Planning for Window Treatments During Construction From Start to Finish

How to Plan for Window Treatments During Construction

Recently, several couples have come to me for window treatments. They were all building new homes and had chosen all the things builders want to know: siding, roofing, doors, windows, flooring, etc. When those decisions were out of the way, they began to think ahead. How will those windows look at night? What should they do about privacy in the bed and bath rooms?

I love it when my clients think ahead!

There are several advantages to thinking ahead about window treatments.

If you start early, you will have a sense of how far your budget will spread for the type of treatments you want. Perhaps you are unaware of some of the innovations being made in the window treatment industry, like motorized shades with remote and internet controls. You may want to set your priorities differently if you know ahead of time what your options are.

Another advantage that is easy to address is thinking about how window treatments will be mounted. If the drywall isn’t up yet, your builder can easily add wood blocking where the mounting brackets will go. Attaching brackets to solid wood is much more secure than trying to mount them on drywall. And if I can get into the home before the drywall goes up, I can see if there are any potential installation issues before they get covered up. During that visit, I can also see if there are any specialty windows that will require creative installations.

Perhaps the biggest advantage to thinking ahead is planning for motorization. While today’s motorized shades can be powered by batteries, you may not want to have to worry about replacing them every year. Electrically-powered window coverings can be plugged into an existing outlet or, for a more stream-lined look, can be directly wired to a DC converter installed in a utility area of your home. The best time to do this is when your electrician is installing the wiring in the home.

Even if you don’t plan to motorize your window coverings, it’s a good idea to think about window treatments during construction. Contacting me while you are under construction is the smart way to go.

The block of wood near the top of this window will allow window treatments to be securely fastened to the wall.

 

Here’s a case where blocking installed at the top sides of the window during construction makes this rod easy to fasten securely to the wall.

Pre-construction planning may mean you can recess the top header of a blind or shade to help conceal it. This homeowner also planned for electrically operated blinds that do not depend on batteries.

 

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If you want more information on custom draperies or blinds or any of the other ideas here, contact Kim for your free in-home consultation – 513-398-5798 or email klyon@windowaccentsinc.com

Schedule Appointment

source https://windowaccentsinc.com/planning-for-window-treatments-during-construction-from-start-to-finish/

The Rustic Decor Trend

We talked a couple of weeks ago about the color trends for next year and their refection of our life style today – our feeling of being constantly connected and our desire to disconnect, unwind and relax. This theme shows through in the Rustic Décor trend for our homes as well.

This style is used in all types of custom window treatments in Cincinnati – though we recommend it specifically for custom curtains as well as with certain types of custom blinds. If you are interested in learning how match this design style with your home, please contact us to get started.

This design trend is what all of us are looking for – a relaxing, comfy, cozy, casual place to call home. Materials are natural, colors are warm and earthy, and the outdoors is brought in. We are reconnecting with nature, reusing and recycling.

When we get on the internet and go to Pinterest, we see hundreds of DIY projects made from wood pallets, mason jars, burlap, and reclaimed wood. They are not only creative and cute, but they are very functional and practical and fit in with the other pieces of our home décor.

 

Several of our client’s homes that we have visited recently are very cozy and comfy and rustic. Here is the inside of a log cabin before the Thanksgiving meal:

Our trending rustic furniture is made from wood, perfect in it’s imperfection, familiar and casual.

Our rustic window treatments are of natural fibers, neutral colors, casual, and enhance the rest of the elements in the room. Here our clients were very creative and used old windows to enhance their new windows:

This creative client used an old shutter to creatively dress their window, thanks to Megan Holtz of Restored Treasures, while we added a natural woven wood shade to control the light:

We have a great selection of custom shades for your Ohio home to fit the Rustic Décor of your home as well as all natural decorator fabrics to add casual and cozy draperies.

For a free in-home consultation to see the woven wood samples and feel the natural fibers, call or email to set up your appointment

 

 

source https://windowaccentsinc.com/the-rustic-decor-trend/

Skylights Window Treatments Let The Sunshine In

Sunshine!

We love it. We need it.

Warmth, natural lighting, vitamin D, energy and attitude are just a few of the reasons why.

We hate it. It’s too much.

Intense heat, intense light, UV rays, and glare are a few of the reasons why we need to control it.

So here we have our standard double edged sword. We have skylights in our home for great natural lighting, but then there are times when it is just too much. What to do for Skylights Window Treatments?

The UV rays are bleaching objects in the room, the summer sun is making the room hot, and it’s just too bright in the morning when I want to sleep in.

Solution?

Skylights Window Treatments:  Shades! And the most common – cellular.

There are a few companies that manufacture cellular shadings systems that adapt to angled windows. The first thought might be – why are there only a few? But after your second thought, you may realize that the angle of the skylight can pose a problem, as it lends itself to the sagging of the fabric. Cellular shade construction allows an unseen cord inside the cells to keep the shade taut.

Here are some photos from Graber:

Lutron shows us the various ways a shade can be installed for a skylight – inside the opening, recessed and close to the window or even on the outside. They offer a frame and tension shades for skylights:

      

Comfortex has two shading systems available for skylights, the Soprano and the Balcony. The Soprano Skylight Shading System has a gear track that holds the fabric at any angle. The Balcony Skylight Shading System has a polycarbonate tracking system that forms a barrier around the edge of the shade for maximum energy-efficiency. Plus there are no exposed cords:

Cellular Shades are a great choice for skylights as they are very energy-efficient in their construction. Cold air in the winter and hot air in the summer gets trapped in the pockets of the cells, and the more cells you add, the more energy-efficient.

Hunter Douglas is able to make shadings for skylights from their Applause or Duette Architella lines. This allows you to get double cell or even triple cell construction. Depending on the fabric, you can not only diffuse the light, but by choosing a sheer and an opaque fabric, you have lots more options for control. The shadings are also available with top down, bottom up adjustments.

And speaking of control, Hunter Douglas has remote control shadings that can also work with your smart device or any home automation system for total control.

Our friends at EcoSmart have cellular shades for skylights:

And here is a photo from Lafayette:

So if you have an awesome skylight in your home but wish you had a little bit more control over the sunshine it provides at different times of the day, you need to make an appointment to find out just how we can help. Call or email us to learn more about custom window shades

Schedule your Free In-Home Consultation

 

source https://windowaccentsinc.com/skylights-window-treatments/

Looking For Window Curtain Ideas Loveland OH

The windows in your home can be adorned in many different ways. You can leave them plain, add blinds, cover them with drapes, or hang curtains. How you dress them is up to you, but if you are looking for window curtain ideas Loveland OH, you can find some amazing options. Continue reading for some tips you can use as you are looking for the curtains you want to hang in your home.

Window Curtain Ideas and Tips

First of all, you will want to consider the type of curtains you desire. Do you want sheer curtains or do you prefer them to block out all the sunlight? Also, what length of curtain do you need? Is there a specific color or pattern that you are looking for? How do you prefer your curtains to hang? By giving some thoughts to what you want as far as curtains, you can find some great curtain ideas in our trunk shows in Loveland OH.

Next, you will want to decide if you will use a custom window treatment company or find the coverings that you want pre-made. If you have a particular color and style in mind, using a company that can make you exactly what you want is always a good idea. Working with a professional, you can work together to create the perfect custom curtains Loveland

If you decide to use a professional, please contact us and let us show you how we can take your style and special needs in the room and transform your room to the living environment of your dreams.

Once you’ve set up an appointment to meet with us, we recommend you spend time in Pinterest finding examples of treatments you love and treatments you don’t love. Be prepared to explain what you like and don’t like. This information is foundational for us to understand your likes and dislikes. We’ll do the measuring and sketch out the designs we are discussing. This can help you and the curtain designer work together and create exactly what you had envisioned.

Window Curtain Ideas from the Professionals

As you work with our company, it is important to be open and honest. If the designer recommends something that you really are not interested in, be sure to tell them. Or if the two of you are on totally different pages, it’s a good idea to speak up so you will get exactly what you want for your windows.

As you can see, choosing to use the services of a professional that has window curtain ideas from Loveland OH is a good choice for so many different reasons. When you work with a reputable professional, you are able to get exactly what you want to cover your windows and enhance the appearance of any room in your home. Use the tips shared here to get the custom curtains that reflect your style.

Schedule your Free In-Home Consultation

source https://windowaccentsinc.com/looking-for-window-curtain-ideas-loveland-oh/

Window Treatments act as Insulation

In the winter, as much as 40% of the heat that escapes a home flows through the windows. During the summer, heat from the sun’s rays coming through the windows can make it harder to keep a home cool. Energy-efficient window treatments an help decrease heat loss and heat gain, thereby reducing heating and cooling costs.

 

 

 

Let Window Treatments act as Insulation

Some treatments are more energy efficient than others, so make sure to check a product’s R-value and Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC) ratings.

• Save money on utility bills
• Conserve natural resources
• Lessen fading of carpets, fabrics, artwork and wood

The Value of R-Value

R-value is measure of a product’s ability to resist heat flow, which is especially important in the cool winter months. The higher the R-value number, the more insulation it provides and the better it is at reducing heat loss.

A bare, low-e double-glazed window has an R-value of about 3.5. Add property insulated Duette® Architella 1 1/4” honeycomb shade with Panache opaque fabric and the R-vlaue increases to 7.86, more than doubling the energy efficiency and reducing heat loss by over 50%.

 

Solar Heat Gain Coefficient Explained

Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC) is the amount of solar heat that passes through a window, where 0 = none and 1 = all. The lower a product’s SHGC, the less solar heat it transmits and the cooler the home will stay in the warm summer months.

The SHGC of a bare, double-glazed window is 0.76, which means 76% of solar heat is transmitted through it. Add an opaque Duette® Architella shade and the solar heat gain coefficient drops as low as 0.15 — only 15% of the solar heat is transmitted, reducing cooing costs.

 

Protect Your Home from UV Light

UV exposure is not only harmful to skin, it can also damage furnishings, floors and fine art. Most Hunter Douglas products have fabric options that filter out 99% of these harmful rays in the closed position.

 

 

 

 

Many Hunter Douglas window fashions including Silhouette® window shadings and Luminette® Privacy Sheers, filter out as much as 87% of harmful UV rays in the open-vane position.

Invite our Shop At Home Consultants to your home to discuss how Window Treatments act as Insulation and we’ll be sure to provide precise measurements and exquisite choices to match your design style and budget. 513-398-5798

Seeking energy efficient window treatments for your business, we offer Commercial solutions as well. Call now to have a commercial representative meet you in your business and help you choose the right product and order the right size. We handle it all. 513-398-5798

Schedule your Free In-Home Consultation

source https://windowaccentsinc.com/window-treatments-act-as-insulation/

All About the Finest Sheer Curtain Fabric

Guide to the Finest Sheer Curtain Fabric

Color, pattern, texture – modern sheer curtain fabrics are found in an abundance of all of these!

No longer are we stuck with plain old sheer curtains – unless of course, you want to be. Plain sheer curtains are still a great accompaniment to drapery panels. Plain sheers will not distract from the heavier, more dramatic fabrics used for the draperies. Or as in the photo above, the delicate patterned sheer coordinates splendidly with the drapery and valance.

Sheer curtains on their own do a terrific job of filtering harsh sunlight, radiating a soft flowing feeling as they frame the window, and create some privacy while still allowing the light to pass through.

Sheers can be crafted and installed in all of the ways that custom curtains can be. Sheer curtains can have grommets or rings, be gathered, tabbed or pleated, and they can be attached to a traversing rod as well. The style of the mounting depends on your personal décor and the function of the sheers. Are they just beautifully framing and softening the window or are they needed for privacy and light filtering? Ask yourself what you hope to accomplish by installing sheer curtains before you choose which curtains to purchase.

Either way, you will have lots of fun trying to decide on a sheer or semi-sheer fabric given the thousands of choices we have today. There are wonderful subtle textures and patterns woven within the fibers themselves or some sheer fabrics have embroidered patterns. The colors are great too – soft ivories, creams, and pastels – and below you will even see some deeper toned sheer curtain fabric in black. Here is a semi-sheer panel in a powder room in brown:

Sheer Curtain Fabric Examples

Let’s take a look at some of sheer curtain fabrics from our friends at RM Coco in Missouri – This first grouping of fabrics all have some sort of lines:

Next, we gathered some RM Coco fabrics that have leaves and swirl patterns:

Here is traditional plain sheer curtain fabric and crinkled:

And finally, some textured sheer fabrics from RM Coco:

The fabrics can be woven of different fibers to create different looks. A lot of the sheer curtain fabrics today are produced from man-made polyester, traditionally a more flame retardant material, but sheers are also made with linen and cotton.

We gathered some decorator sheer fabric samples from Lafayette Interior Fashions in Indiana.

This first grouping shows sheers with texture:

The next group of Lafayette’s sheer fabrics are ones we picked with accent

And our last group shows a bit of color variety:

If you are thinking about adding sheers to a window or changing your current sheers to a more updated fabric, Kim would love to show you some of the samples we included here and many more. All you need to do is call 513-398-5798 or email klyon@windowaccentsinc.com for a free in home consultation –     sheer simplicity!

 

Schedule your Free In-Home Consultation

source https://windowaccentsinc.com/all-about-sheers/

Enhance Your Home With Energy Efficient Window Custom Draperies Cincinnati

Whether you are in the process of building your home or are working on a remodel, increasing the energy efficiency is always a good idea. Because windows are one of the greatest sources of trouble in regards to heating and cooling loss, you need to choose energy efficient window treatment to ensure that your home will be comfortable and affordable.

 

Take This Into Consideration When Searching For Custom Draperies Cincinnati

While you are searching for the best window draperies, you will want to take additional issues into consideration. While energy efficiency is certainly important, do not forget about privacy and security. The amount of shading and overall performance of the drapes and other window treatments should be considered. You may discover that combining products will work wonders at reducing the loss through your windows.

Draperies should reduce the heat you lose during the winter and help you to repel it during the summer. The type of fabric will influence the efficiency levels of your drapes. A tighter, closed weave will provide a better protection than loose open weave fabrics.

Creating Custom Draperies Cincinnati That Is Suited For Summertime

To maximize the reflective quality of your drapes during the summer months, choose ones that have a white backing. This will keep the heat of the sun from warming up your rooms. Although white blinds and a few other flat treatments will provide similar repulsion of the light waves, the drapery provides additional benefits that will keep you more comfortable.

The pleats and folds that are in your draperies will help to dispel the heat via convection. However, you will still need to use the drapes properly in order to get the most from your investment.

During the summertime, your window draperies should be closed when the sun is directly hitting any window. This means you will need to adjust them throughout the day in your home. However, if the drapes are left open even for a while when the sun is shining through it will cause a significant rise in room temperature. It will require additional energy to cool it down to a comfortable level that could have been achieved by leaving the blinds closed. You might want to check out our motorized options for ease of use.

Read more: Custom Curtains and Draperies

On the other hand, window draperies should also be closed during the night and all day if direct sunlight does not strike it. This will help to reduce the amount of heat you lose through the window.

When you are installing your draperies, you can increase the effectiveness by hanging them very close to the window. The bottom should touch the window sill or the floor to close off the air pocket. Additional efficiency steps include using side-by-side draperies in each window, installing a cornice and using hook-and-loop tape to attach them to the walls. This will maximize the seal around the pocket of air created by the drapery and window.

You might also add reflective films, awnings and other efficiency aids to keep your home comfortable year-round while keeping the heating and cooling costs at an affordable level no matter where you live.

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If you want more information on custom draperies or blinds or any of the other ideas here, contact Kim for your free in-home consultation – 513-398-5798 or email klyon@windowaccentsinc.com

Schedule Appointment

source https://windowaccentsinc.com/enhance-your-home-with-energy-efficient-window-custom-draperies-cincinnati/

The Sheer Facts on Casement Fabric – Sheer Custom Curtains

Casement Fabric and Sheer Custom Curtains

We have several clients interested in sheer and casement window treatments. Today we are looking into casement fabrics. The definition of casement is:

Casual custom curtain fabric in loose or tight, open or closed, plain or novelty weave.  Often given interesting texture, color and pattern through tied complex-yarn arrangements and weave variations.

Sheer fabric is made using thin thread and/or low density of knit and which results in a semi-transparent and very light weight cloth. Some of these fabrics become totally transparent when wet.

So from the definitions we understand that casement fabric is different than sheer fabric and sheer window treatments. For more information on sheer fabrics you can look back at our blog click here.

Exploring Sheers and Casement Curtains

Like sheers, casement curtains allow light into the room but usually less than sheers. Casement fabrics are typically more loosely woven of thicker strands and the overall texture and appearance is heavier than sheer fabrics. They are better termed as semi-sheer and usually come in light natural colors although they are available in darker shades as well. Here are two close-ups to give you a better idea of the textures:

Schindlers Fabrics

Casement fabrics can absorb some sound to make the room a little quieter, soften architecture but not hide it, and can add a sensuous feel to the room without taken all the light away. When closed, the casement fabric curtains will give more privacy than a standard sheer.

Examples of Casement Fabrics

Linen, cotton, hemp, acrylic and polyester are some of the fibers used for casement fabrics. Our friends at RM Coco have a lovely selection, some of which are seen below:

 

Her are close-ups we took of a several RM Coco casement fabrics so you can see better detail of the great woven textures:

We are fans of casement fabric as it blends so well into today’s decor trends. The popular look for what is termed rustic urban design, uses reclaimed woods, metal and natural materials for a winning combination of modern and old.

If you are interested in seeing and feeling some casement fabrics or any other decorator fabrics in the convenience of your own home, contact Kim today at 513-398-5798.

Schedule your Free In-Home Consultation

source https://windowaccentsinc.com/sheer-facts/

Hunter Douglas Luminette Privacy Sheers

Luminette Privacy Sheers by Hunter Douglas

Hunter Douglas Luminette Privacy Sheers are a vertical option included in the Hunter Douglas Spring promotion, The Lighter Side of Living.

Hunter Douglas Luminettes provide precise light control with translucent or room-darkening vane opacity options.

Soft face fabric is permanently bonded to fabric vanes, offering full view-through and discreet privacy.

 

Hunter Douglas Luminette Privacy Sheers offer an array of fashion forward fabrics and colors to enhance any window in your home.

Face fabric of the Luminette diffuses sunlight into the room, reducing the need for interior day lighting.

There are 72 fabric combinations available.

These vertical sheers are available for sliding glass and French doors as well.

Luminette Privacy Sheers can be made in widths from 12” to 192” and heights from 24” up to 120”.

Hunter Douglas Luminettes offer excellent protection from the sun’s ultraviolet rays.

Control of these vertical sheers can be with a wand, a wand and cord combination, or with motorized options.

Schedule your Free In-Home Consultation

source https://windowaccentsinc.com/hunter-douglas-luminette-privacy-sheers/