Enhance and Protect Your Décor with Window Coverings

Are you wondering about what to do about window coverings?

No matter where you live in our great state, covering our windows inside and/ or outside can help reduce our heating and cooling needs and protect interior finishes from sun damage or fading.

We contacted Rosie Certified Partner Rod DiGiovanni of New West Shutter and Blind for some information to share tips about window coverings.

Types Of Interior Window Coverings

Listed from most expensive to least here are 5 types of interior window coverings that will bring unique design elements into your home are:

Shutters
Cellular Shades
Roll Shades
Blinds or mini blinds
Vertical Blinds

Establishing your aesthetic goals first can help you choose the best window covering solution. Working with an interior designer can help narrow the choices.

Let’s identify the benefits of each product:

Shutters

Rod tells us shutters are typically wood products made from basswood. This tree originates primarily in the Midwestern United States. It is a fast-growing wood with fine straight grain characteristics, lightweight, and very stable to work with and finish.

They can be painted or stained and lend elegance to any room.

Shutters have a frame that attaches to the wall around a window. This placement establishes an air pocket between the glass and the interior space, which acts as insulation, keeping heat in or out. While not as effective as the insulation in your walls, this air pocket does provide some protection.

Rod tells us about a new feature called Clear View Tilt. Instead of a center tilt rod, you tilt one louver, and the others follow. This makes for a more modern aesthetic, and this style is becoming quite popular.

Cellular Shades

These are pleated shades that fit tightly to a window frame. The advantage of this type of shade is the two layers of pleating. Creating an air pocket within the shade itself contributes to the insulation quality of this window covering. There are essentially two air pockets created: one within the shade itself and the other between the window glazing and the outer shade.

As there are two layers of fabric, you can have one color on the inside and one on the outside. Rod suggests a reflective, light color on the outside and one that accents the interior on the inside. He says there are many colors to choose from.

Roller Shades

Roll down shades provide a wide range of choices in fabrics and colors

These shades are typically a fabric material that winds up into a roll at the top of a window.

The fabric can be solid and opaque or a mesh and somewhat transparent.

These shades can be manually coiled, as in the old give-it-a-slight-tug, which rewinds the type of retracting shade. Many homeowners prefer having motorized shades installed. Automated shades come in handy with high and hard-to-reach windows and with larger expanses of glass. The motors are controlled through a handheld remote. The rolled-up fabric is often exposed on smaller shades. A housing unit can be installed for larger shades. The housing is often made of aluminum and can be painted to blend in with your walls or ceiling colors. The shades are versatile, as they come in a wide selection of colors and designs. These choices allow you to create a new bold statement or conform to your home’s decorating scheme.

Blinds or Mini Blinds

Blinds with horizontal slats that stack are known as Venetian blinds and mini blinds. The difference between the two is the width of the individual slats. Venetian blinds are 2″ wide, and mini blinds are 1″ wide.

Both types of blinds control light with the same adjustable features. The entire shade can be raised or lowered to cover all or part of a window opening. The slats can also be adjusted to control the light coming through the window. When the slats are vertical, they can shut out most of the light coming through.

Vertical Blinds

As the name implies, this type of window covering has slats that hang vertically from a track at the top or head of the window opening. The bottom of the slats swings freely as they are not attached to a lower or base track.

Applications for vertical blinds are windows, sliding doors, and larger expanses of glass.

They are typically made from vinyl and tend to be heavy-duty. Rod tells us they are long-lasting and, when closed, help shut out light.

The Mechanics for Opening and Closing of Window Coverings Has Changed!

Due to legislation, the way we open, and close window coverings has changed.

Chords are no longer used:

Shutters are opened and closed with a tilt wand and cordless lift.
Cellular shades use a cordless lift.
Roll shades are manufactured with a cordless loop which is attached to the wall, and vertical blinds use a wand.

*In addition, all window coverings can be automated.

Pricing

The price you will pay for window covering types varies. We listed the window types above generally by cost, with shutters being the most expensive. The window shape and size will dictate cost differences.

Vertical blinds are often considered the low-cost alternative. Rod compared the cost of a roller shade and vertical blind for the same opening, with vertical blinds being about half the cost.

There are as many different shapes, sizes, and orientations of windows as there are unique covering solutions.

We would really enjoy seeing some of the unique solutions you have applied to your home’s windows. Please share a photo with us at info@rosieonthehouse.com.