Saturday, February 12, 2011

Window Blinds And Shades To Dress Up The Home

Many homeowners are looking for ways to improve the appearance and functionality of their dwellings. With all of the decorating options, there are certainly a lot of decisions to make. But one easy way to make a big impact is by incorporating window blinds and shades into one's design scheme. Below is a brief examination of how these treatments can transform any home.

The blind and shade have evolved a great deal over the years. One early complaint was the lack of design imagination in these types of coverings. Today, designers and manufactures have made use of a variety of fabrics, colors, and materials to create stunning looks along with practicality.


These treatments, as many satisfied buyers can attest, are incredibly versatile. One can choose a blind to fit the personality or requirements of any room. If a family member needs to rest during the day due to an unconventional work schedule, for example, a blackout blind or shade might be the perfect solution. Block out the sun and catch up on sleep as if it was the middle of the night.

In contrast, one might wish to combine sun-filtering capabilities while maintaining an exterior view. The solar shade may be the ideal choice to achieve this goal. With the incredible selection of design concepts, weaves, fabrics, and more, dressing up a showplace living room is easily accomplished. One can soak in views, keep the room cool, and protect furnishings from the sun's harmful rays.

Most all of these types of coverings offer the ultimate in flexibility. There is no shortage of choices to create virtually any kind of look for every room. From the Roman shade, which often incorporates curtain-like folds, to the faux wood blind and its long-lasting elegance and beauty, there are more decorative options than one could possibly imagine.

Obviously, there is a host of other treatments that make up this category. But if it comes down to a choice of one interior design element to make the biggest difference, window blinds and shades might very well end up at the top of the list. And, perhaps best of all, one can count on these for both form and function.

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

Should I Match Wood Blinds with the Wood Floors or the Window Frame?

Redecorating one or more rooms in your home may be a part of the New Year's Resolutions that you recently made. It is an easy one to keep if you stick to classic methods of switching out the look of a room. Paint can have a big impact in changing the entire feel of a room and so can the window treatments that you choose. If you want to try something new, getting wood window blinds can add a rich touch to the bedroom, library, dining room or living room of your home. Knowing which colors of wood blinds to get when you go shopping for decorative items for your room makeover will go a long way in giving your room a cohesive visual appearance with the flooring and window frame in the room.

wood window blinds add a natural and warm look to any room just as wood floors would. When the blinds are in the down position with the slats closed, wood blinds offer excellent privacy, light control and efficient at blocking out cold air.

Since the flooring in your room that you wish to decorate is the largest area in the room aside from the ceiling, it helps to ground the room. If your wood window blinds match the floor, the eye will make the connection with the large floor area and it will add visual weight to your blinds. If the blinds are the same color as the window frame, it will give the visual appearance of detachment from the floor.

Whether you choose to match your wood window blinds to the floor or window frame is a matter of your preference. If your window is located on a tall wall and you wish to bring the visual height of the wall down, then it would be better to match the blinds to the flooring. If you match the wood blinds to the window frame, on the other hand, it will draw attention to the window area and away from the floor, which can help to make your wall appear taller. Your eye, as it travels along the room and the wall, will be stopped by the visual weight created with the window dressing and frame in combination.

Since you want to draw attention to the most attractive areas in the room and take attention away from the least attractive, you can place the window treatments accordingly in order to achieve the look you want.