Tropical Window Treatments
With everyone wanting to make their home feel like a beach, or a place of relaxation which it should be, many go with the tropical style window treatments. This could be tropical looking blinds or specialized tropical shutters.
Bamboo is probably one of the most used materials for these types of projects, and can get very expensive. But if you do some of the work in making the window coverings yourself, you can save quite a bit of money. One of the most efficient ways to cover the top of a window is with a cornice. you can create or have custom window cornices made from bamboo which gives a very unique look.
Another option if you do not want a ton of bamboo is to go with a stained bamboo curtain rod, or stick with a natural bamboo rod with some nice white curtains to go over it. If you want to get more Hawaiian, you could go with an interior window awning with some Hawaiian print drapes and grass or straw to cover the top of the custom window cornice.
Beach window treatments which might also be considered similar has many types of accents and pieces to make your living room, bedroom, kitchen, or just about any room feel more beach like. With curtains covered in surfboards, or sea shell print curtains, you can easily feel like you are at a beach.
If you want a tropical feel you can also go with drapes that have flower prints on them too. this will give a very bright feel to a room, so you may want to combine it with lighter colors so the room doesn’t feel so busy.
Many people like the browns, grays and dull colors for their rooms while having a tropical panama style feel to it. If this is more you, then consider getting a window valance made of rubbed bronze with maybe a coffee print curtain.
Maybe curtains aren’t your style. If not then tropical window blinds might be a better fit. They are not only cleaner, but will not have a bulky look. Most blinds come with a free valance as well. Shades on the other hand have a much softer feel and look, but can give your home more light. White shades are usually chosen when it comes to lighting.
Don’t forget to accent your home with some plants and pictures to give the ultimate tropical style. But if tropical is not your style and you want to try something else then take a look at the other types mentioned in the previous section.
Wood Venetian Blinds
Choosing wood Venetian blinds can be one of the best decisions for adding blinds in a room that needs a little spunk. The great thing about Venetian blinds is that they have the added decoration of the cloth which holds the slats in place. These can be chosen from multiple colors.
Purchasing Wood Venetian over just general plastic or synthetic materials is mainly for a nice natural look. The price is going to be a lot higher for wood, and the amount of time it will last compared to a synthetic material is usually a lot less shorter.
If you want the wood look then you will want to purchase some faux wood venetian blinds. these you will be able to get at a discount since they are not real wood but are created from a composite material.
You also will want to decide what size slat for Venetian blinds is going to be best for your home. There are various sizes with the most common ones being 35mm. You can go with a natural wood color for Venetian blinds and shades, but you also might consider the other options to match your home such as white wood Venetian blinds and black or dark red Venetian shades.
Whatever style you choose, ask the retailer for a discount if you will be installing them yourself. Some of the companies who make some of the best Venetian blinds include Graber and Hunter Douglas
Aluminum Bahama Hurricane Shutters
One of the great things about Bahama shutters is the added character to your home. Bahama shutters go over the window opening and hang out from the bottom at an angle.
Aluminum is probably the best material for this type of shutter. Bahama shutters are similar to Colonial style shutters, so if you do decide that this might be an option for you if you are living in the south, then you will want to get the full protection from either properly built Bahama storm shutters or hurricane shutters.
This style of shutter is not popular in the South, but can be seen on occassion on homes on the east coast around Maine, Massachusetts, North Carolina and Georgia.
The aluminum is a sturdy material and will withstand a majority of pounding that might come your way due to a hurricane or storm. The main purpose of these shutters is to stop debris from flying into the home and injuring someone.
Most of these Bahama shutters can be customized to fit your window opening whether if be 15 ft. wide or 15 ft. high. Make sure that it is going to not only be a good fit for your home, but match the overall scheme of your neighborhood as well. There is a nice privacy control on these Bahama shutters which allows you to close them to a degree that no one can see in.
They also can help against the sun too for those who want a simple yet effective way to shade their home. And lastly Bahama shutters can provide insulation against extreme temperatures.
Best Aluminum Mini Blinds
Aluminum mini blinds are probably one the of the cheapest ways to cover a window opening or door. Mini blinds are great for offices, and businesses that need a professional look while maintaining a business atmosphere.
There are various sizes of mini blinds to get. There are the 1 inch aluminum blinds, 1/2 aluminum mini blinds as well as the larger 2 inch aluminum blinds which are made by companies like levelor and Hunter Douglas.
Cleaning mini blinds can be quite tedious if you do decide to go with them, and black mini blinds are the toughest. White mini blinds can be cleaned a lot easier with soft scrub like other blinds unless they are metal blinds.
If you want to have the least of troubles with blinds you might like to go with faux wood mini blinds. Room darkening mini blinds can come in darker colors and be useful for movie rooms or rooms for days sleepers.
Bi-Pass Plantation Shutters For Sliding Glass Doors
If you already have plantation shutters, or are looking for plantation shutters specifically for your sliding glass doors then there is an option for you. While this is not a common use for shutters, if you want to keep with the current decor of your home, then you do have the option of putting up bi-pass shutters.
Bi-pass plantation shutters are set on an overhead sliding track so that they can be easily moved for accessibility to your patio or the back area of your home. This configuration may only be used with double or triple panels.
While bi-pass plantation shutters may give you the look or the coverage of privacy you need, there are also other options with blinds should you want to get vertical or even go with a soft shade to cover the door area.
Blinds made for french doors will be around the same cost if you are needing a specialty item. If you want to get into further options like having blinds that open from the top to the bottom and vice versa, then your cost will not only increase, but you may find that there is a better chance the blind will break.
Cedar Shutters
There are a lot of materials that shutters are made from, some of those being faux and others being very expensive. If you were planning on going with cedar shutters then keep in mind you will be paying a premium for this style and product.
The great thing about cedar is that you can use it for exterior shutters as well. There are multiple types of cedar depending on where you get it from, and shutters can be made from just about any of these if you are willing to spend some money. The various types include Atlas Cedar, Turkish Cedar, Lebanon Cedar, and Deodar Cedar.
These shutters can be built in all different styles including plantation, storm shutters, and just general exterior shutters for show. We will be adding several companies in the future which produce Cedar shutters for you if this is specifically what you are wanting to purchase.
Double checking your shutters
One of the things that is very important that you do after someone has installed shutters at your home, is to go back and check on the work they have done. Another important thing is to make sure that the installed shutters are properly working. One of the most common parts on plantation shutters that can work improperly is the levers.
When you use the rail to pull the slats open and close is it stiff or do the make a loud screeching sound? It may be good to ask the person installing them if there is something that can be done about this so as to avoid future headaches that could cause you to want to get rid of the very shutters you wantd in the first place.
Not all shutters work the same, so by walking around and testing out each one, you can ensure that you won’t have headaches trying to get someone back out to your home to work on anything aagin.
Roll Up Window Shades
Are you considering getting roll up window shades? They can be great if you have the money to purchase them. the great thing with Roll up shades is that they have a mechanism that can be pulled to release the shade so you do not actually have to pull a string. this is on some models.
Others actually have a mechanism that can be pinned down to an anchor, and can be pulled in one direction or another to the desired height. These also can at times come off of the roller if they are not made well, or if there is too much play in the actual roller. Make sure that whoever you purchase your blinds or shades from that you check to see that they are in working order.
A lot of people do not double check their blinds or shades, and this can leave the person that is installing them with room for error, or leaving them if there are defects. make sure to always check them whatever you do, and this will relieve a lot of possible future issues.