Archive for the ‘Design Ideas’ Category

Select Bamboo Blinds for a Casual Setting

One type of window blind that is enjoying increased popularity these days is bamboo window blinds.

Bamboo window blinds are a great choice for those who want to give their home a more natural feel. Another reason for the increased popularity of bamboo window blinds is the fact that they are more friendly for the environment, as bamboo is very fast growing and can be harvested about every five or six years.

There is a wide selection of bamboo window blind styles available. Some of the materials that are used in the construction of bamboo window blinds are grasses, reeds, and of course bamboo. These elements come together to give you a look that is raw, natural, and full of color and texture. The fibrous part of the bamboo wood is what is used for making bamboo window blinds, enabling the growers to harvest wood for the blinds without destroying the bamboo plant itself.

What are some great reasons to choose bamboo window blinds?

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They are very easily maintained
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They are give you ease and flexibility in the design process since they are naturally beautiful
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They give you the possibility of letting in just the right amount of light
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They give any room style and elegance
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They are kind to the environment
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They can be cleaned easily
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They do a great job of keeping excess light out of your home
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They are a very durable option in window treatments
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They are great at providing ventilation
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They will give you less expansion and contraction when compared with hardwood
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They work well with almost any style of home décor
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They have a naturally beautiful pattern
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They are very easily installed
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They are a low cost, but high quality, solution to your window treatment needs
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Their natural finish gives you an interesting and diverse finish
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They provide good insulation for your home
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They are much easier to maintain than other blind options

The versatility of bamboo blinds makes them very fun to use throughout your home. They come with different lifting abilities, and can give your home that additional flair and grace you are looking for. While they look very delicate, in truth bamboo blinds are incredibility strong and durable. They can also resist both moisture and insects if they have been treated with chemicals.

While many people enjoy the natural look of bamboo blinds, they are also available in a wide selection of styles and colors. You can select from the wide variety of bamboo blind products available to have a great impact in any room in your home. One nice feature of bamboo blinds is that they can glow when they are properly lit. This can really enhance the look of an artistic upholstery installation. It is possible to have bamboo blinds custom made to match your exact requirements. All these great features are why so many people, from hotels to private homes, are installing bamboo blinds these days.

A search of the internet should give you a wide selection of bamboo blinds to choose from. You will find bamboo blinds in a variety of styles and colors offered by some of the top blind manufactures, including Hunter Douglas, Graber, Kirsch, and American. Online retailers will often have the largest selection of blinds at the best prices. While all these great benefits of bamboo blinds it makes sense to consider using them when it is time to give your home a more sophisticated appearance.

Window Covering Ideas for Bathrooms

If you are lucky enough to have a bathroom window you will need to install some sort of window treatment to ensure privacy and modesty.

Having a bathroom window is a luxury that many do not have. Those that do have bathroom windows will sometimes completely cover them permanently to block out peering eyes and cold drafts. The truth is that even a small bathroom window can really brighten up a room that is often small and dark due to its lighting design and/or construction.

Those who do have bathroom windows will need to install some sort of window treatment to ensure privacy and modesty, especially in this private room. It may be difficult for some to determine the best window treatment to use. What you do with the windows will depend in part on their size and location in the room. You can use a variety of tricks to either accentuate or de-emphasize your windows. To help them blend in with the rest of the room you will want to use neutral colors or mini blinds that match the other colors of the room.

If you want to highlight your bathroom windows you can add valances over you mini binds in a complementary shade. Valances work great because they are easy to hang and maintain, as well as being simple and inexpensive to purchase. You can keep your window looking clean and neat by simply vacuuming your valance every week or so and washing it approximately once a month. To keep your mini blinds clean you should dust them weekly and wash them every several months to remove any build up of dust or residue.

You should find valances that match the style of other window treatments throughout the rest of your home. It is also a good idea to use colors that pick up other accents in the room, such as tiles, carpets, or towels.

A window length light fabric curtain or drape is another popular option for bathroom windows. During the day they can be tied back to let in light and during the night they can be closed to allow for additional privacy. If you choose to install this type of fabric curtains be sure not to use excessively hot water for washing them as they may shrink or fade. You will often find café style curtains used in conjunction with mini blinds or pull blinds.

You will want to be sure to coordinate the colors and style of your bathroom curtains with the rest of the room’s décor, including the towels, paint, wallpaper, floor rugs, and other accessories. You will want the entire room to fall into one design scheme, contemporary for example, which is unified with the rest of the home. While most would not be comfortable with mixing and matching styles of décor, at the end of the day it is your home and you should install whatever type of curtains you like.

You want your window treatments to blend into the rest of the room, not stick out like a sore thumb. When thinking about the best type of window treatments for your bathroom it is important to remember that they will all look better when used with windows that are clean.

Blinds Can Add Warmth and Beauty

When looking for a simple way to beautify your home, don’t forget to consider window blinds.

Window blinds come in a wide variety of styles and colors, with everything from elegant and sophisticated to country and casual. With all the choices out there you are sure to find just the right blinds for your home and style.

You need to think about how your window treatments will look from both inside and outside the home when it is time to add beauty to your home. For the best look, all the windows on the front side of the house should have a matching treatment. To give the blinds a uniform look from the outside, many blind manufacturers produce blinds that are white on the outside and are colored or natural on the inside.

It is important to think about your lifestyle when choosing the right blinds for your home. Those who prefer more casual pursuits, such as familiar gatherings, outdoors interests, and rural living will probably be best suited by blinds that are less formal. Some good causal blind choices include mini-blinds, wood or faux wood Venetian blinds, or bamboo shades. If you are looking for added insulation and energy savings you may want to consider honeycomb or cellular blinds even though they tend to have a more formal appearance. You will get a simple look by using a natural or earth tones in your blinds. For homes that have a country style they may want to choose blinds that pick up one of their accent colors, like a deep green or burgundy. You can use an inside mount with a ruffled calico curtain to achieve a real authentic country look.

City dweller will probably be looking for something a little more sophisticated. If your lifestyle is more refined and formal, you will want window treatments to match. Some good choices for these applications include Roman shades or vertical blinds that have been enhanced with a fashionable fabric. Under formal drapes you can use cellular blinds and pleated shades to achieve a subtle elegance. If you want a formal look combined with the ease of Venetian blinds, take a look at the new silhouette style blinds. For a home that is elegantly furnished remember that you can’t really go wrong with genuine wood blinds.

Window treatments do so much more than filter light and provide privacy. A well matched set of blinds can add distinction and style to any home, no matter what style.

Window Treatments for Charm and Style

There are so many options when it comes to dressing your windows. You can add charm and beauty to your home just by using the right valances, shades, curtains, or other window treatments.

Rather than using an abundance of contrasting color you will want to use your widow treatments to provide balance to the space. When looking for window treatments that are both beautiful and practical you will notice that they are usually quite expensive these days. One thought is to use ideas from magazines, the internet, craft and fabric stores, book stores, and your local library to create your own custom window treatments. The key ingredients to successfully creating your own window treatments are patience, materials, and a little bit of skill at the sewing machine.

Custom Treatment

Custom window treatments are window dressings that are created especially for your windows. They come in all sorts of styles, including Victorian, contemporary, country, or Adirondack. You can create a beautiful roman shade that coordinates perfectly with your bedspread, or an elegant pleated valance that gives you the flexibility of multiple fabric combinations. If you are looking for something to function either as a shade or a valance you may want to use a balloon shade. When using cascades or swags you can create a look that is formal and elegant or comfortable and casual. Using decorative hardware can help to make classic draw or stationary drapes the perfect solution for any room. Another option is to use wood cornices to enhance the look of valances or upholstered cornices to do the same for drapery. You can use window treatments to create the perfect environment in any room. It doesn’t matter if it is lace panels or stylish European sheers teamed with cotton lace, window treatments can enhance any décor.

Bay Window Treatment

A bay window has at least three sides and protrudes out from the outer wall of the home. Many people, unfortunately, hide their bay windows behind curtains. Almost anyone will appreciate the beauty and romance that a bay window lends to a home, however, most will have no idea about which window treatments will look best with a bay window. A bay window should be left untreated if it is not in an area where privacy is a major issue and you do not need to worry about controlling the incoming light. Some bay windows will have beautiful window frames which can be easily accented by adding inside mounted blinds, shades, or café curtains. To achieve a traditional look you may want to consider using roman shades with contrasting banding. Another option is adding a continuous valance or a series of shallow swags to simple shades or blinds that cover closely spaced windows. When well designed the upper window treatments will hide the lower treatments when they are raised. If you have a bay window that has very little space between the different windows you may want to consider placing panel curtains on either side with a treatment along the top with a cornice. No matter what treatments you use with your bay windows the final goal is to allow them to add beauty to your home.

Designer Window Treatments
Just as the name implies, these window treatments have been specially designed for you by a professional designer. You are bound to get spectacular results, but you can also expect to pay a pretty spectacular bill. The quality and style of the designer will have a lot to do with the quality as style of your new window treatments. Each designer will use there own unique touch to bring together fabric, styles, and colors, creating one of a kind window treatments for your home. While designer window treatments will be well beyond the budgets of most people, those who can afford the expense will probably receive lots of compliments on their windows.

Kitchen Window Treatments

When looking for window treatments for your kitchen be sure that they are a good match with the color and style of your cabinets. While it will be important to use materials that will restrict light, it is also important that they be easily washable. You want to find window treatments that will not blow around in a breeze and ignite if they will be placed anywhere near a gas flame, as this could pose a serious fire hazard. Some of the common window treatments used in kitchens include roller shades, draperies, blinds, wood or bamboo blinds, shutters, and curtains. Be aware of which treatments will be easier to clean. Look carefully at the window hardware to ensure it does not get in the way of the window treatment.