Established in 1994 as part of the International Board of Standards and Practices for Certified Financial Planners, Inc, (IBCFP), the CFP Board is charged with maintaining the standards for CFP certificants. The CFP Board has worked as an independent certifying body in order to institute certification guidelines that exceed educational requirements, and include official guidelines for financial planning standards, ethics, responsibility, and work experience. The CFP Board was created to act in the public interest by confirming the integrity of CFP certificants in regards to these standards.
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The continuing education process begins with the courses themselves. Beginning in 2007, as a prerequisite for candidacy in a financial planner certification program, a bachelor’s degree will be required. A degree or credentials as an insurance underwriter is one of several that can fulfill the educational background requirements. Students are permitted to enroll in a program while simultaneously pursuing their degree, but must complete it in order to be considered certified.
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The first window blinds were made out of Nile reeds in Egypt, thousands of years ago.

The first window blinds were made out of Nile reeds in Egypt, thousands of years ago. Ancient Egyptians wove reeds together and used them as mats, rugs, and blinds–a true multi-purpose invention! Similarly, the Chinese have used bamboo blinds for centuries. The desire for natural-looking blinds has never truly faded–wood and faux wood blinds are widely available today.
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Wood blinds work best for rooms that are going to be entirely neutral in color. It is very possible to create a soft, elegant room using only creams, beiges, browns, and other neutrals. The texture and grain of wood offers a striking contrast to smooth silks and satins, for example.

No matter which shade of wood you choose, consider draping that window with shantung. Shantung is a form of silk, with a tight weave and subtle bumps called “slubs.” Less glossy than finished silk, shantung is a perfect complement to wood blinds of any color. It drapes beautifully with full, wide cones and its medium weight means you won’t have to install heavy-duty drapery rods in your wall.

When hanging your wood blinds, consider hanging them above the top of your window. This will enlarge the window visually. To make a window appear wider, install your wood blinds outside the window casings. This strategy works especially well when you aren’t planning on using a complementary window dressing. The wood itself is often dressing enough. While this approach wouldn’t be flattering with aluminum blinds or with honeycomb shades, it’s perfect for the warmth of wood.

The first step is to use the color wheel. The first instinct of many is to choose entirely neutral window shades, hoping they will blend into the wall color (how many times have you seen cream-colored pleated shades topped with a beige or taupe cotton sateen valance)? Instead, select a neutral window shade and complement it with drapes or sashes that are on the opposite of the color wheel. As an example, let’s start with pleated shades.

Pleated window shades are available in fabrics that offer different levels of concealment, from sheer to fully private. Brands like Graber have developed patented designs that keep pleats uniformly spaced, so no unsightly sags or folds mar your window treatment. If you choose a soft, yellow-based cream for your shade, violet and red-violet are its opposites on the color wheel. Try an eggplant color infused with deep red tones for your curtain. By contrast, if you choose a soft blue-green shade, red and red-orange are its opposites–try a deep cranberry for maximum contrast.

After you’ve chosen the colors for your window shades and complementary treatments, decide how you want to highlight (or hide!) your windows. Many modern tract home designs offer plenty of windows, but they are usually short and narrow. Decorating around these windows is simple. Choose a fully opaque window shade (to avoid unattractive views of unfinished side yards or neighbor’s walls)–roller blinds, mini blinds, or honeycomb shades work well here. Next, choose light colored panels that are at least 10 inches longer than your window. Mount them about five inches above your window, and let them drop to the floor below. The elongated window treatment will give your narrow windows the illusion of height. Additional height can be added with ring tops and finials.

Most people like the look and feel of wood blinds, but for some, these blinds are cost-prohibitive. They also aren’t appropriate for rooms that may be damp, as the wood can warp over time. For the look of wood without the cost, consider faux wood blinds or composite blinds. They are generally made of vinyl, and are sometimes combined with actual wood as well. Major brands like Hunter Douglas, Graber, Century, and Comfortex all have entries in the faux wood category. These blinds offer good UV protection, blocking 75 to 90% of the sun’s harmful rays. One of the drawbacks of faux wood are the limited color choices; however, standard colors like cherry, natural, and white are usually readily available.

Wider color selections are available in fabric shades, like horizontal sheers and cellular shades, as well as traditional aluminum blinds. Fabric sheers offer a softer look, filtering light without harsh lines, and offer even better UV protection than faux wood blinds (up to 95% coverage). Fabric is much easier to shape and maneuver than wood slats, so horizontal sheers work well for arches, bay windows, and French doors. Cellular shades can also offer a bit of extra insulation due to the fabric pockets that help insulate your windows from heat and cold.

For all-around versatility, aluminum horizontals are a safe bet. The color choices are comprehensive, and most come with a form of anti-static finish that helps keep your blinds dust-free. You can also find additional textures available in aluminum blinds, as well as added privacy features and remote control features. Made from heavy-duty six or eight gauge aluminum, these blinds are great for rooms that see heavy use, such as game rooms or family dens.

There are several factors to consider in determining the most energy-efficient blind or shade. The R value is the rating that indicates the effectiveness of a blind or shade at insulating energy. You want a window covering to prevent the flow of warmth or cool air to the outside. The higher the R value, the better the insulation ability. In addition to R value, you should also consider the shading coefficient. This is the difference between the amount of heat lost from a window with a covering versus a window without a window covering.

You should also consider the UV transmittance. This is the amount of ultra violet rays and solar energy passed through the window covering versus the amount of solar energy absorbed by the covering. Lastly, you should consider how much light and noise are passed through the window covering.

Woven wood shades are highly efficient when evaluated with these energy factors. They are also aesthetically pleasing and a gorgeous addition to any room. With woven wood shades, you can transform any room into both a peaceful haven and an energy-efficient cost saver. Decorating Depot has an extensive selection of woven wood blinds by the top-selling brand of Prestige.

Safety is also a concern, so be sure to consider the following factors. Avoid long drapes that can entangle a small child. You will also want to avoid long cords. Several blinds have a new breakaway option that will protect a child from pulling the hardware down, or becoming entangled in the cords. As children learn to crawl and walk, they will pull up on about anything they can.

Make sure the window treatments are not placed near the changing table or the crib. Roller shades are a great option for kids’ rooms and nurseries as well. You can add a cornice box to cover the hardware of the blinds, and decorate it with elements of your color scheme or theme.

The window treatments in your child’s room can really make a difference in the room’s theme. The valance or fabrics can be highlighted with ribbons and borders. If you use a particular fabric in the window treatment, use it several other places throughout the room to make the experience complete. Decorating Depot offers plenty of window treatment options that will make your child’s room or nursery a warm and comfortable place to grow.

Silhouette Shades are one of the more expensive window treatments available, and aren’t offered online. If you want the soft elegance of these shades but need to be mindful of your budget, too, Decorating Depot offers a striking alternative.

You can choose from a room-darkening or a light-filtering blind. Both options layer a soft fabric slat between a sheer fabric overlay. The result is a warm glow that replicates just what you’d get from Silhouette Shades. This is a perfect option for highlighting wider windows because the fabric width can accommodate just about any window while remaining light and easily maneuverable.

The Shangri-la two-inch light filtering shade will bring this type of beauty to any room. Featuring a continuous loop system and two-inch vanes, this shade comes in 20 colors. We also offer soft sheer matching verticals. You have the additional option of a motorized version and a remote control. Contact Decorating Depot for guidelines on measuring the inside mount of the window. You will love the luxury of this type of shade and the soft, natural beauty it brings to a room.

Also referred to as cellular shades, honeycomb shades have become all the rage in the world of interior design. Considered a soft treatment, they use light to create a warm glow. They stand out from other shades, in that they protect you and your furnishings from the damaging effects of sunlight while highlighting that light at the same time. The silhouette can be opened from the bottom or top, allowing for maximum privacy.

Because they come in a wide range of colors, they are incredibly versatile. Perfect for a living room or bedroom, they provide excellent UV protection, and ensure privacy. They are soil and dust resistant, and many offer safety features to keep children from harm.

Decorating Depot offers a great selection of honeycomb shades in a range of colors and sizes. Because these particular shades work well for just about any room and window style, you want to be able to choose the perfect color. The windows in your bedroom might work best with a soft pastel, while a large family room window may look best in a golden beige color. Either way, you will enjoy the warmth and beauty of honeycomb shades. They have become one of the most popular trends in home decorating, and you can view a beautiful selection of honeycomb shades here at Decorating Depot.

The creators at Graber start with form. Their styles range from elegant Roman shades to warm woven shades and elegant honeycomb shades. They remain classic and elegant, yet their designers incorporate the emerging styles and trends in home decorating.

Graber blinds also excel in terms of function. They are easy to use and durable. Graber blinds are also energy efficient. When blinds are engineered to keep your home cool in the summers and warm in the winters, you can save on electricity and gas bills. Over time, this can add up to a considerable amount of money. Look at your Graber blinds as an investment in efficiency.

Decorating Depot has an extensive selection of Graber blinds. Because there are so many patterns and colors that are unique to this manufacturer, we offer you the widest selection with the best prices. Decorating Depot is the affordable route to owning and enjoying Graber blinds.

In fact, a two inch smooth horizontal slat resembles the wide look of wood slats. Perfect for a room exposed to high humidity, vinyl blinds are a smart option. To properly measure your windows for these horizontal blinds, make sure you measure each individual window. Even windows that look the same can have slight variations. Record the width first, and then record the height/length. Measure the width from left to right, and measure the height from top to bottom. Always use a steel measuring tape, not a yardstick or ruler.

For the inside mount of horizontal blinds, measure the exact window casing from the inside edge and add a half inch to each side. Make sure you measure from three different places. For the outside mount, add an inch and a half to each side, and measure from three different locations.

For vertical blinds, you would need to add additional inches to both the inside and outside mount, and take the shortest measurement for the height so that the blinds are not too long. Because the measurements need to be exact, you can contact Decorating Depot for tips and questions.

If you enjoy these wonderful window treatments, you need to make sure you properly clean them to ensure their longevity. If taken care of properly, blinds and shades can offer years of beauty and function. They can protect your furniture and carpets from sun damage and provide privacy.

Blinds can be cleaned with vacuum attachments. If the blinds are horizontal, be sure to vacuum across the slats, not up and down. You should also use a lamb’s wool duster instead of a plastic duster. For fabric shades, use a dry rubber sponge or send them to a reputable dry cleaner. Never soak wood blinds or spray a cleaner directly on the blind or shade.

For additional tips on caring for, ordering, or measuring for blinds and shades, contact Decorating Depot. In addition to our large online selection of window treatments, we offer advice and suggestions for the maintenance and care of your blinds and shades. Enjoy these historical and classic additions to your home!

You can turn your window treatment into a work of original art with a few simple steps. First, you will want to properly measure the window. At Decorating Depot, our blinds and shades are cut according to your measurements. Browse our website for tips on how to properly measure for blinds and shades.

Next, you need to choose the style, color, and pattern of roller blind. For stenciling, you will want to start with a neutral, off-white color. You will be able to stain the blind later, if you prefer. Decorating Depot offers full lines from name brand manufacturers, so you have a wide range of pricing and decorating options.

After you have ordered your roller blinds, visit your favorite arts and crafts store to purchase stenciling supplies. It might also help to browse art books and decorating magazines to get ideas and inspiration. Make sure you take into consideration the texture of the blind as you are stenciling so that your lines are clean. When you’re finished, you’ll have created an original piece of artwork that complements the colors and design elements of the room like nothing you could have purchased!

Because of their classic beauty and ease of use, Roman blinds can be used for purposes other than window coverings. At Decorating Depot, there is a vast selection of colors and textures in both the teardrop and flat Roman shade. The shades offer great texture, setting them apart from vinyl and aluminum blinds.

If you have open shelves that you would like to mask, you can create a beautiful storage space. Roman blinds can hide the clutter on the shelves, an ideal storage solution for apartments or childrens’ bedrooms. Because they are made of fabric, the shades fit alongside furniture nicely and can be used as a point of visual interest within the room.

When you are measuring the shelf space to cover, visit our website for specific measuring tips as well as a range of prices in Roman blinds and shades. If you have any questions during the ordering process, don’t hesitate to give us a call.

A member of both the European and North American market, they have enjoyed many years of success. Considered a top brand in the window treatment industry, their products are consistently ranked at or near the top of the pack for both quality and beauty. They have become a premier name in blinds and shades, and with good reason.

Hunter Douglas offers a variety of styles including fabric sheers, verticals, venetian blinds, and more. Within their fabric sheers, you’ll find single, double, and triple honeycomb patterns that offer different levels of privacy as well as UV protection. Their traditional shades are offered in varying textures, in Roman styles as well as pleated shades.

Although Hunter Douglas blinds can be found on the Internet, not all internet retailers offer a full line of the products. If you are going to shop for Hunter Douglas blinds online, browse as many of the styles available as possible before making your choice. Decorating Depot stands out among other internet providers of blinds and shades because we offer a full range of Hunter Douglas blinds and shades, in varying styles, patterns, prices, and colors.

To bring some tropical latitude to your room, start with bamboo blinds. Stay away from loud flower prints; you can add accessories that feature these distinct patterns, but in small doses. A couch, chair and curtains in a busy fabric will be overwhelming and schizophrenic. Start with throw pillows featuring exotic blooms, or art prints that showcase their vibrant colors.

The earthy beauty of bamboo blinds will blend well with rattan and wicker furniture. Healthy plants, as well as art objects with touches of gold and ivory can enhance the tropical feel in any room.

For an Asian-inspired room, highlight your bamboo shades with a Japanese garden and bamboo plants. Add some splashes of red, and keep the furniture lines clean and simple. The effect will be one of absolute elegance and serenity. Decorating Depot can offer suggestions as to the proper size of bamboo shades. The shades are custom cut for your measurements, so you will want to be exact. Make any room into an exotic getaway with custom-fit bamboo blinds!

Venetians feature a simple yet functional design. Venetian blinds are made of wood or metal slats. The slats are horizontal, and are maneuvered by a cord pulley system. They look rich in wood, and are often found in homes built from the 1940s to the 1960s.

Venetian blinds can also help you cut down on cooling costs. When it’s warm and bright outside, simply tilt them towards the ceiling. Incoming sunlight is directed away from you, and you’re still able to see outside. Decorating Depot has a wide selection of custom-made Venetian blinds, featuring brands such as Graber and Hunter Douglas. You can also find assistance in measuring and installing your venetian blinds.

You can personalize venetian blinds by covering the strings with decorative fabric tape. Visit an art or craft store and choose your fabric tape. Measure the length of your cord, and cut the appropriate length of tape, and wrap the tape around your pulley strings.

If you have chosen Roman shades, be sure to choose the version that complements the tone of your room. Flat Roman shades complement a more formal setting, while the teardrop-shaped Roman shades offer a more casual feel. Roman shades are an excellent option to use in combination with other window treatments.

The choice of fabric can also have an effect on the shade’s formality. Roman shades feature linen weaves, silk, satin, mesh, and marbled designs. Roman shades also have a serene, light-filtering effect that will enhance the beauty of a room. Filtered light is the cheapest way to achieve instant elegance.

One enduring reason for their popularity is the ease with which Roman shades can be cleaned. They are far more resistant to dust than many other blinds and shades. Decorating Depot has an extensive and gorgeous selection of custom Roman shades. Add a bit of classic beauty to your home!

When choosing window shades, consider whether you want the room to be a part of a larger theme in the home, or a distinct entity. What is the feel of the room? Do you want to walk in and feel a sense of elegance and luxury, or open and breezy comfort? Are you seeking a warm and casual look, or a chic and modern look?

You also will want to take into consideration any centerpieces you want to highlight, such as art, furniture, or antiques. Any family heirlooms and heritage pieces are also possibilities. Consider the window’s position in relation to these centerpieces–if the window is right next to the room’s highlight, you’ll probably want a neutral window shade that doesn’t detract from your showpiece. If the window is far from your centerpiece or highlight, consider using the window as a color counterpoint within the room and choose softer shades of colors present within your art or antiques.

Remember to incorporate your lifestyle and your loves. Family photos and even old mementos can take center stage in a room, and you can choose your shades so that their colors complement the colors in these photos or mementos. If you’re filling the room with sepia-toned photos, for example, choosing a complementary shade of pale ocher for your window shades makes for a unified color scheme.

If a fresh, modern look is what you’re after, combine bright, vivid colors with sleek chrome accents in the room. Keep the lines of your furniture clean and minimal. Geometric shapes offer simple lines as well as visual points of interest for accents like lamps, clocks, and tables. Roller shades can accent modern decor beautifully.

Decorating Depot offers both a spring and clutch roller, in several colors. Roller shades are also great for a sunroom, and are known to handle moisture well. If you need more protection from the light, you can choose an opaque shade or a blackout shade for complete coverage.

Roller shades are also a great option for a nursery because of the simple and safe mechanics. The shades simply roll up, eliminating much of the risk of long curtains or blinds. You can usually have a standard or decorative aluminum head added as well. You can add a valance or cornice box to highlight a particular design or color in the room as well.

If your home features windows of various shapes and sizes, you might be presented with some interesting window treatment dilemmas. One option for covering the arches is to use pleated shades. Pleated shades have the soft feel of fabric, but provide the coverage of a shade. They can work with angled tops or half windows.

Decorating Depot features pleated shades from Graber and Prestige. You can choose from a standard pleat or an even pleat. The pleats fold up and back as the shade is lifted. A popular choice for many, the Prestige Renaissance pleated shade comes in a variety of patterns and textures. All shades are custom made according to your window’s exact measurements.

Available in 17 colors, the standard features include a lift cord and a color-coordinated head rail. You can also choose several additional features such as a skylight shade, a privacy liner, or a blackout liner. Don’t forget to consult our measurement guide as you shop, so that your shades will fit perfectly.

Blinds dress your windows. The warmth of wood is a very versatile choice, able to be casual or formal with the simple addition of a luxurious valance or drapery. It’s even possible to get the rich, warm tones of wood if you’re working within a strict budget with the elegance of fauxwood.

At Decorating Depot, we offer several selections of custom fauxwood blinds. The 2″ fauxwood blinds come in embossed or smooth patterns, offering even more versatility. You can also choose from several stained colors, adding to the rich warmth of this type of blind. Fauxwood blinds also tend to be easier to clean.

Composite blinds are another option if you would like the look of wood, but at a lower cost. Composite blinds are made with wood as well as other less expensive materials. Composite blinds are easier to care for, too, since they won’t warp. Wood blinds need a certain level of care to avoid warping and disfigurement. Both fauxwood and composite blinds are perfect for dressing your room in the warm, rich tones of wood at an affordable price.

When you begin searching for discount window treatments online, make sure you stay with reputable name brands. This will ensure that you get a product with quality workmanship (and a viable warranty). Shop with a website that offers a full selection of styles, colors, patterns, and sizes. Give yourself options in every material, from aluminum mini blinds to sheer horizontals.

Decorating Depot has an impressive array of name brand blinds and shades. Our window treatments usually cost far less than most other internet retailers, and we offer nationwide installation. From the natural beauty of woven wood blinds to the soft elegance of pleated shades, we’ve got plenty of options from which to choose.

When you shop with us, simply choose the style of blind you’re interested in, and you’ll see a list of sizes and patterns. We rank each offering in terms of its value–mid value, high-end, or economical. We’ve also got affordable options if you find you love the shining beauty of wood blinds but want something less expensive; you can also choose a fauxwood blind or a composite blind (made up of a composite of real wood and other material). After all the work you did in remodeling, we want you to show it off with the look you want!