Often my customers don’t want to lose the view, but they do want to cut the heat.  If privacy is not an issue, then I will suggest screen roller shades.  You can see through these shades during the day so you can still see the trees, the birds, and what is happening outside.  But at night, you can see through them into your house so they are not privacy shades.

The shades have different levels of openness caused by tiny pinholes in the cloth.  When the shades are a 5% openness that means that 95% of the ultraviolet light is kept out and only 5% is let in.  For most applications we suggest an openness factor of 5-10%.  But it is easy to hold the samples up to the window and compare how well one can see through one shade as compared to another shade.

The screen shades come in a variety of textures and colors.  It seems easier to see through the darker colors so we suggest using the mid to dark tones. And of course these are roller shades so the shade can be raised and lowered by the means of a continuous cord on the side of the shade. Adjustments in length are very easy to make and work well even for large shades.

Although I started out talking about sun rooms and porches, these shades work well anywhere you have sun and don’t need privacy.  Saving on your utility bills is always a benefit.

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I have a customer that has 2” wood blinds on her sliding door.   Every time she and her husband want to go out to their deck, they have to raise these heavy blinds. Not only are they heavy, but they stack up about 10” so her husband has to lower his head as well when he wants to go outside.

But they have put up with these inconveniences because they have wood blinds also on a window beside the door — actually throughout the house.  And they wanted these two window treatments to look alike.

But now they are thinking that having them coordinate is a fine idea as opposed to being identical.  Installing wood shutters on the door will have a similar look to the wood blinds on the windows.  The shutters will slide sideways so there is no hitting your head when you go through the door.  As well, the shutters can move both ways so washing the windows will be easier than working behind the stack of the wood binds.

Both the blind slats and the shutter louvers will be a similar size and color so these two side by side treatments are made for each other.

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Looking for two easy ways to update your draperies?  Change the rods or add trim.  These are the biggest design features you see in new fabric window treatments. 

Traditionally draperies were hung on white traverse rods or brass decorative rods.  Updating to iron rods or even wood rods can make a big difference.  Many homes are getting new light fixtures or ceiling fans that come in the bronze or rusted iron color and we can coordinate the rods for draperies or stationary panels in these same colors.   And as a bonus you have a wide selection of finials – those pieces on the end of the rods – from which to choose.  I would look around your room and repeat a feature I would  find in your room with the finial. 

Another good way to update draperies is to add trim.  We are constantly getting in new samples of trim – beads, fringes, tassels, banding, and brush fringes.  These can easily be added down the center front of the panels, across the hem (if furniture is not in front of the window impeding the view of the trim), or both.  These trims come in solid colors or combinations of colors. 

Both of these ideas will help accent your windows and will give your room a 2010 look without the expense of starting over. 

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But it might not tell you the whole visual story.  An easy way to see what works in your room is to cut out life size shapes of your furniture.  Measure the widest part of your tables and upholstered furniture – width and length. Cut these rectangular sizes out of newspaper that you have taped together or use craft paper from the hobby store.   This gives you a really good visual look at your room.  Is there enough leg space between the sofa and coffee table?  Can you easily get around that large piece of furniture?  The “furniture” is easy to move into different configurations without any effort from your spouse.

Of course this works better if the furniture you now have is moved out of the room.  This may be hard but it is better to organize a room’s content without being influenced by what is already there.  Move it out of the room and when you have moved your paper furniture around and have decided on the arrangement, move it back in to the desired location.   And if you need to get rid of something, this is the time.  What could be easier?

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I recently had a customer who wanted to paint her walls dark purple and chose an almost brownish-purple.  I think that would make a stunning bedroom but there are some rules that must be followed when the walls are so dark.

Don’t paint the walls really dark unless the trim around the room and windows is painted  ivory or white.  The ceiling should be white as well.

The flooring also must be light.  If carpet is on the floor it must be light or a washed color.  If the floors are hardwood, use a lighter tone with colorful rugs on the floor.  If you install wood blinds or plantation shutters, they must be the window trim color. But after setting the foundation of light and dark, you can now break out with more color.

The fabric window treatments can have a pattern with contrasting colors on the draperies or valances. This would really set off the dark walls.  Coordinate  the dust ruffle on the bed using the same fabric that is at the windows, but add a duvet cover in a tone-on-tone color. You can accent with shams and throw pillows that are bright and colorful.  The throw pillows could be dark like the walls, but would contrast nicely with the bedding colors.  The background of the fabrics could be dark or light, but the lighter color should be predominating.

We used to think that dark walls made the room smaller and in some ways it still can, but with the higher ceilings in many old and new homes, I think cozy and striking are better descriptions.   The dark walls contrasting with the other surfaces in the room lighter in color can really add to the ambience of the room.   And remember is it only paint, not a life commitment, and it can easily be changed when you are ready to move on.

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Dust and dirt can be the enemy of fabrics.  Of course my bedroom draperies weren’t really dirty – no catsup or greasy fingers in my bedroom – but they were dusty.  And a good way to get the dust out is to put them in the drier on air for 20-30 minutes.  This fluffs them, tumbles them, and generally gets the dust out of spots that are hard to vacuum.  I always use a drier sheet as I fluff them to take the static out of the fabric so the dust will end up on the lint filter rather than redistributed on the draperies.

Be sure to ALWAYS take the hooks out first since they will tear the draperies as they are tumbling.    I usually put one half of the drapery in the drier at a time.  Then when that panel is done, I put the other half in the drier. Immediately I put the hooks back in and hang up the first panel.  This keeps the wrinkles to a minimum and I never need to press them when I do my fluffing in this order.  Then I put the valance in and fluff it too. 

Sometimes the treatments are mounted on a boards so obviouly that won’t go in your drier.  These will need to be vacuumed.  Vacuum in as many creases as you can.   Since these are supported on the board it will be easier to pull and prod the fabric as you vacuum. 

One more way to spend your Saturday!

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Many of the honeycomb shades have an anti-static application so they don’t collect and certainly don’t attract dust.  Usually the biggest place for dust to collect is on the top of the headrail if the shades  are mounted outside the window trim.   If everything is mounted inside the window trim, dust has a harder time getting to the shades.

If you want to do some cleaning to make you feel better – who really does that?? – you could use the vacuum, canned air, or a hair drier.

If using the vacuum I would draw the shade up within 6-10″ from the top and run the soft vacuum brush over the pleats using your hand to move the pleats up and down to allow the vacuum to get into all the creases.  Occasionally a bug will die inside the cells.  If this happens you could take canned air and shoot the bug, or any dust you think might be inside the cell, out the other side.  You could do this also with a hair drier depending upon how much force your hair drier has.

See, fewer directions for cellular shades.  Much, much easier than blinds to clean.

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Of course, if we did a little “spring” cleaning each week it wouldn’t be such a chore.  ( I am really speaking to myself here!)  So I thought I would give you a plan of action – take your cleaning in small bites so you won’t get too bogged down and discouraged. 

I suggest you start with your blinds – either the 1” aluminum blinds or the 2″ wood and faux wood blinds.  A lamb’s wool duster is the easiest way to keep these slats clean.  When you dust your furniture, dust your blinds.  The lamb’s wool duster attracts the dust and doesn’t just move it around. 

But if you haven’t dusted your blinds since last year’s spring cleaning event, you might need to work a little harder this year.  Take a dryer sheet and rub the top and bottom of the slat at the same time with your cupped hand.  This will take the static out of the dust on the slat, and if you get the top and bottom at the same time, it cuts the work in half.

Use an old cotton white sock and spray furniture polish (Old Gold) on the sock.  Cup your hand so you can again get the top and bottom of the slat cleaned at the same time.  This should cut the “grease” that settles on the slat from just everyday living.   This works really well on the wood blinds.  And it can work for shutter louvers as well. 

Next week I will give you a new assignment.  Happy cleaning and enjoy those clean blinds!

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One of the new products on the market is Hunter Douglas’ Architella shades.  These shades are cellular shades that have a cell within a cell and are very good insulators.  Dead air space creates insulation and when there are multiple cells this really increases insulation.  The R factor for this shade is well above any of the other shades.  For a light filtering shade the R factor is 6.25 and if you can use the opaque or room darkening shade it goes up to 7.18. 

I resisted these shades when they first came out because I thought they would be a lot more expensive but I found out that wasn’t true.   And Hunter Douglas has made information available about getting a tax credit with these shades if properly mounted inside the window trim, so you can get some of your investment back. 

Of course the added benefit is that any insulation you do at the windows to keep the cold out in the winter also works to keep the heat out in the summer.  If only I could remember how hot it was last summer, maybe that would keep me warm.

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To celebrate our 33rd anniversary we hosting an Open House on Wednesday, September 22, 2010 from 4:30 pm — 7:30 pm.  Come and enjoy refreshments, door prizes and a seminar. 

Inspiration Comes in Small Packages

Where do you start?  Build an inspired design scheme around that one special treasure.  Don’t have one?  We can make suggestions. 

Seminar will be repeated at 5:00, 6:00 and 7:00. 

We look forward to seeing you! 

Featured Brands On Sale

FINE WINDOW FURNITURE – Shutters are at home anywhere.

Normandy Shutters  Handmade with premium hardwoods. Available primed or in 8 paints and 16 stains — Pre-mitered frames & slotted keyholes — Mortise and tenon joints — Touch up paint and stain provided — Uniform color standards  

Sussex Shutters 18 designer paints and 32 stains — Hand-selected basswood — Made in any specialty shape — Multi-step hand-finishing system creates a flawless finish — Resists louver cupping, bowing and warping — Exclusive frame collection  

Woodlore Shutters Affordable custom shutters — Extremely durable composite wood, wrapped in a tough coating. — Resists warping — UV inhibitors resist fading and yellowing– Flawless fit, finish, & function — Adds insulation R-value of 4.63 –Three paint finishes are available.  

Hunter Douglas Pirouette® window shading 

Mail-in Rebates for a limited time starting September 25, 2010: $50 rebate per unit on Pirouette® Window Shadings and Silhouette® Window Shadings;  $100 rebate per unit on Luminette® Privacy Sheers and Skyline™ Gliding Window Shades;  $25 rebate per unit on Duette® Architella® honeycomb shades; $35 rebate per unit on Vignette® Modern Roman Shades. 

Pirouette® window shadings combine the personality of a classic fabric shade with the ability to control light in an entirely new way.  

Hunter Douglas Pirouette® window shading

Soft horizontal vanes attach to a single sheer backing to allow to allow enhanced views to the outside and full beauty of the fabric appearance to the inside.  

A single operating cord or remote control allows shadings to be closed for privacy, adjusted for precise light control and view-through, or completely open by retracting into the headrail. 

Stop by or call today to see all the beautiful selections.  

Kirsch® Custom Honeycomb Shades  

FREE cordless upgrade plus $50 rebate when you purchase 3 or more custom shades.  $100 rebate when you purchase 5 or more custom shades.  Kirsch® Honeycomb Shades prove that beauty does not have to preclude practicality.  A wide array of hand selected fabrics that coordinate with existing home décor, combined with the most energy efficient shading solutions on the market, make Kirsch Honeycomb Shades the smart choice for beautiful and efficient windows.  Free offer and rebate expires September 27, 2010.                                                                                

Levolor® Custom Accordia™ Shades 

FREE cordless upgrade plus $50 rebate when you purchase 3 or more custom shades.  $100 rebate when you purchase 5 or more custom shades.  Attractive by design yet functional, the Accordia™shape creates a pocket that acts as an air barrier to help insulate your windows while reducing your energy gills. Only Levolor provides a full line of energy efficient, beautifully matched fabrics that easily blend and coordinate with your existing home décor.  Free offer and rebate expires September 27, 2010.

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