Blinds and shades can greatly change how a room appears and create a more functional design for a room. There are a wide array of blinds and shades available on the market today. It can be challenging to shop for window treatments. If you had a hard time picking out your paint colors, just wait until you get to the windows. You’ll find new levels of stress and challenges when you get to the windows. You’ll have to consider shape and size as well as room decor.

Selecting Window Shades

To start with, you’ll have to consider how large and what shape your windows are before you ever begin looking at window treatments such as blinds and shades. Many treatments are better suited to specific window styles or shapes. You’ll also want to consider the use of the room. If it’s a bedroom or a kitchen you’ll want treatments that are reflective of such purposes. A smaller window may do well with a woven shade that allows light into a room while a bedroom may require something that will help to darken the room on a full moon night. The living and family room may present other concerns such as lighting at midday that may hamper whether or not someone can watch a movie. Also, be sure to consider the furnishings and the overall decor.

Custom Versus Ready Made Treatments

If you have a standard sized window, you likely won’t have any issues finding the ideal window treatment. However, many windows are custom sizes and you may have to opt for a custom treatment that is made for your specific style and size of window. Then you’ll also have to consider the materials or fabric of your treatment. If you can’t find it, you’ll have to have it made for you.

Ready made treatments are practical and easy to come by. However, if your window is longer or shorter or if it’s an unusual style you’ll have to opt for the custom made treatments. If you want good looking shades that aren’t expensive, you may wish to opt for a ready-made pleated shade or roller shade.

Here are ten popular kinds of window shades that you may wish to consider for window treatment options for your home.

1. Roman Shades

These are popular and easy to find. They are long and of a continuous piece of fabric. Horizontal styles will fold along the length of the Roman shade which allows you to raise and lower them. They are part conventional blinds and part fabric.

2. Pleated Shades

Just as the Roman Shades, the pleated shades are a single piece of material. However, they don’t drape the same and they are tighter. While they look like slats, they have a lot more folds.

3. Plantation Shutters

Modern functionality mixed with classic charm, plantation shutters strike the perfect balance in your home. There’s so many home now in newer estates using plantation shutters Sydney NSW because of their sleek modern look and the huge amount of features they have.

4. Cellular Or Honeycomb Shades

If you’re seeking to improve your energy efficiency, you’ll love the benefits of these shades. Made of fabric that is designed as a honeycomb, you’re going to find that these shades trap the air in between the honeycombs. This helps to retain heat in the winter months and keep your home cooler in the summer months.

5. Motorized Shades

These offer you excellent convenience. If you have ever struggled with a cord on the blinds, you’ll appreciate the ease of convenience that these have to offer you. Motorized shades are mechanical and have the convenience of being operated via the push of a button or a remote control. Ideal if you’re across the room with a baby in your arms and need to adjust the blinds;. You can tilt them or adjust them up or down all with the ease of a button.

6. Solar Shades

Solar shades off you a “sunglass” effect on your windows. Just as you pull your sunglasses on when you’re in the sun, your windows will adjust automatically to the level of light. This allows you to have a greater control over how bright your room is. The benefit of these is that you can still enjoy your view without having to close the blinds during the bright times of the day. The more light that is filtered the more opaque these will be.

7. Sheers And Semi-Sheers

Many people opt for sheers and semi-sheers. These are used in rooms that may not require privacy however, they will benefit from natural light and a bit of a buffer from the bright sunlight in the mid afternoon. You can adjust them accordingly and they work well with heavy draperies that you may not wish to close during the day but wish to filter light with.

8. Bamboo And Bali Shutters

These are lovely options. If you’ve seen a sushi rolling mat just picture that rolling mat window sized. Bamboo shades are ideal and also referred to as Bali shades. They’re sold by Bali. Ideal with Asian, African and global decors you’re sure to appreciate how they are affordable, sturdy, versatile and stylish. These are easy to find and very affordable options for your windows.

9. Natural Woven Shades

If you’re seeking a casual option, you may wish to go natural. These offer you an organic element in your home. You’ll find these made of reeds, grasses, and even other sustainable materials. They are very stylish and affordable and offer you plenty of privacy. Often used in conjunction with a roller shade or a liner, you’re sure to find that these have many options for your decor and are also very affordable window treatments.

10. Panel Track

If you’re seeking function and versatility, you may like how these look. They are made up of several panels and covered in fabric. They are easy to slide around and offer great privacy as well as light control. They are usually used in living room and dining areas or areas that have long windows. Usually, these are custom made unless you find them ready made to fit. Levolor, Century Shade & Blind Company, and even American blinds offer several options of panel track blinds.

11. Roller Blinds

These are readily available in a variety of fabrics and lifting systems. Many great companies produce these and you’ll find great options with Hunter Douglass and even Smith & Noble. Ideal when used alone or with drapes or even a valance, you’ll find these are great for filtering or blocking light.

If you would like to add style, personality and functionality to your outdoor space and entertainment area, outdoor blinds can do the job for you. Outdoor blinds are not only good for improving the aesthetics of the outdoor space but these also offers a bit of privacy in addition to keeping the outdoor entertaining area comfortable.

The outdoor entertaining area can be improved in a variety of ways such as by painting the home exterior, investing in new outdoor furniture as well as purchasing an outdoor mural for adding character to the space. The problem is that these things cost a lot of money. Outdoor blinds allow you to improve the outdoor space in an affordable manner.

There are a number of benefits of outdoor blinds including privacy, ease of use, versatility, and enhancement of the outdoor space as well as protection from the elements. Keep reading to find out more about these five major benefits of outdoor blinds.

Style

You can choose from a number of different styles and colors when it comes to outdoor blinds. In other words, you have a lot of options when it comes to enhancing the aesthetics of the exterior of your home. Roller or motorized outdoor blinds allow you to create a separate area for privacy and entertainment. These blinds keep your guests and you safe from rainy conditions as well as extreme sunlight which mean you can enjoy the outdoors even when the weather isn’t pleasant.

Protection

Outdoor blinds on a pergola, veranda or a patio can help in providing protection against harsh light as well as driving rains. These help in shading the windows and keep the temperature inside the home cooler during the hot summer months. The blinds also reflect the heat away from the home and prevent rain from entering the outdoor space where you can entertain your guests.

The outdoor blinds not only protect from the elements but also help in lowering the energy bills and enhancing the life of the outdoor furniture. You may also purchase solar outdoor blinds as these blinds will help in filtering the air and decreasing the amount of dust entering your home.

Ease of Use

You can easily retract or shutter the outdoor blinds as these are available in fixed as well as roller style. Strong material such as canvas and PVC are used in making outdoor blinds help in withstanding the elements easily. The Sydney outdoor blind costs are quite low as they are easy to install and have minimal moving parts.

Versatile

These blinds are available in a variety of styles which means you can blend them with any setting in your home. These can be used in the garden as well as kitchen. You can choose from a variety of styles and colors to enhance the outdoor area. Also, the outdoor blinds can be used in various places inside as well as outside of the home when chosen wisely.

These blinds complement the home while providing a safe and protected outdoor entertaining space for entertaining you and your guests. These are available in a number of options including manual as well as motorized outdoor blinds.

Privacy

If you want to enhance your privacy, one of the better options is to install outdoor blinds. These will help you in keeping your privacy from a nosy neighbor and allow you to create a completely private outdoor room that is not only comfortable but also private and sheltered. So, take advantage of outdoor blinds and create a private area to enjoy your outdoor space away from those prying eyes.

Outdoor blinds are made to last a very long time. External blinds made and installed with proper material will provide you safety, comfort, beauty and privacy for years to come. So, install outdoor blinds and create an outdoor area for year-round enjoyment.

You can easily transform your kitchen without spending a fortune or enduring a long, messy renovation period. Here are some tips to help you with this before you put it out of your mind.

A very easy way to add a whole new look is by accenting one wall with a bright, bold splash of color. This can instantly give the kitchen a warmth and beauty that makes it come alive. You can also decorate around this color with tablecloths, kitchenware and more to makeover the whole room.

Another great way to spruce up the kitchen is by adding some new tile to the backsplash. This can give the whole room a new look without a lot of money. There are many peel-and-stick products for the job available at many home improvement stores. This is a great way to add texture, metallic and finish to the room. Best of all, most any homeowner can do the work without the added expense of hiring a professional.

One other option that is easy and inexpensive is adding glass fronts to your kitchen cabinets. This gives your whole room a totally different look. You can choose frosted glass or clear glass to not only make it easy to see where all your dinnerware is but also show off heirlooms and other stylish pieces.

Before you think of tearing your kitchen cabinets out, stop and give this a thought. You can also just paint your cabinets to take the room to a whole new level. If painting leaves you feeling uncertain then start out slow. Replace your current kitchen hardware with something new. It is cheap to do and it gives your room a polished effect.

Is your refrigerator or stove showing signs of age? Maybe these appliances still work fine but they just look drab. You can overhaul them with a new set of face panels. Order them directly from the manufacturer to get a perfect fit. One additional hint, here. You can often remove your dishwasher panel and flip it over for a fresh look.

If you have a breakfast area or a small dinette set in your kitchen you can easily and quickly transform the room by adding new cushions to it. You might even have the set reupholstered and painted to make it look like you went out and bought it brand new.

There are simple ways, as you can see, to makeover your kitchen without a lot of money or mess. Apply these simple changes to your kitchen and enjoy a whole new room.

Over the years, wallpapers has evolved quite dramatically. Decorative wall coverings got their start in Europe during the Renaissance. The social elite used large tapestries to provide a room’s interior with insulation and interest. Soon after this, those large tapestries were transformed into rolls of paper that were applied to walls. A majority of the early wallpapers had a velvet-like pattern or displayed natural scenes. Since colonial times, wallpapers have been used to decorate American homes. These days, wallpapers comes in many different patterns and colors that can fit with any size or style of home.

Wallpaper has evolved in usage in addition to style. It isn’t just for walls any longer. Wallpaper is used by many creative homeowners on lamps, stairs, cabinets, doors, shelves and other places and items needing some added flair. The major challenge faced by designers is deciding where wallpaper should be applied. When it is applied properly to the right places it can completely transform a drab wall and make it look fresh and amazing.

Designs are available in a practically endless array of patterns, colors and combinations. Wallpaper retail brands range in price from $40 up to $250, depending on both the material and amount of paper. Homeowners can even used textured paper for adding dimension and a different feel to a room.

Vinyl

Vinyl wallpaper is the most durable form of wall covering and is also waterproof. It is perfect for high-traffic and humid conditions, which makes it great for playrooms, kitchens, bathrooms and hallways. It is resistant to bumps, scrapes and scrubbing. However, due to its durability it may be problematic to remove. Therefore, some people instead go with vinyl coated paper.

Vinyl Coated

It is considered to be the most common kind of wallpaper. There is a protective vinyl coat on the paper which makes it very durable and easy to clean. Vinyl coated papers, unlike complete vinyl are easier to remove and more user-friendly.

Paper

These days, finding plain wallpaper without any protective coating is pretty uncommon. Paper wallpaper was a lot more popular when only a flour mixture form of wallpaper paste was available. It doesn’t hold up too well, particularly in humidity, since uncoated papers are hard to strip, tear easily and are delicate.

Embossed

Embossed wallpaper has a raised pattern that is pressed into paper or vinyl. They hide uneven and damages surfaces very well. Their textured design frequently has a colored pattern that comes with it. Anaglypta is a kind of embossed wallpapers that has no design and is just texture. Usually they are painted after they are installed. Because embossed papers are ideal for simulating tiles, they are used by many designers for covering up problem backsplashes and ceilings.

Flocked

Flocked wallpaper is a felt-like material that is similar to velvet. They fell out of favor unfortunately due to their busy design and being old-fashioned. Some of the newer styles are making them popular again. Flocked wallpaper works best in low-traffic areas like bedrooms and dining rooms.

Fabric

There are two different kinds of fabric wallpaper. One kind has a vinyl coating that is mostly used in commercial areas. The second kind is fabric that has a paper backing that is used more in residences. Fabric papers are very beautiful, but can be hard to keep clean, utilize a special past and are hard to hang.

Burlap and Grass

These kinds of wall coverings are currently popular due to them being environmentally friend. They have a natural feeling to them since they are comprised of real grass strips that are woven into sheet. There is a paper, non-woven material or fabric backing on grass wallpapers. They work best in low-traffic parts of a home.