Home & Garden Window coverings. Your decorating opinions please
- Thread starter la miss
- Start date
thanks!
they cost more than the shades but will last a much longer time. I think we're ready to order; now need to get the written quote from the last guy so we can proceed
I'm struggling with this now. I hate window coverings! I want the windows clutter-free all the time to expose the light and the views. However sometimes the sun is too bright.
I am dressing all the windows in the living areas in wood trim painted white. It really frames the views. Most of my windows currently have drywall around them except for the sill and skirt.
I want the windows to look taller, not wider. So I will probably avoid shutters.
My favorite right now is roller shades. I have had those in the living area for a few years and they hardly collect any dust. (I have dogs.) They look like fabric but wipe clean like a textured vinyl. They are not beautiful but they are nice enough since they are hardly ever showing.
However I really need blackout for the sun, and I love the idea of top down, bottom up shades so that I can choose where to block out the sun, but still have light flowing into the room. For example, one window is behind the TV and I need to block out the bottom of the window sometimes, but still want to see the sky views above. In the kitchen I may want privacy sometimes while I do dishes, but still have light coming in.
In the bedrooms, I love top down bottom up shades so that I can keep a square of window glass showing on top to let the view of the trees and light in. I can keep the bottom covered all the time for privacy. I have a top down bottom up cellular shade in there now with poly white sheers loosely draped around the top and sides. The sheer material stays remarkably clean and dust free, and can be washed. I let it puddle at the bottom. It makes me feel like I am in the Caribbean.
However cellular shades are not my favorite, especially for living areas, and I feel like they are fragile and get dusty. That may not be the case, but I wonder if there are other options for top down bottom up.
And to complicate all of this, I plan to replace all the windows in the next 6-7 years, so I'm not sure how much sill depth I will have. I really want the window coverings to be inset. With the low e glass, I'm not sure I would have the sun glare problem in the living area anyway.
Also love roman shades, but they seem like they would be dusty. I just took down fabric valances that were dusty and I really just want to throw them out.
So I am going to try to hold off as long as I can and commit to window coverings after all the windows are replaced. I may have to get something temporary in the meantime, hopefully not. Apparently I paid $177 in 2010 for the roller shade I took out to trim the living room window, and It doesn't fit anymore. I made a wood valance to hide the hardware, but when I replace the window, I'll lose depth so I may have to remake the valance then anyway. It's all very frustrating.
Hopefully I won't have to install a window covering for the new patio door. It's too pretty to cover! I'm hoping the low e glass eliminates any glaring sun issues.
I am dressing all the windows in the living areas in wood trim painted white. It really frames the views. Most of my windows currently have drywall around them except for the sill and skirt.
I want the windows to look taller, not wider. So I will probably avoid shutters.
My favorite right now is roller shades. I have had those in the living area for a few years and they hardly collect any dust. (I have dogs.) They look like fabric but wipe clean like a textured vinyl. They are not beautiful but they are nice enough since they are hardly ever showing.
However I really need blackout for the sun, and I love the idea of top down, bottom up shades so that I can choose where to block out the sun, but still have light flowing into the room. For example, one window is behind the TV and I need to block out the bottom of the window sometimes, but still want to see the sky views above. In the kitchen I may want privacy sometimes while I do dishes, but still have light coming in.
In the bedrooms, I love top down bottom up shades so that I can keep a square of window glass showing on top to let the view of the trees and light in. I can keep the bottom covered all the time for privacy. I have a top down bottom up cellular shade in there now with poly white sheers loosely draped around the top and sides. The sheer material stays remarkably clean and dust free, and can be washed. I let it puddle at the bottom. It makes me feel like I am in the Caribbean.
However cellular shades are not my favorite, especially for living areas, and I feel like they are fragile and get dusty. That may not be the case, but I wonder if there are other options for top down bottom up.
And to complicate all of this, I plan to replace all the windows in the next 6-7 years, so I'm not sure how much sill depth I will have. I really want the window coverings to be inset. With the low e glass, I'm not sure I would have the sun glare problem in the living area anyway.
Also love roman shades, but they seem like they would be dusty. I just took down fabric valances that were dusty and I really just want to throw them out.
So I am going to try to hold off as long as I can and commit to window coverings after all the windows are replaced. I may have to get something temporary in the meantime, hopefully not. Apparently I paid $177 in 2010 for the roller shade I took out to trim the living room window, and It doesn't fit anymore. I made a wood valance to hide the hardware, but when I replace the window, I'll lose depth so I may have to remake the valance then anyway. It's all very frustrating.
Hopefully I won't have to install a window covering for the new patio door. It's too pretty to cover! I'm hoping the low e glass eliminates any glaring sun issues.
I'm looking at window coverings now and had the same question about what options for top down besides honeycomb. I found this Hunter Douglas website with lots of options.
Tried to past link but it's not working. But they have a product finder that's helpful.
Tried to past link but it's not working. But they have a product finder that's helpful.
I am not a fan of window coverings and it took me 1.5 years to put something up in my bedroom. My husband was going crazy. So I went with custom window shades called shear shades plus custom cornices.
Apparently, the house had plantation shutters but the former owner ripped them off and threw out with the trash. I think I've heard that story every time I attend a neighborhood event. I'm thankful it was done because I would have done the same thing!
Apparently, the house had plantation shutters but the former owner ripped them off and threw out with the trash. I think I've heard that story every time I attend a neighborhood event. I'm thankful it was done because I would have done the same thing!
We're down to the wire. Want to place an order today. Pretty sure we're going with plantation shutters for MBR. For the office and guest room we were going to get honeycomb shades but the sales person advised that the faux wood (white) blinds are easier to keep clean for those rooms and kitchen (and they're less expensive). Someone on Houzz said the opposite - that she has both woven wood shades and faux wood blinds and the blinds are a nightmare to take care of.
Any experience or opinions would be appreciated.
Any experience or opinions would be appreciated.
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We have faux wood in a bathroom - i would not put them in a kitchen - if agree that there are harder to keep clean.
With respect to woven, I wanted a rattan type for my laundry room. My husband has terrible allergies so our designer suggested we avoid a natural material as some people have reactions. We opted for a sealed material - cost was the same. I really like the woven shades in your picture!
Good luck - it's a nightmare selection window treatments.
DH and I had both liked woven wood. Then I changed my mind and sold him on the faux wood blinds...you can open and close them w/o raising and lowering etc. Today I changed my mind and wanted to consider woven wood again for kitchen and he was sold on the faux wood blinds - didn't want to change back to woven woods. So I guess we're going to have a consistent look - white shutters, white blinds and white drapes. Hopefully it will be good.
We ordered the shutters for the bedroom and the 2-1/2" faux wood blinds for the office, guest rm and kitchen. I had talked DH into these before I heard people saying they're harder to care for. I thought it would be nice to have the convenience of just opening and closing the blinds and not having to raise and lower them.
At the last minute I changed my mind and wanted to go back to our earlier choice of woven wood for the kitchen. There was too much going on with multiple people in the house and I just didn't have time to turn DH around. Wanted to get the order in to now I feel kind of bad about the kitchen but it's not like it's a permanent thing.
Here's what the blinds will look like and a pic of my kitchen.
Couldn't get the blinds pic to attach here but it's on my post above
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so I ordered the blinds and now I'm thinking of calling the guy and changing to the woven wood. DH won't fight me but he thinks it will be kind of off to have woven wood in just one window in the house (in addition the fact that I convinced him the white woods blinds would go well in our white kitchen)
The MBR will be white shutters. the guest rm and office white blinds. The great room adjacent to kitchen will be white side curtains.
So are the white blinds bad enough for a kitchen that you'd advise changing the order (if it's not too late)?
I know I'm being OCD on this but anyway....
No they are not that bad. I think you will be fine and the white will look really pretty. White kitchen are my favorite!
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