The World of Window Treatments

When you are getting ready to move into a new home the first thing you think of is furniture and what pieces you need for the new place. What happens most of the time is that on the day of move in, you are so busy getting things in their place and you are ready to take you first shower and realize you have no window shades to give you privacy. Or you are putting the kids down to bed and there are no blinds to block out the sun.

I tell my clients that as soon as they order the furniture and rugs, the next thing to order are the blinds, shades, shutters or drapery.

Each type of window treatment has a different solution for your needs. Let's look at the different varieties:

Roller Shades: Roller shades are one of the most popular treatments on the market today because of their clean, minimalistic lines. These shades are great for room darkening, opaque (privacy), or semi-opaque that gives privacy yet lets light come through. They also come in a solar screen which is very popular if you have views such as a sunroom or a room with a fantastic view. The screen allows for you to get the UV protection for your flooring and furniture yet still allows for views through the open weave. Roller shades come in a variety of fabrics, textures and colors.

Cellular or Honeycomb Shades: The cellular shade (also known as the honeycomb for its shape) is still popular for its great for its light control and insulating properties. When it comes to room darkening shades, there really is no better solution on the market unless you do a custom black out drape. When clients ask for black out shades I like to remind them there is no true BLACK OUT as there will always be light gaps around the edges where you cannot get a tight seal for the treatment. If you like the room to be pitch black when you are sleeping, I recommend the room darkening shades along with a layered custom drape to help with the light gaps.

Cellular shades come in opaque, semi opaque to room darkening. They come in a variety of polyester fabrics to high end silk like fabrics. Depending on how much insulating your windows need, cellulars come in single and double panes. They are ideal for specialty window shapes and wide windows and are one of the only treatments that have the Top Down Bottom up function.

Zebra (Dual) or Sheer Shades: Some of the newest shades in the window treatment industry are the Dual Shade or Zebra Shades as they are sometimes referred as. Dual shades combine alternating sheer and solid fabric horizontal bands in a single shade. People love the modern look of these while also getting the benefit of privacy and light control. They are unique which adds a designers touch to the space.

These shades can be placed all the way up into a headrail, all the way down for privacy or open vane for semi privacy as seen below.

Woven Woods: If you have been on Instagram you have undoubtedly seen Woven Woods or Bamboo Shades. They are made from natural organic textures like woods and grass fibers so the look and feel they give off is Boho Chic, Modern or can go to traditional depending on the design elements you surround them with. They are among the most delicate of the window treatments so you need to be careful where you install these and make sure to line them to extend their life. Woven wood shades are typically hand crafted so they are pricier than the other shades in this category.

Woven woods come in a variety of colors and textures from bamboo slat woods to nubby reed textures. Some woven woods can made as a Top Down Bottom Up treatment but this all depends on the size of the windows and the fabrics selected.

Shutters: Plantation Shutters are a timeless classic window treatment that wear well over time. They are fabricated from wood or faux wood. The faux woods are lighter in weight and do well in high humidity climates. The custom built in look of a shutter helps with insulation, light control and can also be built for specialty shaped windows and because they are custom made they can be custom painted to match your walls or trim.

The key to ordering window treatments is getting a proper custom measure and identifying the right treatment solutions to your light and privacy issues. Let's get started on getting the right window treatment solutions for your windows.