Why 2 1/2" Blinds?

Often customers will ask, why should I purchase a 2 1/2" blind instead of 2"?

The answer, like so many choices is one of personal opinion. A 2 and 1/2" blind, often referred to as a Plantation Blind and or Shutter Blind will replicate the shutters of yester year without the staggering cost of custom made left, right louvered shutters. Consider that the normal 2 1/2" blind when fully tilted will offer about 1/2" greater viewing space between the slats than a normal 2" blind. Also, the 2 1/2" when partially open offers the glance of a larger slat over the 2" blind. Options are generally the same which means routed and routeless (no holes version) are both available. 2 1/2" are available in real wood and faux wood (some restrictions may limit choices). Plantation and or Shutter Blinds are not authentic shutters, yet offer a great comparison to the old style large slat shutters and when you look at price you may decide they are viable option.

Only one week til Labor Day! Another summer is fading quickly. Enjoy the week even if the temperature is HOT and the humidity is high....You'll be craving them both come January.

1" Blinds

A customer asked me the why 1" blinds are still available when they do not seem so popular. Well, first of all they are still fairly popular as an inexpensive vinyl product. Secondly the 1" wood can be an alternative when a customer does not have the normal three inches needed to totally recess a two inch blind. 1" blinds are not readily available in faux and will be found mainly as a 1" wood blind. Another reason 1" wood blinds are still useful is for application to doors. Doors in almost every a situation require an outside mount and the 1" wood blind will protrude from the surface only about 2 1/4" in most cases (manufacturer sizes may vary). We are not interior decorators and do not desire to impose our opinions on the customer, yet I can tell you many designers and clients of designers have ordered the 1" wood blind for doors and the 2" blinds for windows. The contrast of 2" and 1" seems to be an acceptable combination for most consumers. The one inch wood is available in most the same whites and stains and is the same bass wood material thus far. While two inch is still by far the most popular item, the one inch will have it's advantages for doors, boats, motor homes etc. Please keep in mind lift cord and tilt wand position when ordering for a door. You may find it is better to have the lift cord and or wand on the hinged side of the door. This can keep them out of the way when the door is opened and closed quickly. Also hold down brackets for the bottom of the door blind will keep the blind stable.

School is starting back again so please take deep a breath and remember the doctor visits, dentist, school supply and clothes shopping will all be over soon. Things will slow down and you can regain a normal life.

Hope your having a great week so far!

Saving Energy with Shades

Like most people today we all want to cut back on the dollars we spend for heating and cooling our homes. We don't want to be uncomfortable, but we simply can't stand the utility cost which seem to be increasing with every coming month.

Consider cellular shades! Honeycomb cellular shades will provide filtered light to enter the home and illuminate the space and at the same time keep much of the heat and or cold out. As with any shade the henderance will be that shades are either open or closed. They cannot be tilted like a wood blind to allow for partial viewing. Actually YES! in one respect they can be! Some cellular shades are available with options like top down, bottom up. This means the shade can be lowered from the top and raised from the bottom. This option allows one to let more light in and limit the view in from the outside. Also, cellular shades come with an R- Rating, just like home insulation and the more efficient modern windows of today. Other features are also available, such as cordless shades or even easy lift which limits the number of cords to one. Colors and sizes are many.

My weather man says we are lucky this year. Temperatures are lower than normal and we can all breath easier. While he maybe correct, someone forgot to tell my electric company. I urge you! Consider Honeycomb Cellular Shades when trying to cut cost and still enjoy a modern stylish home.

From Spring,Texas where the temperatures lower, but the humidity is sweltering. I wish you a wonderful August weekend.