How to Choose the Perfect Window Covering

Transcription

1 How to Choose the Perfect Window Covering Shutters Australia. Page 1

2 How to Choose the Perfect Window Covering Need help choosing the perfect window covering for your home? Window coverings can either blend into the background quietly, or make a powerful statement that reflects your personal style. There are 6 questions you need to ask yourself to help you narrow down the choices from millions to the right one for you. 1. How Much Light Do You Want to Let In? How does someone decide how much light they want to let in? Knowing if you want total or variable light blockage helps you decide on what would work best for you a shutter or a blind. Trying to sleep in, in the morning? Working the night shift and need to rest during the day? Have a Media Room that you need darkened? Or perhaps you just want to block the neighbours view into your home. Determining the job you want your window coverings to do is the first step to helping you decide what type of covering would work best in each room. Shutters Australia. Page 2

3 Most window coverings fall in one of five categories: 1. Transparent - Clear, without obstruction 2. Translucent - Diffused light, preventing a view of distinct images 3. Filtered - Muted light in bright conditions 4. Semi-Opaque - Surfaces impenetrable by light, yet allows some light through gaps 5. Opaque (or Black-Out) - Blocks all light Transparent describes an open window with clear glass. Few windows are left completely open unless the building is in a private setting with foliage or an overhang that block direct sunlight. Translucent describes a window covering that is sheer or with components that are spaced for privacy. Included in this category are blinds as well as timber venetian blinds. Filtered window coverings allow a subtle transmission of light. These would be both vertical blinds and most other horizontal blinds. The horizontal style blinds are made of one continuous piece of fabric and when lowered they cannot be tilted open. Some are known as roller blinds. Blinds come with different degrees of light filtration. Some let light come through for a brighter room, while still giving you privacy. Semi-opaque defines window coverings that almost block all light, allowing some light into the room through narrow gaps or along the edges. Shutters are a prime example of window coverings in this category. They have moveable slides and give you control over the light entering your room. Plantation Shutters are our customers top pick, Opaque (or black-out) window coverings block out all light. Some blinds will darken the room and yet others completely block light from coming in when they are lowered. Few coverings can completely prevent direct sunlight from penetrating the window. Intense or direct sunlight can be difficult visually, fade carpet and furniture, and contribute to unwanted heat in warm months. Closed blinds, or shutters can significantly reduce the effects of all of these annoyances. Sunlight can also be a welcome addition to the home. It can brighten dark interiors and help heat a house on cold winter days. A successful window Shutters Australia. Page 3

4 treatment will allow most of the window to be transparent when desired. Many window coverings can open to allow a view of 80% or more through the window. Exterior sun shades are a perfect solution to reducing the glare and light intensity in any room. If you are looking to completely darken a room for TV or movies consider adding an awning to the exterior of the house as well as an interior window treatment. 2. How Important Is Insulation? What s the best way for keeping your energy bills from driving you crazy? Well, with electricity prices as high as they are, saving money on heating and cooling is on everyone s minds. You need to reduce heat loss in the winter and reduce direct sunlight entering in the summer. Adding insulating shades to your windows may be the easiest and fastest way to cut your energy bill, winter or summer. Roller Blinds do a great job of filtering light and can also insulate well as they are one continuous piece. For a more formal or traditional look, plantation shutters are beautiful and great insulators. They stop direct transmission of the sunlight and also insulate by trapping air between the window and the air in the room. This Air Barrier is a great insulator. Try either of these and you ll immediately notice a big difference in your energy bill and your comfort level. Not only that but they look great too! Exterior sunscreens have become very popular as they are 5-7 times more effective at controlling heat transfer than interior coverings because they block 80-90% of the sun s rays. Shutters Australia. Page 4

5 3. What Kind of Visual Impact Do You Want to Make? Whether you want your window treatments to look great or look like they re not there at all when they re raised the next thing you should consider is what kind of visual impact you want to make. When considering the visual impact it s important to also consider these two things. First, consider the style statement of your home. For example, if you have a period style home then are you trying to stay true to style by matching the drapery elements of that era? Or are you going for an eclectic mix with modern and period decorative elements together? The right window treatments will help set the tone for the whole room. Secondly, consider the size of your room: smaller rooms call for simpler window treatments. Larger rooms are suitable for more elaborate or dramatic designs, such as window treatments that combine multiple layers for maximum visual impact. Some people prefer to have naked windows so they don t block their view and so they don t clutter the décor, but sometimes they still need privacy. In that case I would suggest going with blinds using screen fabrics. You can lower them for privacy so your neighbours won t be able to see what you re having for breakfast but you can still see out at the view! Shutters Australia. Page 5

6 If you re trying to add colour, warmth and pizazz consider fabric blinds or custom painted plantation shutters that can give you an ultra modern, traditional or classic look In your external entertaining areas the Rialto plantation shutters do a great job of controlling light and air flow while looking great. Then there are the exterior screens and awnings that are a clever way of providing a bold decorating statement while adding shade, comfort, and protection from the sun for patios, balconies, windows, and doors. 4. How Important Is Child & Pet Safety? If you have active kids and pets which blinds and shutters are best? Well most of us with kids want products that are durable and resist wear and tear. Our customers love the Rialto aluminium shutters which are durable and virtually indestructible. Next they choose the wood or Composite Resin plantation shutters as they are also resistant to bending and tearing. Also if at times your home is a little more zoo than museum order shutters instead of blinds because they are more durable. 5. What Colour Do You Want? Most window treatments are available in a wide range of colours and prices. If you are looking to match a colour specifically, Plantation shutters can be custom painted to match almost any paint colour. Fabric blinds are available in a range of fashion patterns and textures to match your décor. On the other hand stained wood blinds and plantation shutters showing the natural wood grain can add another decorating element or be custom stained to match other timber in the room such as timber floors. They are good neutral backgrounds and work perfectly if you have other wood in the room. Another option is to choose a neutral blind or shade and add a colourful valance or drapery to soften the look. Shutters Australia. Page 6

7 6. How Much Do You Want to Spend? You may think you can t afford window coverings, but the truth is every home can benefit from them. They will save you money in the long run and there are tons of affordable options. So how do you find great blinds and shades in your price range? If you re shopping on a budget I would go for roller shades. They can create a vogue look without breaking the budget. The good news is that a lot of products that people consider a luxury, like wood shutters, can be found at very reasonable prices. The inital cost needs to be averaged over the life of the product, so sometimes it is better value to buy a more expensive product as it may last longer and prove to be cheaper in the long run. You can prolong the life of your window treatments with gentle vacuuming (with the proper attachment) and feather dusting. There are companies who will clean your blinds onsite without the need for removing them to another location. For additional benefit, window treatments will also protect your floors, furniture and upholstery from fading. Shutters Australia. Page 7

8 If you re still unsure which product is perfect for you go and book a consultation at Shutters Australia and see their range of products in your home. About Shutters Australia Who is Shutters Australia? We are specialists in window treatments for inside and outside your home. We provide you with the highest quality custom designed and installed Window Shutters, Timber Blinds, Awnings, and Roller Blinds in Sydney to suit your home. We pride ourselves in giving you the very best quality and service to ensure that you get exactly the right look and feel for your home. How Long We ve Been In Business Having 42 years experience, I ve seen fashions come and go, but in all that time I have continued to manufacture ranges of products on site in Sydney and sourced products from some of our International partners, so that we can control the quality of our product and so you get the best custom designed window treatments at a factory direct price. Problems We Solve Nothing is worse than getting a window treatment that just isn t what you ordered, or wasn t up to the standard you expected. This so often happens when you deal with middlemen. You know, companies who just sell products, but are not expert manufacturers. Dealing with Shutters Australia you get peace of mind because we only sell products we have been involved with designing or manufacturing, so there are no unexpected surprises. With hands on installation supervision and management, our installation team is made up from some of the most experienced tradesmen in Australia. We are so sure of our products that our Premium Range of roller blinds, awnings, plantation shutters and timber venetian blinds, are covered with our 100% Structural Life Time Warranty. Shutters Australia. Page 8