Whether your home has an eighteenth-century arch or a contemporary A-frame window wall, an angled skylight or a curved greenhouse, there are hundreds of window treatments to choose from. Take a look at some options for transforming an unusual window into a stylish accent:

Pleated Shades. Pleated shades offer privacy for angles, arches, circles and specialty shapes. The optional top-down/bottom-up application provides added light control. Remote control systems for lifting shades are available too.

Honeycomb Shades. These superior insulators offer solutions for circles, angles, arches and specialty shapes. Honeycomb has top-down/bottom-up options for light control. Many versatile lifting systems are available for large and out-of-reach shades.

Plantation Shutters. A great option for walls of windows and door, these stylish shutters offer versatility and durability.

Woven Wood Shades. These highly textural shades have an angled top application and are available in an assortment of bamboo, reeds, slats and grasses.

Sheer Shadings. Fabric vanes suspended between sheer fabric facings provide light control and privacy. They are offered in curved and top-sloped applications for arches and angled windows.

Vertical Blinds. Verticals blinds offer a curved track that makes it great for bay and rounded windows. Elegant fabric and vinyl styles work for angled windows too.

We know that great architectural features demand the industry’s most versatile products to dress them in style. Specials windows with arches, angles, curves and circles are opportunities for you to maximize look and livability.

Window treatments provide solutions for skylights, window walls and eye-catching shapes that cry out to be decorated with beauty, style and practicality. With so many options you are sure to find one that compliments your home’s style.

There are many different types of window treatments available today. Perhaps you are in the market for some room darkening window treatments, if so there are several types to choose from.  You can find many different types, colors and sizes, your choices are limitless.  You can search your local department stores, home improvement stores, or even take a look at the thousands of different kinds of window treatments available online.

Before you go shopping, it is a good idea to be familiarized with the difference between “shades” and “blinds”.  Window blinds have horizontal or vertical slats and are rotated for allowing light in and out.  Window blinds can be made from wood, aluminum and faux wood blinds are made of fabric. Shades on the other hand, are made from fabric and are attached to the top of the window, they are raised and lowered.

There are other window treatments that will filter out the light, to what degree is up to you.  There are horizontal and vertical window blinds that will also work for this purpose.  There are also blackout blinds, these come with heavy fabric attached that will block out the sunlight. These are quite fashionable and can be special ordered to match any décor.

Another option for room darkening window treatments is shades.  There are several sizes and colors to choose from and the best part about shades are that they can be cut to fit any window size.  Shades also allow you to control just how much light you would like to have enter the room.  Shades are a great option if you are in the market for an economical money-saving option for window treatments.  Shades are relatively inexpensive and quite durable which makes them ideal if you do not have a large budget in mind.

If you have nontraditional shaped windows in your home, then another option to consider would be cellular shades.  Cellular shades are also called honeycomb shades, and have pleats between the slats.   If you have bay windows or a sun room, these shades will be the ideal choice for you. Bay windows are typically rectangular and harder to fit, cellular shades come in 12 foot lengths and can be mounted to fit wider spaces.  For a sun room on the other hand, the cellular shades are the perfect solution for mounting from floor to ceiling, allowing you to shade this room during the summer when the sun gets to hot. Cellular shades come in blackout fabrics and block out almost 100% of the light, as well as hold in heat in the winter.

If it is privacy you are concerned with, then there are also several options available to you.  Fabric or roller shades are completely opaque and offer complete coverage of  the window.  You can also get curtains that will completely block the view into your  home.  There are several choices available when it comes to protecting your privacy, it is up to you to decide what combination will work best for you.

There are blackout curtains available that will completely filter out the light and reduce the noise in your room.  This is the perfect solution for people who work the graveyard shift and need to sleep during the day.  Blackout curtains are a great alternative if you are looking for a simple solution to keeping your room dark.

More recently window treatment manufacturers have come up with some new and improved designs.  The have come up with a sheerer more lightweight room darkening curtain.  A crinkle sheer has the same light blocking qualities as the more traditional draperies,while it adds a more light and airy quality to your room.  They add a touch of class and elegance to any room, while still providing the darkening effect

As you can see your choices are not limited in any way, gone are the days of old fashioned, heave, cumbersome fabrics.  Manufacturers have come up with more fashionable and innovative ways for you to achieve many looks with your window treatments.  You can now choose the treatments that best reflect your taste and compliment the décor of your home.

Reduce Heating Bills

The following tips are to help save on those heating bills without giving your home a major renovation:

• Weatherize – First, test your home for air tightness. The U.S. Department of Energy recommends lighting an incense stick on a windy day and holding it next to your windows, doors, electrical boxes, plumbing fixtures and other places where there is a possible air path to the outside. If the smoke travels horizontally, you have located an air leak. Seal up these holes, weather-strip doors and insulate attic floors. And, when the fireplace is not in use, keep the damper closed tightly.
• Insulate – Don’t just insulate your attic. The Department of Energy calculates that 10 to 25 percent of a heating bill goes out the window, literally. Insulation is measured in R-values and the higher the R-value, the better a window resists the transfer of heat. A single layer of uncovered window glass has an R-value of about 1, while a typical double-glazed window (two panes of glass or with a storm window) has an R-value of around 2. By selecting an energy-efficient window treatment, you can increase the R-value one to four points.
  Honeycomb shades with three layers of honeycomb pleats more than double the energy efficiency of a double-glazed window and nearly quadruple the efficiency of a single pane of glass with a very high insulating R-value of 4.8 (on double-glazed windows).
• Improve and maintain your mechanical systems – Make sure your gas or oil furnace is serviced and cleaned at least once a year and change or clean furnace filters often during heating season. Also, clean warm-air registers, baseboard heaters and radiators as needed.
  And, replace your thermostat with a programmable one that allows you to set temperatures at different times of the day. Turning the heat down from 72 to 65 degrees for at least eight hours a day can reduce heating bills by 10 percent. Setting the thermostat all the way up only increases your heating costs.
• Watch Your Windows – For the rare sunny day, open your shades to help heat the house with the sun, but be sure to close them at night. Also, keep the windows on the south side of your house clean to ensure maximum solar gain.
• Landscape – Let Mother Nature work for you. Trees that lose their leaves in the fall permit winter sunlight to reach and warm your house. Plant deciduous trees on the south and east sides of your home. Stop chilling winter winds by planting evergreen trees and shrubs on the north and west sides.

We have all heard the horror stories about small children and window blinds, however it is worth noting that these window treatments may pose a potential to harm our pets.  If something can harm a small child, then there is a very realistic possibility it can be harmful to our pets as well.  Window blind safety has long been an issue for concern, manufactures have taken steps to make window blinds safer, however without knowing how to properly and safely install them, then the new precautions are no good.

Safety begins at home, so goes the saying.  When you think of child-proofing your house it would be smart to also consider your pets in the equation too.  They are just as likely as a small child to have a household accident with a window blind.  When most consumers look at purchasing window blinds they are more interested in color, function and privacy.  Safety is likely the last feature that would attract someone to purchasing a window blind, but it does need to be an important factor.

The precautions you take today may save the life of your child or pet.  Window blind safety is an issue that every new parent or pet owner should explore and become familiar with.  Blinds need to be functional, as well as safe.  You need to investigate the various makes and models and after careful review purchase the one that has the highest safety rating.

Cords and cord control should be another important factor to consider when you are looking at window blinds.  Some have cordless features and some have built-in cord safety features.  The Window Covering Safety Council highly recommends that any household with young children or pets use only  cordless window blinds.  Another advantage besides safety is that the blinds looks sleek, clean and modern.

If you decide to purchase new window blinds, there are several styles and colors available to choose from.  However, if you are intent on using the old window blinds in your home now, there are some modifications that can be made to make them safer.  You need to cut cords, install head pieces and anchor any loose cords to the ground tightly.  In addition it is also important that you periodically check the window blinds for damage. If they become brittle or are missing pieces then you must replace them.

A frayed cord or broken piece of plastic poses a very real choking threat.  By checking your window treatments on a monthly basis, you can ensure that any safety issues will be quickly addressed. If you find something is wrong with your blinds then doing something now rather than later is the best course of action.  Being proactive about safety is important, it saves lives.

Separated knots or tassels pose a real safety hazard to your child or pet.  If they get tangled up and you are not there, disaster can occur.  The knot can form a dangerous loop that can easily become entangled around their neck.  It only takes a few seconds for the victim to get tangled up and strangle.  If you turn your back for a second to answer the phone or the door, that is enough time for the victim to die.

Cords that come with detachable beads or plastic pieces pose a choking risk.  If you have a crawling infant or a pet that enjoys chewing on things, these beads make the perfect enticement.  If it is small enough to be put into the mouth, a child or pet is likely to try it.  These beads have killed countless victims and need to be removed.

A child or pet is the most innocent victim in window blind accidents.  They are by nature curious creatures and their natural curiosity can turn tragic if we are not diligent about the many safety issues surrounding window blinds.  All cords and beads in window blinds can be very dangerous, these hazards are hidden and most consumers are unaware.  If you have encountered any of the situations above with your window blinds, please cut the cords short, check often for damage and do not your child or pet become a needless victim to the dangers of window blinds.

Oh what we would do for a little peace and quiet. There is noise everywhere we go. Our streets traffic roars, machinery drones, planes zoom overhead and pedestrians scream at one another and into their cell phones to be heard above it all. According to the Noise Pollution Clearinghouse, a national non-profit organization with extensive online noise-related resources, (www.nonoise.org), “Noise is among the most pervasive pollutants today…Noise negatively affects human health and well-being. Problems related to noise include hearing loss, stress, high blood pressure, sleep loss, distraction and lost productivity, and a general reduction in the quality of life and opportunities for tranquility.”

More than ever we yearn for our homes to be peaceful sanctuaries but too often noise from the outside intrudes on even our most personal spaces. Not only are our cities noisier than ever, but also, our suburbs, where even large houses are being built closer to their neighbors.

Custom window coverings can help. Window coverings provide great style for your windows and are engineered to improve the quality of life at home by providing privacy, climate and noise control. In fact window coverings are rated for sound absorption and are custom-made to your window’s specific sizes for maximum light and privacy control as well as sound absorption.

Honeycomb shades have especially high sound absorption ratings with several fabric styles absorbing 55 and 60 percent of reflected sound. Honeycomb shades are an ideal option for large windows, especially for bedrooms and media rooms where sound and light control are high priorities.

Most of the popular sheer shadings that softly diffuse light through two sheer fabric layers and curved fabric vanes absorb 30 percent of reflected sound. This window covering also has the unique ability to diffuse light and protect against the sun’s harmful UV rays, while still revealing the view out the window.

For those who prefer a window covering with the timeless beauty of a Roman shade, its room-darkening fabrics absorb 60 percent of reflected sound.

There are many other types of window coverings that offer privacy, style, and sound absorption at all levels. Ask your window covering expert, which window covering product would work best for your home.

Window coverings can make a difference in bringing peace and quiet to a home!

When deciding on window treatments, color and style should not be the only thoughts that cross a consumer’s mind.  Child safety should also be a major factor.  Each year children are injured or die in tragic accidents after being strangled in window blind cords.  In order to prevent these tragedies window treatment manufacturers have responded to safety concerns with many innovative solutions and new products.  Below is a brief description of the many products and options available to keep your children and pets safe.

Plantation Shutters
Plantation shutters are a growing trend that will keep your window treatments child-proof.  Shutters come in a variety of materials; vinyl, polywood, and wood.  Each of these materials offers quality construction that will add depth, beauty, and safety to your home.

Motorization
Another way to eliminate cord hazards:  Motorize your window treatments.  This option is a battery operated remote control system that allows you to raise and lower shades at the touch of a button.  In addition to their safety advantages, these battery-powered shades are especially helpful on high windows that are out of reach.  This option is available with pleated shades, honeycomb shades, roller shades, roman shades, and sheer shadings.

Cordless Option
The cordless option is available with faux wood blinds, wood blinds, mini blinds, pleated shades, and honeycomb shades.  All you need to raise a blind is the touch of a hand.  A hidden control system keeps the shade or blind in a constant state of balance.  Simply touch the bottom rail to raise and lower.  The products that offer this option also have enhanced safety, convenience, and complete light control.  Ease of operation is a benefit for every member of the family.

Break-Thru® Safety Tassel
The safety tassel is designed to break open under pressure should a child or pet become entangled in the cord loop.  It is standard feature on all Hunter Douglas horizontal blinds.

Safety Wand
Vertical blinds outfitted with a safety wand eliminate looped pull cords completely, replacing them with a wand that remains safely out of a toddler’s reach.  Vertical blinds also add energy efficiency, privacy, and UV protection for furnishings.

So when you are deciding on your next window treatment purchase, please keep these child-proof window treatments in mind.