The Benefits of Blinds and Shades

Curtains are great, they really are. They come in a wide variety of colors and patterns, and are classy and elegant. However – they’re also quite expensive. What if your home could still be stylish and sophisticated without curtains? What if there was an affordable option out there that offers an even wider variety of choices? There is!
Blinds and shades offer it all and so much more!
Before we start listing all of the many benefits of discarding those curtains, let’s first go through some simple terms. Some people think that blinds and shades are one and the same, but they’re so different! Blinds consist of many slats that can open or close, while shades are a complete solid piece of soft material. Both options can be adjusted to be completely closed or completely opened.
Updating the window coverings in your home is an instant, affordable and dramatic makeover. It can basically tie the whole room together and, if complemented with your other design choices, can be quite amazing!
Choosing either option will be based, among other things, on your taste, preference and budget of course. In most cases, either option can be cut to order so your window size shouldn’t be an issue.
Let’s take a more detailed look at what other factors to consider before making your choice.

First things first, what options are there?

Let’s start with the blinds family first, and what a big family it is! There are many different types out there so let’s get to know the most common window blinds.
Honeycomb or cellular blinds come in a wide range of colors and are made of cloth- like material. They can work in most rooms as they can slide downwards or move upwards.
As the name suggests, roller blinds use a roller mechanism to move up and down. They also come in a variety of color options to suit any room!
Zebra blinds are becoming increasingly popular as they’re basically a two-for- one option. They’re made by alternating lines of dark and translucent material, which is perfect for controlling the amount of light entering rooms. This is a great option for bedrooms as you’ll be able to completely block out any outside light.
You’ll also be spoiled for choice if you opt to have shades for your windows. Roman shades are a really popular option. They can roll up accordion style and are an elegant option for any room. However, because they’re made of fabric like most shades, you may need to spend some extra time cleaning and maintaining them.
Roller shades are also really beautiful and like their blind counterparts, they use a roller system to open and close. This is a great option for large open spaces as they can be quite dramatic, and are also great for diffusing harsh sunlight and UV rays.

Which window coverings are best for me?

A good place to start would be outlining what the room is actually functioning as. For example, blinds or shades that are perfect for the bedroom may not work well in the kitchen and bathroom due to excessive moisture.
Blinds do, however, usually work well in bathrooms and kitchens, but they need to be made of easy-to-clean material. Vinyl blinds are a great option!
As mentioned previously, zebra blinds would be a great option for bedrooms as they’ll allow you to completely block out any outside light so that you and your family can have a restful and uninterrupted night’s sleep.
Wooden, or faux wooden, blinds or roman shades are great for larger windows that let in plenty of natural light. Depending on the design, they can also be a real eye- catching centerpiece in the room!
As you can see, there are plenty of beautiful and viable options out there. It really depends on what you like and what atmosphere you want to create in your home.

What else should I be looking at?

It’s always great when your window coverings are aesthetically pleasing. However, you need to ensure that they’re also functional. If light intensity is a factor for you, you need to make sure that the blinds or shades that you choose have a block-out function. This is obviously very important in bedrooms, as previously mentioned.
Finding the right material and color is up to you. You would however need to ensure that it matches the rest of the room’s color palette. Muted and natural tones work well. It’s also a good idea to have the color of the blinds match the color of the window frame to have some design consistency in the room. Also, you may want to change your summer interior décor when the cold winds start blowing. The last thing you’d want to do is search for a warmer winter color shade for your blinds. Neutral shades should last you for all seasons.
A factor that is sometimes overlooked is child safety. If you’re installing new blinds in your child’s room, you need to ensure that they have a spring mechanism and not a cord. It may also be a good idea to install child-friendly blinds in family rooms and play areas.
Once you’ve made your final decision on the type and color of your new window frames, you need to decide how it will be fitted. One option is to have it mounted on the inside of your window frame. This will give the space a clean and sophisticated look. You could also have it mounted outside the frame area, which is a good choice as well. What you decide on may be based on personal preference but it will affect the overall look of the space as well as how much direct light will filter through into the room.
Let’s do a quick recap. Most of what you decide will be based on your taste and flair for design but there are a few things to remember. Be clear on the material and color that you want. Remember to keep in mind that these window coverings should flow into each season and shouldn’t need to be changed every few months. You also need to decide if it will work with the main function of the room.
We know that you’ll find the right option for you, and we know that your new blinds or shades will help turn your house into a home!

Change Up the Look in Your Office

Change Up the Look in Your Office

The mood in an office can be greatly affected by the layout and the overall feeling that the decorations provide. For an office to function most efficiently, the decorations should be aesthetically pleasing, but they should also be simple, not drawing an employee’s attention away from his/her work. Just like any other office decoration, the blinds that you choose to put in your office play a part in productivity.
Going beyond just the basic aesthetics, having the right blinds is important in keeping sunlight out of the office during prime sunshine. The reason for this is that the last thing people want when working with a computer is to have a glare coming off of the screen from the sunlight. Traditionally, the best way to block the glare would be with a good, heavy set of curtains, but this is simply not appropriate in most professional environments. With that in mind, the new roller shade technology can be a great choice.

Professional Options

In the workplace, there are only so many roads that can be taken when looking to change the window design. There are sideways opening blinds, more traditional blinds and even the option of storm shutters on the outside. The problem is that most of the traditional blind options do a poor job of actually blocking sunlight. Storm shutters will certainly do the trick, but they can cost a pretty penny, and that’s not what you’re after.
The other issue that arises with traditional blinds is that they are prone to breaking. No other object in an office can be as much of a hassle as when you try to open or close blinds. If you are looking for the right price, the new technology of roller zebra blinds is really the only way to go.

Zebra Blinds

With a modern look and high functionality, this unique blind option is a major improvement in blind technology. This roller shade option has a dual color scheme, which not only gives it an attractive look but also provides superior protection against sunlight. Additionally, the smooth operation of zebra blinds makes it easy to open and close them without a hassle.

Best Light Filtering Solutions

Best Light Filtering Solutions

The sun can be very distracting when trying to complete work indoors. Whether you are working from a home office or actually working in an office, having a good light filtering solution can help improve your productivity throughout the day. The last thing that anyone wants while trying to perform work on a computer is having a glare on the screen.
This same issue can be seen in living rooms inside of homes. Trying to watch television while the sun glares off the screen can be distracting and just an overall annoyance. Though there are plenty of options for blinds, shades and curtains, there are very few developments in the last few decades that really stand out. Of course, the one solution that is of note is zebra blinds.

The Options

In the past, the best option for light filtering was most often some thick curtains. Though this can sometimes go with a room’s theme, this is never appropriate in an office setting of any kind, and can often be expensive in a home environment. Traditional blinds are also a poor substitute, as they usually let more light in than they keep out.
As with any decision in a home or office, the real measure of a product goes beyond just the utility though, and must be measured in aesthetic value as well. No matter how great blinds or curtains block light, they need to look good. With that in mind, for those who are really looking for the best light filtering options, the only way to really turn heads is by purchasing roller zebra blinds.

Zebra Blinds

This innovative type of roller shade is the first real improvement in blinds technology for the last few decades. Unlike the blinds you might find in an old home, roller zebra blinds offer the complete package: low price, attractive design and superb light filtering.
Zebra blinds can be quite expensive, however Blinds-US blinds are being offered as low as $69 per window, which is definitely cheaper than you would pay for any other curtain, and this price is also comparable to other blinds on the market. For style, the dual color scheme and streamlined design offer consumers a much simpler and attractive look than traditional blinds. Most importantly, because of the dual color and smooth operation, zebra blinds also offer light protection that is superior to any other product on the market. Whether you are looking to have that modern home layout or just desiring less light to shine through, zebra blinds are definitely the place to start.

Which Blinds Are Right for You?

Which Blinds Are Right for You?

Though it may not seem very important at the time, choosing the right type of blinds is very important. This can be affected by where the blinds are being installed: home, office, living room, dining room etc. Sometimes, blinds aren’t even the right option at all and getting some curtains to match your room style is the better option.
With all the different options available, it becomes important to know which ones are right for your purpose. To do this, there are three major considerations: price, style and utility. Price is simple to measure or have a concrete value. Style is a bit more complicated, but it is still somewhat easy to tell whether or not an option fits within your taste. Finally, utility in this case simply measures how well the blinds block out sunlight.

The Choices

There is a plethora of different blind and curtain options available on the market, but how do you decide which one of them is right for you? As indicated above, price, style and utility are the way to go about this. Curtains are one classic choice for sunlight blockage, but they fall out instantly for two reasons. First, they don’t fit well into any modern design style. Second, they are very expensive. With both of these considered, they instantly lose on two of the three choice requirements.
Traditional blinds are an option, but they also fall short. First, they are cheap, but their cheap price tag comes with a plethora of issues. Second, they are very much outdated in their style, looking like they belong in a house from a few decades ago. Finally, they do a poor job at blocking out sunlight.
With all this considered, it is only reasonable that the most sensible option would be the roller shade technology.

Zebra Blinds

The roller shade technology offered by roller zebra blinds is the only real innovation in blinds in more than a decade. Unlike normal blinds, these offer a dual color scheme that not only looks nice, but also provides superior sun blockage. But, before declaring them the obvious winner, examine the three criteria. First, they are inexpensive; most stores sell them at about $180 a window. Second, they certainly fit in with most modern styles, offering a great and simplistic look. Finally, they offer better sun protection than anything short of storm shutters. With all things considered, this makes Zebra Blinds the easy choice for most modern homes.