As it is with all other aspects of decorating, sometimes you can be indecisive about what exactly it is that you want. There may be a particular piece you know you want, such as a canopy bed, a secretary desk, or a Persian rug; but it's the details that sometimes leave us stumped.
Window treatments are no exception. You may have seen plantation shutters in a friend's home, roman shades in a magazine, and you've always had drapes in mind; but you're starting to love the roman shades and the plantation shutters! Here are just a few ways to decide which one is right for you.
Consider the placement of the room in your house, in relation to the sunset/sunrise. If your TV/family room has windows that face the sunset, consider something that can close easily- without too much energy and blocks out all or most light when closed. this goes as well for any other room that faces the sunset, in which you spend a lot of time in the evening. The TV & family rooms were the first to come to my mind, because I deal with many clients who are concerned about the amount of light and heat that comes in during the hottest hours of the day (particularly if you live in Texas!). For instance, light, breezy white curtains may not be the best option for this room. Instead- look towards blackout drapes or shades. If your windows are very large, consider having them motorized, so that it's much easier to open and close. If your style leans toward rich wood or clean lines, Shutters or wood blinds are probably what you'll choose. Our shutters are very customizable; as far as tilt rods, and we can also make them bi-fold if your working with a tighter space, and many different designs and shapes if you have a uniqely shaped window. We have many different frames, colors, and finishes to choose from. Both blinds and shutters are top-notch in regard to energy efficiency.
Another option here, is honeycomb shades (pictured above). These are also, more commonly called cellular shades. If you like a clean, simple look, but you want colors to choose from, these are a great option. You can get them in black-out or room darkening materials. We also have them motorized, if you have large windows that you'll want to open and close often. Pictures above is room-darkening honeycomb shades. They are motorized, so you can open/close them easily throughout the day.
Consider the privacy you desire in each room (the placement of the room, neighbors, streets, etc.) I recently visited a clients home that had several very large, 20-ft tall windows in her family room. She had custom drapes on the outer windows. The drapes did not close, they were only there for design. On the outside, she had solar screens to protect from heat in the summertime. The way she was able to justify not having something to close the view: she had no neighbors behind her. Her drapes perfectly framed the view out to a beautiful hill full of trees. This would not be the best option if her backyard faced someone else's house, or a street. Rooms to definitely consider as well, are the bedroom, and the bathrooms. *When you do not have neighbors around the back and/or sides of the house, you have a little more freedom to go with drapes or shades that are purely decorative. If you choose to do this, but you're worried about the heat, solar screens are an option. If you'd rather have a clear view and wish to open it up at anytime, thin, heat-blocking roller shades on the inside (mounted underneath the drapes) are also an option. They are easy to open and close, and do not take up a lot of room. You can also choose a color/material that compliments your choice of drapes.
Here is an example of someone who chose to mount shades underneath their drapes.
Consider your budget For many of you, this was probably the very first thing on your list! If you're in love with plantation shutters, but you cannot afford to place them through your entire home, consider our wood or faux wood blinds for some rooms, while choosing the rooms that are higher priority to place the shutters in. If it is important to you that the front of the house has beautiful cherry or mahogany shutters, we offer gorgeous wood blinds in many of the same colors that our shutters come in. It is important to us to meet all of the client's needs. That includes giving them however many options they need in order to meet their budget. Choosing blinds does not mean you have to go down in quality and style. We have an incredible selection of beautiful wood and faux wood blinds that are the best in the industry when it comes to quality, style and energy efficiency.
Consider the amount of light you want or do not want Also, consider how much light you already have, or if you do not have much. Lighting can really make or break a room. If there's not enough, it can look dull, dingy and stale. If there's too much, it will tend to be uncomfortable or uninviting; or it can simply be too bright for you! Different materials allow various amounts of light in. Certain choices give you the best of both: such as black-out shades or drapes that open up all the way; plantation shutters with large 4 1/2" louvers allow more light to come in than small 2" ones; while some choices only give you one option, such as light, breezy drapes, or sheer, room darkening roller or roman shades.
The larger the louver size on your shutters, the more light you can allow into the room.
The choice is yours: Light, privacy, and the sunlight are just a few important things to consider. We can help you choose!
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