wood blinds she had installed in Santa’s Workshop. Plus, the faux wood blinds keep the Top Secret work that goes on there safe from prying eyes. To solve the problem of 20 hours of sunlight a day during the summer, the clever Mrs. Claus has decorated their bedroom windows with pleated blackout shades. Santa needs his sleep all year long to keep the toy factory going. Adding blackout shades in the elves’ rooms helped keep them focused on their work too.

In Santa’s Study, you will find his trophy sailfish (from his beach house in Acapulco of course), a mini fridge, and his favorite recliner with ottoman. For this manly retreat, Mrs. Claus selected wood blinds to bring a warm, natural look to the room. Wood blinds also provide excellent cold weather energy efficiency and remind him of Christmas trees all year long.

And what could be sweeter for The Doll Room than cellular blinds? With their unique structure, Mrs. Claus knows the pleats in these delicate-looking but sturdy cellular shades provide year-around energy efficiency, and come in a rainbow of decorator colors. For safety’s sake and ease of operation, she upgraded to the free cordless lift for windows near the baby doll cribs.

She selected roman blinds, of course, for the toy soldiers at The Guardhouse. The reindeer almost opted for roman blinds, too, but Mrs. Claus talked them into roller shades because they are easier to use for those without opposable thumbs and easy enough, well, for even Donner and Blitzen to use (there’s a reason they are last in the sleigh lineup).

However, the Most Famous Reindeer of All wanted something a bit different. So Rudolph chose sheer honeycomb blinds– to let his famous glow shine through, why else? And, being Numero Uno, he pulled rank to get a skylight installed for viewing the Northern Lights. So for his stall, Mrs. Claus ordered specially designed honeycomb blinds, which operate on sloped or totally horizontal windows like skylights.

It is not always all business at the Pole. The Clauses do manage to leave the ice and snow behind after the busy season, sneaking away on vacation to some place warm, usually their condo in Acapulco. It is rumored that Santa likes to catch a few rays without his suit, so privacy is a must. This is why Mrs. Claus thoughtfully chose top/bottom roman blinds for seclusion, while letting the sun shine in through the tops of the windows. For their large picture windows, the Claus’s chose solar shades to keep the sun glare out and their ocean view in.

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Take Me Out to the Ball Game

New York Yankies Shades

Showcase your team pride by outfitting that special den, trophy room, rec room, “man cave” or child’s room with your favorite baseball club. Officially licensed by MLB™, all 30 of the major league teams’ logos are now available on roller shades at BlindSaver.com.

Your teams’ colors, logos and officially licensed MLB™ mascots are printed directly on the roller shade fabric. A variety of logo designs for each team are available from large centered logos to border patterns to colorful repeat designs. Ideal for children’s rooms and rec rooms, the shades are made with an easy to clean, durable 100% polyester fabric.

A baseball-themed room can be tailored to represent dedication to a favorite team or to reflect an overall love of the game. Decorating a room in a baseball theme can be as enjoyable as the game itself. When decorating a child’s room, you can coordinate paint palettes and bedding, such as sheets, pillowcases and quilts.  Many department stores offer complete bedding sets in the pattern or logo of major league teams, and now you can add MLB™ shades to complete the look.

Boston Redsox Shades

Custom made to your exact specifications, these exclusive shades are available in light filtering and black out fabrics. The light filtering fabrics gently filter sunlight while the room darkening shades will completely block out the light. Both the light filtering and black out fabrics absorb heat and block UV rays.

Made with a premium continuous loop control system – a beaded chain that allows the shade to roll up and down easily and precisely – the MLB™ shades are easy to operate. A fabric wrapped bottom rail adds a nicely finished appearance. For a truly custom look, upgrade to a Cassette or UltraSleek valance.

The only thing easier than installing these shades is sitting back and letting your team spirit soar.

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