Shades for Arches

Q: My mother-in-law has pretty window arches above her windows but is having a difficult time finding shades that coordinate with the rest of her room. She'd like everything to match, but she's picky about color, too. Any suggestions?

A: Cellular shades come in styles specifically designed for arched windows and come in the same colors as their traditional honeycomb shades. This means your mother-in-law can find gorgeous cellular shades for the windows in her room and then simply choose the coordinating arched shade.

Like most arched shades, these cellular shades are fixed and immobile. But, since cellular shades come in a variety of light diffusing and light filtering styles, she can find ones that block direct sunlight but still allow for natural light to enter her home. This means she can find coordinating styles, eliminate sun glare, and create a beautiful room all at the same time.

And a lot of cellular brands are available for other odd-shaped windows as well. Including skylights!

Benefits of Faux Wood Blinds

Q: A girlfriend of mine recently installed faux wood blinds in her home as opposed to real wood. I know they're usually less expensive than real wood, but are there any other benefits to faux wood versus real wood blinds?

A: Actually there are quite a few. Like your friend said, faux wood blinds often cost less than real wood and can be a better alternative for those on a budget looking for “real wood” look without the price tag. But there are other benefits as well. For example, since faux wood blinds are made from pvc or composite blends of fibers, they're more resistant to humidity, moisture, and water, making them easier to clean and less likely to warp. This, of course, makes them perfect for kitchens and bathrooms where warping can be a problem.

Furthermore, you can get faux wood blinds with the same versatile options as real wood alternatives. This means you can get faux wood in a variety of realistic stains as well as bright colors and they come with the same options in routless and cloth tapes that reduce spotty glare from the string holes in the slats. This also means that faux wood blinds can be dyed, stained, and customized to meet the unique style needs of you and your home.