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Blinds & Shades  Blinds and shades are used to block light from the sun that may cause furniture or flooring to fade. Guidelines are provided for choosing the right blinds or shades for your home.
Choosing Between Blinds or Shades
Windows of every conceivable size and type have opened up a wide array of decorating possibilities and elevated them to an important status in every room. Window treatments have followed suit, and today there are many options for designer looks. Shades and blinds, once rather unglamorous, functional necessities for providing window coverage have come a long way. Vertical, fabric blinds adorn large windows for a light and airy look and can be rotated for privacy when desired. The latest styles in Venetian blinds afford privacy and can be opened at various angles to allow light in. Many of the more inexpensive mini-blinds are available in a variety of pastels and bright colors, especially appealing for children's rooms and other casual areas.
Others, such as wooden blinds with wider slats lend a sophisticated air. When combined with other window treatments, such as a valance, the top of the blind and its hardware are hidden, giving a clean natural look.
Shades have come a long way from the standard white pull-down variety. Designed in billows and folds, such as the popular balloon shade, these window coverings can be made in any fabric to complement decor.
The most important basic consideration for shades and blinds is proper measuring of the window. Shades may be installed with an inside or outside mounts. Inside mounts are inside the window frame while outside mounts cover the window and more if necessary, giving the window a larger appearance than it is. Be sure to use a steel, not a cloth, tape measure. Once the window is completed, it will become as enjoyable as your favorite furnishings
Fashionable Horizontal Blinds
Think horizontal blinds are tired and boring? Not so! Today's horizontal blinds are more fashionable than ever, thanks to a wide assortment of colors that allow them to fit virtually any decor.
In addition, many of the products available on the market today come with sleek-looking headrails and other attractive features that make them a perfect product for a homeowner looking to block out light and gain privacy.
Hunter Douglas Window Fashions, for instance, has introduced a Lightlines horizontal blind. It has an exclusive deLight feature that blocks out the light that ordinary horizontal blinds do not. The new Lightlines product hides the rout holes typically associated with horizontal blinds. The absence of the rout holes not only keeps out the light, but also makes for a more aesthetically pleasing product.
Love the thought of horizontal blinds but hate the thought of dust? There are now products on the market that address that problem. Levolor Home Fashions, for instance, features DustGuard as an option on its horizontal blinds. DustGuard is a special patented process that neutralizes the forces of static electricity to resist dust and other airborne particles.
Springs Window Fashions Division Inc., meanwhile, has introduced an aluminum blind system that features improvements in operation and appearance. The new blind, known as the Graber Ultimate Supreme, includes an All-In-One cord that allows the user to raise, lower and tilt blinds evenly, a lift tape that is much thinner than traditional cords for improved slat closure, and a new light-blocking headrail.
For assistance in choosing horizontal blinds or other types of window covering products, see an independently owned decorating center near you.
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