Not your Grandma's Roller Shades!

Remember those ugly old spring roller shades that Grandma had behind the shear curtains and the heavy drapes to block out the sun?  Don't let go of that shade when you are raising it, or it will snap closed at break-neck speed and maybe never operate the same!  The days of that old technology are gone...thank heaven.  Here's what's new and wonderful about today's roller shades.

Roller shade mechanisms have been totally redesigned and engineered for carefree operation and longevity. If you like or need a cordless option, the new version of the spring roller operates much like the great soft-close drawers you have seen in the latest kitchens.  A gentle tug releases the shade and it slowly raises itself to the rolled up position.  You can also hold on to the shade to stop it mid way at any point.  To lower it, just pull it down.  The benefit of these shades are they are cordless and therefor child safe.  This is what the mechanism that hides behind a short fabric valance looks like, but you'll never see it from outside or inside.

The other option for roller shades is a continuous cord operation.  This choice provides a continuous loop cord on the side of the shade that allows you to control the height of the shade at any point--no spring at all.  The cords themselves are selected to match the color of the fabric you select or you can match the cord to the color of the paint on the window trim if you want it to really disappear.  The one thing to be sure of is that you request that your installer adds the child safety mechanism that attaches the loop cord to the trim.  This is a mandatory safety device in most states now and it keeps the cord neatly out of the way.

What are the choices to hide the roller mechanism? 

 There are many types of top treatments - a rectangular metal valance, a wood valance that mimics the crown molding in the room, a fabric covered rectangular valance, a soft fabric valance, or a curved cassette valance.  The right choice for you depends on the design of your room.  

  

Soft Fabric Valance                                  

Curved Cassette Topper

Fabric Covered Metal Fascia mounted over and exterior Solar Roller Shade

Fabric Roller Shades - The choices are endless

The latest shades offer so many options.  If you want a natural fiber look, there are new fabrics made from a combination of wood pulp and polyester that are both natural looking, beautiful and durable.

Soft Fabric Roller Shades

Shades can be made from a variety of fabrics that match your decor.

 

Motorization of Roller Shades is an great upgrade!

What are Solar Shades?

Solar Shades are roller shades that are manufactured using fabric that is designed to reduce glare, reduce infrared heat gain, provide a degree of daytime privacy and maintain a view outside. One thing to remember is that these shades do not provide privacy at night when the lights are on inside and it's dark outside.  We can do a duo shade which is two shades hung one behind the other.  The privacy shade goes next to the window and the solar shade on the inside of the room.  It's twice the cost but has dual function.

Protection of your Furnishings, Artwork & Flooring

Solar treatments add another important benefit aside from insulation - UV protection. The sunlight streaming through your windows may seem beautiful. But keep in mind that it carries with it damaging UV rays that, over time, will damage your home's interior.

You may love your cherry colored wood tables or dark blue couch. We all have favorite pieces of furniture that turn our houses into homes. However over time, UV rays will cause damage to your furniture, fading the colors and weakening the structure of the fibers. Look around your home. How many heirlooms, antiques, and works of art do you possess that are irreplaceable? If left exposed, UV rays will eventually damage all of your prized possessions. Warping canvas, fading paints, damaging finishes. These are just a few examples of UV damage. Whether you have carpet or wood flooring, the UV rays of sunlight will damage your floor. Fading and discoloration are common signs of damage. In the case of wood floors, you may even see splitting.

How to choose the right solar shade for the right room:

Location

Knowing whether your window faces north, south, east or west is the first step in choosing the right solar shade. The sun is not as hot or intense on windows facing north or south as it is on windows facing east (early morning to afternoon) or west (noon till 5PM) and so knowing the direction your window faces will help in determining which fabric offers the level of sun control you are seeking combined with the individual style that is aesthetically pleasing.

Performance

Solar Shades can reduce solar heat gain, reduce glare, provide a degree of daytime privacy and filter natural light to illuminate the interior. However, no fabric can accomplish all of the above. You need to decide what feature is the most important or find a comfortable balance between one or more of the above. To help you decide, lets take a look at a couple of important elements - the Openness Factor and fabric color.

Openness Factor  - 3 choices based on your performance requirements and location.  The higher the openness, the more light you will let into the room.  Here is the same fabric in 3 choices of openness.  These photos show that you don't lose your view with a solar shade, but they provide a huge level of sun protection.

    

As you can see, the newest roller shades are a great option for many different design requirements, and best of all these are the most cost-effective solution to covering your windows. 

Think Pink! for Spring 2012

What if Pantone's 2012 color of the year (Tangerine Tango)  is not your color?

No worries, Think Pink for Spring!   Everything from fabrics to paint is coming up in rosy hues that are not for the faint of heart.  Here are a few examples to encourage you to unleash your inner pink.  What does the color pink bring to mind?  Bubble gum, popsicles, or ballet slippers?  Quite a difference in all those pinks, but for 2012...the hotter the pink, the better.

Basic beginner pink is a mixture of red and white...but that combination alone would not create a very interesting or complex color.  Add a bit of blue to cool it off, or a touch of orange to warm it up to a salmon, or violet to lean it toward magenta...but go for the complex versions to use the full power of the color in home decor.

Check out the beautiful bright hues of the renovated Saguro Hotel in Palm Springs.  They didn't stop at tangerine or hot pink...each of the balconies showcases one of the spectrum colors in sequence...red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and violet...and mixtures of the shades in between.  This bold display of brights is probably too much for your home (unless you live in the desert), so take a big step and do a room in one of the bright primary colors, or take a safe step and invest in some new toss pillows for your stately beige sofa...either way, you'll be in step with this season's trends.

Read the complete story at the Dunn Edwards paint site:
http://www.specsspaces.com/Article/TheSaguaroHotelsColorfullyModernistRetreats.aspx 

House Beautiful dedicated their entire March 2012 issue to "the Power of Pink".  

To start it off with a bang, why not paint a tiny space in a bold color...like your entry?  In this HB issue, they have a beautiful example from Jonathan Berger who chose Razzle Dazzle by Benjamin Moore.  The bold color is scary on its own...but add it to a very traditional space as he did, with very traditional furnishing and decorative items, and it suddenly looks just perfect.  And remember...it's only a $40 can of paint, so if you do it and in 6 months you are tired of it...just paint over it!

http://www.housebeautiful.com/decorating/colors/how-to-decorating-with-pink-0211#slide-1

Want a more sophisticated twist on the pink?  Pair a softer pink with black or charcoal mixed with hints of white and you have a room ready for a party.

For a contemporary feel, mix hot pink and grey and the results can be dramatic as shown in this bathroom.

http://www.housemaintain.com/search/room+color+ideas+modern+red/page/3/

If you are using pink on the walls and crisp white trim, to get a global "I've collected all these things on my world travels" look, mix up the color palette and styles.  

Check out everything that is happening in this room.  A giant herringbone gold fabric on the cushy corner chair is dressed with a floral pillow.  A little mother of pearl inlay table that could be from Morocco separates it from an elegant pink velvet chair, then the sofa is covered in a happy turquoise and white print and topped with a mix of pillows that most people would be afraid to seat together at a dinner party.  The finishing touch is the collection of unframed art hung on the wall to the left.  There is nothing "matchy matchy" in this room and all the elements together create the upscale simple elegance that makes the room both exciting and comfortable.  The wall color is Pink Begonia from Benjamin Moore #2078-50.  The designer is Windsor Smith.

 

Above: JoAnn Locktov's California Dining Room

This is pretty bold and dramatic due to the acid yellow and black striped columns mixed with the hot pink wall...but you can see that "the rules" are breakable for a dramatic impact. How boring would this room be with the back wall in white?  The pink draws you in and sets a whimsical mood. 

Most of us make our guest rooms do double duty.  Here is a perfect example from the Martha Stewart website.  The warmth of the pink combined with a soft grey trim color, grey velvet bench and lacquered coffee table make this a great reading room or an inviting guest room.  Note again the mix of styles from the rustic beam to the shiny footed table to the simple contemporary lamp and finished with a mix of yellow textured throw pillows. http://www.marthastewart.com/274845/pink-rooms/@center/276997/decorating-color#/187877

So...how about mixing Tangerine and Pink...what do you get?  Something like this mix that sends it toward salmon...particularly with that rust accent above the picture rail trim before the crown molding at the ceiling.  This furniture and accessory mix is another great example of an eclectic concoction of style, texture, formality and informality.  The chairs are interesting vintage (love the black), the bowl of cherries adds whimsy to the antique mirrored chest..and what about those formal black-matte prints above the textural wall art. The symmetry keeps this entry leaning toward the formal, but those unexpected touches make it inviting and approachable. 

http://www.hgtv.com/hgtv/color/article/0,1000138,HGTV_42792_5493119_05,00.html

Whatever your flavor of pink passion...sneak in a bit to freshen up your home this spring!    

Tangerine Tango Color of Year 2012

Pantone has announced it...this year's color of the year is Tangerine Tango. Hooray...let's dance, or decorate...

Tangerine tango and variations on it are already popping up everywhere in home decor, clothing and household items, so jump on the band wagon and feel the warmth of the fresh new color. To see the perfect rendition of the color, go to http://www.pantone.com/pages/pantone/category.aspx?ca=88.

It’s pretty easy when someone says the word tangerine to think about orange colored food…pumpkins, oranges, carrots, or tangerines. Shades of orange can be exciting and invigorating or warm and cozy. Your eye perceives orange as a very hot color, so use it in decorating to give the sensation of heat or warmth. If you are decorating a cool North-facing room and need to warm it up…bring on the tangerine, orange, and all flavors around them!

I've always been a fan of shades of orange and red in decorating and have used it in many projects as well as my own home. Here are a few ideas of how to incorporate this juicy 2012 color into your life.

How about an invigorating start to the day in this luscious bathroom fit for a Tango? The combination of the limestone tile, black lacquer vanity and custom red glass sinks make a sensational start and end to the day.

Turn up the excitement in a teenager’s room with tangerine or orange tempered with white. This teen’s room has basketball colored walls, the team jersey as art, and a floor that encourages dribbling! Orange in nature is vibrant and enticing and fresh and exuberant…so use it in interiors in its most intense value when you want to create those feelings in a room, as in this teenager’s room in the colors of the North Carolina Bobcats! Orange increases oxygen supply to the brain, produces an invigorating effect, and stimulates mental activity. It is highly accepted among young people. The color used here is Benjamin Moore Fiesta Orange #084

http://www.benjaminmoore.com/en-us/paint-color/fiestaorange

Can't take an entire room of tangerine....how about a happy accent rug and linens to Tango on? This teen's room is too nice not to keep neat and clean!

This is a wow in any book and incorporates the compliment to tangerine...turquoise. This room performs double duty. When not in use for pool, a removable top converts the pool table into a dining table. That cool fireplace is wrapped in stainless steel pebble tiles to complete the contemporary look. Stainless pebble tiles are from www.Solistone.com

This cozy den has virtually no natural light, so don't fight what you cannot change...embrace it!We painted the ceiling a diamond-pattern semi-gloss and flat black punctuated with recessed cans. The walls are alternating horizontal stripes of flat and semi-gloss dark orange. This Benjamin Moore color is called Fire Dance (2171-20). http://www.benjaminmoore.com/en-us/paint-color/firedance

So...is this all too warm...too hot for you? Consider these images that invoke relaxation but are steeped in shades or tangerine...orange...hmmm!

The softer combinations of orange and turquoise bring to mind the sunset I see from my office and my kitchen deck in the evenings that begin in August and continue through October…the colors beginning with intensity and then slowly melting together as only Mother Nature can do!

The saffron robes of this monk in Laos with the backdrop of a pale blue building make you want to just sit in a quiet place and contemplate...and they said orange is invigorating...? Sometimes not...

Window Treatments 101- Fabric Roman Shades

There is now a plethora of choices for window coverings from simple to extravagant, and from budget to budget-busting! To decide which treatment is right for your room, your budget and your style, start by reviewing your options. This is the sixth in a series of posts where we will discuss many of the options, give you the pros and cons and sample pricing for a 36" wide by 48" long shade. Your shades should be custom fit to your windows for the best results.

Here are a few of the twenty Fabric Roman Shades Styles:

Casual Unstructured Roman is a classic style with soft billowing swags created by the lifting mechanism which results in small wings. This is a less-structured silhouette for a casual room. The width of the shade determines the number of swags.

Flat Roman with Top-Down Bottom-Up

A Flat roman is the most popular, and most economical shade as it uses the least amount of fabric. When lowered, this shade is a flat display of your chosen fabric. This is used when you want to showcase the beautiful and intricate design of a fabric without adding any fussy details. This shade folds up into a neat row of folds when raised, but may require some "dressing" to create a tight stack at the top.

Soft Unstructured Roman

This relaxed style creates a gentle swag along the bottom of the shade when up or down. This style works well when showcasing the pattern of a fabric, and is pretty when using a sheer fabric.

Flat Roman on a Door Frame

Installing roman shades on french doors is a beautiful solution when you have a room with doors and windows if you want to use the same treatment everywhere. The best styles are ones that require a limited amount of fabric, thereby creating a tighter "stack" of fabric when the shade is raised.

Balloon Shade

The Balloon shade has a formal, classical appearance. This shade has deep inverted pleats along the upper edge, falling into tailored poufs along the bottom creating the "balloons". Soft fabrics work best as heavier fabrics will require "dressing" each time the shade is raised, and due to the amount of fabric required to make the balloon, it can get quite heavy.

Features/Benefits:

· Standard Cord Lock operation, or top down/bottom up and cordless operation upgrades

· Can be lined with sheer fabric, privacy fabric, thermal fabric, or blackout fabric

· Some UV protection (approx 75% - depends on tightness of weave and lined or not)

· Huge amount of fabric choices

· Multiple fold styles to choose from

· Can add edge banding and bottom trims to coordinate room decor

· Wide range of prices based on style-usually related to amount of fabric required to make the shade

Drawbacks:

· Some fabrics expensive

· Some fabrics are heavy due to density of material

· Must outside mount (above window or window frame) in some cases

Typical Price (36"w x 48"l) in Fabric Code "C" for

Flat Roman, Relaxed Roman or Soft Roman:

Basic Price including labor and privacy lining: $180 - $288

Window Treatments 101- Woven Grass Shades

Today there is a plethora of choices for window coverings from simple to extravagant, and from budget to budget-busting! To decide which treatment is right for your room, your budget and your style, start by reviewing your options. This is the fifth in a series of posts where we will discuss many of the options, give you the pros and cons and sample pricing for a 36" wide by 48" long shade. Your shades should be custom fit to your windows for the best results.

Woven Grass or mixed Paper and Jute Shades

These shades made from a mixture of grasses or a blend of paper and jute are an aesthetic collection of natural fibers. While there is variation in the color, grain and texture these qualities add to the natural beauty of these shades. Due to the nature of the fabrics, these shades are lightweight and are suitable to be made in either roller or roman shade styles. An added benefit of some of the fabrics is that they let in light while protecting from glare and at night they provide privacy. Lining is also available as either an attached fabric to the shade, or a secondary detached shade that can operate independently from the face shade.

Roller Shades with Fabric Covered Valance

Roman Shade in Waterfall style with "Duo fold" which is a separate back shade of lining fabric

Roman Shade with Top-D0wn Bottom-Up function

Waterfall Style

For this style, the fabric hangs flat from the front of the headrail when lowered and folds neatly when raised. It has a 4" back valance to conceal the hardware.

Flat Fold Style

The Flat Fold style includes a valance on the front of the shade under which the folds of fabrics stack when the shade is raised.

Features/Benefits:

· Standard Cord Lock operation, or top down/bottom up

and cordless

· Can be lined

· Some UV protection (approx 75% - depends on tightness

of weave and lined or not)

· Two fold styles to choose from - Roller available

· Can add edge banding to coordinate room decor

· Wide range of prices

Drawbacks:

· Must outside mount (above window or window frame) in some cases to accommodate roller mechanism

· Limit to width of 72"

Typical Price (36"w x 48"l):

Basic Price for unlined Roller or Roman Style: $116 - $139

Window Treatments 101- Woven Wood Shades

There is now a plethora of choices for window coverings from simple to extravagant, and from budget to budget-busting! To decide which treatment is right for your room, your budget and your style, start by reviewing your options. This is the fourth in a series of posts where we will discuss many of the options, give you the pros and cons and sample pricing for a 36" wide by 48" long shade. Your shades should be custom fit to your windows for the best results.

Woven Wood Roman Shade Examples:

Waterfall Style The waterfall style is the cleanest and simplest of all as the fabric hangs flat from the front of the headrail when lowered and folds neatly when raised. No muss...and for sure no fuss!

Woven Wood with Fabric Edge Banding If you are concerned with the longevity of the edges of the shade in an area where it will be continuously used, consider adding decorative edge banding to protect the open edges of the sides of the shade. Optionally you can also continue the banding along the bottom of the shade for a continuous look.

Woven Wood on French Doors An interesting look to add a more casual feel to this somewhat formal setting. The natural wood fibers bring the outside in, and reduce the formality provided by the architectural elements in this room.

Top Down/Bottom Up option n This feature allows you to lower the shade to let in the view, but maintain a level of interior privacy.

Features/Benefits:

· Standard Cord Lock operation, or top down/bottom up and cordless

· Can be lined

· Some UV protection (approx 75% - depends on tightness of weave and lined or not)

· Huge amount of fabric choices

· Multiple fold styles to choose from

· Can add edge banding to coordinate room decor

· Wide range of prices

Drawbacks:

· Some fabrics expensive

· Some fabrics are heavy due to density of material

· Must outside mount (above window or window frame) in some cases

Typical Price 36"wide x 48"long:

Grade 1-6 Fabric with standard cord locking rise mechanism: $175 - $400

Window Treatments 101-Sheer Shading

Among the many choices for window coverings from simple to extravagant, and from budget to budget-busting a great replacement for the now "old-fashioned" metal mini-blind is the new sheer shades. They offer a variety of useful functions and work well in many decorating styles. This is the third in a series of posts where we will discuss many of the options, give you the pros and cons and sample pricing for a 36" wide by 48" long shade. Your shades should be custom fit to your windows for the best results.

Sheer Shade Installed on a French Door

This example shows that there is sheer fabric on the front and back of the shade and the vanes inside these two pieces of fabric open and close to let in light or create privacy and sun protection.

A wide expanse of sheer shades over this wall of windows allows the view to come through but reduces glare.

Sheer Shades paired with Curtains complete a more traditional look.

Features/Benefits:

· Multiple types of operation including top down/bottom up and cordless

· Light Filtering or Room Darkening fabric choices available in sheer, linen, and brushed

· White on outside (street-facing)

· Good UV protection (99%)

• 2˝ and 3˝ vane widths
• fabrics are
• multiple operating systems including continuous cord loop operation
• motorization
• color coordinated headrail

Drawbacks:

· Can be expensive

· Limited color/texture choices

· Must outside mount (above window or window frame) in SOME cases where there is not enough depth inside the frame

Typical Price (36"w x 48"l):

• Sheer with 2" vanes $363
• Room Darkening with 2" vanes $395