Blinds 4 Less: May 2014

Blinds for Sliding Glass Doors

Glass sliding doors are commonly seen in all homes today. Installing blinds on sliding doors is essential as it helps in maintaining privacy, and also helps in adding elegance and flair to the entryway. It can be really confusing when it comes to choosing the right window blinds for sliding doors, as you find a variety of types, colors and patterns of blinds in the market. There are many things you need to take into consideration before buying blinds for sliding glass doors. Let us take a look at it in detail.

Vertical Blinds

Vertical blinds are mostly used in order to give a sophisticated look to the door and the entire room. Sheer vertical blinds are specifically used to give that classy and modern look to your home. One of the major advantages of vertical blinds is that it can be completely stacked to one side to bring sunlight into the room. As they are made of different material, you have a lot of choice to choose from. For e.g., vertical blinds are made of vinyl, fabric, faux wood, aluminum, etc. Blinds with vinyl slats are more commonly used as they are available in myriad colors. Vinyl blinds with slats of split draw, one way draw or center stack are also available in the market. Usually, these blinds are budget friendly. But, those made of wood, add an element of luxury to the room, and are expensive as compared to other vertical blinds. The price of vertical blinds range from $50 onwards; and rises much higher for sheer and wooden ones.

Horizontal Blinds

Horizontal blinds are not commonly used for doors as there are certain difficulties related to it. Firstly, when these blinds roll up horizontally, they can stack at the top of the door and come in the pathway. However, this is not a problem if the doors are high enough. Secondly, cords of the horizontal blinds are longer in length and can stack in the doorway. Both these features can be bothersome. Apart from it, there are hardly any other disadvantages of using these blinds. When used for bringing light or sunlight into the room, horizontal blinds are more convenient than the vertical ones. If you wish to have horizontal blinds, then you can also consider going for Roman shades. Horizontal blinds are available from $10 and above; with those made of faux wood priced at $100 onwards.

Curtains or Drapes

Curtains or drapes on the rod, though traditional, are more useful and helpful in all aspects. They serve all the functions of other types of blinds. There are a variety of options available in case of material, colors as well as patterns. Curtains can be used in traditional, classical styled homes or also for the more modern ones. Another advantage of drapes and curtains is that you can sew and install them yourself at home. They are budget friendly as well as user-friendly in all aspects. Curtains and drapes are available in a wide price range, from $20 onwards for faux silk ones; $75 onwards for cotton ones; and $150 onwards for silk, taffeta and velvet curtains.

The biggest advantage of vertical blinds and curtains is that they can be easily removed and replaced whenever necessary. If you change the color of the room, or want to renovate the room completely, you can easily replace these blinds without much trouble. Among the vertical blinds, vinyl blinds especially are more convenient to use and clean. Therefore, it can rightly be said that vertical blinds are best ones for sliding doors.

Lastly, based on this information, you can research in the market or on the Internet to find the best blinds for sliding glass doors. Due to availability of myriad of options, you will surely find the thing that you desire. Good luck!

By Madhura Pandit
Read more at Buzzle: http://www.buzzle.com/articles/blinds-for-sliding-glass-doors.html

Window Treatments for Bay Windows

Bay windows enhance the decor of your house, by giving it a more open and spacious look. There are many window treatments for bay windows to make them more attractive. Some of the bay window treatment ideas are compiled for you in this article.

A bay window is a window space, projecting out from the wall of a building, thus forming a bay in the room. A bay window is normally square, polygonal, arc-shaped or rectangular in shape. Bay windows have been popular since the nineteenth century. The main purpose of building a bay window is to give a fresh feel to the room with the help of natural light, and provide a gorgeous view of the surrounding outside. Most of the buildings and structures in San Francisco, California and many old architectural buildings in Europe were made with bay windows.

Now, let us know how bay windows are constructed. We first need to install bay windows as a box. This box is projected out of the building wall and forms a space to keep plants. Bay windows are made in such a way that they occupy the space between the floor and ceiling. With such a large space, the room receives a large amount of sunlight. Excess light could cause disturbance, therefore to reduce that you can beautify your windows with gorgeous window treatments. Window treatments do not mean only to cover the windows and protect your home and the interiors from direct sunlight, it gives a nice look and feel to the room as well. A bit of creativity can make a lot of difference and make your bay window attractive! You can come up with your own ideas on window treatments for bay windows, or you can look at some of the houses in your vicinity to see how they have decorated their bay windows. There are two types of bay windows, one with a window seat and the other is without one. So the bay window treatments basically depend on what type of bay window it is. Let us look at some of the bay window treatments.

Curtains
You need to be a little picky about the curtains since they'd be enhancing the visual appeal of bay windows. Curtains that complement the room decor would be a good option, if you wish to create a casual and cozy environment in the room. These days, the semi-transparent curtains are very popular for bay windows. Curtains can be fixed with the help of two rods fixed at the top and bottom of the window, or you can just have one rod fixed at the top. Both the styles will enable you to slide the curtain and enjoy the view outside. Using drapes and valances as a custom bay window treatment will definitely add aesthetic appeal to your room, especially if your bay window extends to the floor and it's a formal room.

Valances
Valances go well with both types of bay windows, and so are the best suited for any bay window type. Valances, either simple, floral or clean can be designed to suit a countryside look, modern look or a formal sophisticated look. You can also use them in tandem with blinds. However, they don't give you privacy, so can be used as concealers for a drapery rod or can be installed for decorating purposes.

Blinds
These can give a rich and sophisticated look to your bay window. Mini vinyl window blinds or the horizontal ones are cheap and can be very convenient for making a customized individual window. Many people prefer vertical blinds in fabric, as they provide privacy as well as a stylish look to bay windows.

Free-standing Screens
Free-standing screens are a good option for people who are concerned about their privacy. For this, you just need to install a free-standing screen in the bay window. There are many free-standing screens available. You can avail a range of standing screens from the Chinese style painted wooden screens to open frames that can hold curtains.

Cozy Reading Corner
The bay window can be an extremely comfortable area for reading books. You can create a cozy corner near the bay window by installing a bench or built-in window seats. You can opt for cushions that match your sofa or the curtain fabric. You can also install a beautiful cornice board straight across the wall from the two side corners of the bay window. Moreover, cushions placed in coordination with the color shade of the room and other furniture can make it look more beautiful. This can also turn out to be a playing zone for your children!

Roman Shades
Roman shades serve as the perfect choice to dress the windows in an attractive way. Roman shades give an impression of unified windows, although they are hung separately on each window.

Natural Look
If you wish to admire the spectacular view outside your bay window, or if you wish to have maximum amount of light in your house, you need not cover the window with anything at all. Let nature itself enhance the beauty of your window!

Other Decoration Techniques
Once you are done with the basic things, it's time to add some beautiful pieces to this area. Placing plants on each side or an antique sculpture can enhance the appearance of the bay window. Installing a chandelier in the upper frame of the bay window would also add to the beauty of the place.

These were some tips on window treatments for bay windows. You can be a lot creative in this regard. Discuss your bay window treatment ideas and decorating tips with your family members and you will be able to come up with a great and unique idea!

By Ujwal Deshmukh
Read more at Buzzle: http://www.buzzle.com/articles/window-treatments-for-bay-windows.html

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WINDOW DRESSING: The Art of Adorning the Home's Eyes

By Gail Green

As windows are the eyes of the home and are a major focal point of any room, it is only fitting they deserve special treatment. And, yet, the modern impulse to forget or play down their dressing is omnipresent. It appears that when there is a "view," the decorative framing aspect of that vista is dismissed. Instead of enhancing the attractive outside perspective, dressing the window has oftentimes become a forgotten art.

There is nothing wrong with plain, especially when the views are spectacular. But, when a room can be immeasurably improved upon, when the view can be amplified, the question begs the question: why not? The misconception, here, is that windows coverings somehow preclude or obviate the view, that one square inch of air will be missed. That perspective is putting your nose to close to the pane and not seeing the advantages the advantages in the round. That is, by framing the view, by making it a focal point, the vista is actually enhanced.

Sometimes, the addition of a simple header is all that is needed to frame a view. In many ways, this is comparable to a painting not having a frame. And, though it is not uncommon for many modern paintings to prefer that look, the wall itself acts as the work's frame. With a window, however, the relationship of view to wall is not that clean. There are beams and columns that interfere with a clean background of window to wall. Window dressing helps that transition by acting as a mediator, softening the hard edges.

What is particularly interesting is how subtle this transition from wall to view can be. Window dressing, itself, can be a simple overhang of side panels upon window frame. One can even decoratively increase the size of the window. While the literal size of the window can't be increased, the illusion of an increase in size may be affected by simple visual tricks. For instance, if your window is 3 feet wide and you want to make it look larger, create a valance, hard of soft, that extends at least 6" past on either side, thereby making the header 4 feet plus. By then adding side panels that start at the extended width, say at least 6 inches out, on each side, the visual illusion is that of a window 4 feet wide. In this particular instance, the view is especially highlighted, while overlapping the window itself by only one or two inches. Thus, the vista is amplified, rather than obviated. This technique is especially helpful in rooms where the window is the only focal point.

Window dressing can add a decorative levity to a room. The draperies can metaphorically take its theme from the other elements in the room. For instance, if there is a particular pattern that needs being accentuated, the window treatments can incapsulate that theme into its design. So, if you have a fabric motif of, say, circles and swirls, that design may be reiterated in the header, side panels, or shades. Alternatively, if you want to create some levity or clever humor to a space, the header can express this aspect. For instance, if the theme is nautical, the window dressing can be a simple pole over the window frame from which a simple shade may be extended, very like that found on an ocean liner over portholes.

By adorning the windows, the eyes of the room, a room is enhanced and enlightened. The clever use of draperies improve the overall appearance of a space, creating a focal point and highlighting the views.

One of the biggest selling points of any home is the view to the outside world. One of the biggest investments a homeowner can make is investing in highlighting this view. And, one of the best ways of enhancing this perspective is by creating a visual framework around the window so as to amplify the vista beyond. To help you create the focus you want in your home, email us at Gail@GailGreenInteriors.com

http://www.GailGreenInteriors.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Gail_Green