Modern/Simple Style

Q: I'm looking for shades that match a modern style but without the trendy contemporary flair. I'm pretty picky about color, too. Any suggestions?

A: Cellular Shades come in all kinds of colors and have a great low-profile design that matches just about every style. The nice clean lines of cellular shades go great with modern rooms, and they come in all kinds of light diffusing and room darkening options, too. Not only do these shades look great, but they also help insulate your windows to save you energy! Cellular shades also hold up well over time and come with all kinds of control options and different shapes to help you coordinate your windows.

Cellular shades are some of the most popular shades on the market today and compliment virtually every style. There are lots of different brands that manufacture cellular shades and you'll probably want to compare your options before you buy.

Horizontal Alternatives

Q: I love the look and insulation of cellular blinds but I also really enjoy the look and feel of traditional horizontal shades. I don't want the rigid slats and wanted to know if there are any horizontal blind alternatives?

A: Yes! Comfortex recently released a new kind of horizontal blind called Odysee that combines the insulation and room darkening properties of cellular shades with the look and function of horizontal blinds. The best thing about these blinds is that they really do function as either a cellular shade or horizontal blinds whenever you want.

The Odysee blinds feature flattened single cells that function as the soft slats when the blind is being used as a horizontal blind. This feature is perfect because it allows you to maximize your view and control your light. One simple adjustment, however, and the cells expand. With open cells, the blinds darken the room while simultaneously insulating your window like a traditional cellular blind. You get the best of both worlds!

Styles of Motorized Shades

Q: I recently bought a house with huge windows in the family room and dining areas and I've been looking at getting blinds with remote controls. What shade and blind styles come with a motorized option?

A: Cellular shades are probably the most popular style of motorized shades, but remote control options are also available in wood blinds, sheer shades, roller shades, and faux wood blinds. Cellular shades are great because they provide a sleek, low-profile design with insulating qualities. They also come in a wide range of colors, cell sizes, and cell counts that match any décor.

Other contemporary alternatives include sheer shades and roller shades. Sheer shades create a soft look and a perfect for windows that get a lot of direct sunlight. The sheer qualities help diffuse direct sun while the opaque slats can block harsh rays. Roller shades can also give you some flexibility on lighting and their simple, flat nature makes them blend into any room.

If you're looking for something more traditional, however, consider wood or faux wood shades. Both of these window shades come in motorized forms so you get the look of shutters without the hassle of cords.

Congratulations on the house!

Cordless Shades

Q: I'm trying to redecorate in a kid-friendly way since my grandkids are still very young (and I have more on the way!). Do you have any recommendations for shades or blinds that are cordless?

A: Yes, in fact, cellular shades, wood blinds, and roller and solar shades all come with cordless options. Not only does cordless help minimize safety hazards, it also streamlines your windows and adds to an overall elegant look!

Cellular shades, also known as honeycomb shades or blinds, are made of layers of fabric that trap air to help insulate your windows. They come in all shades and colors, with multiple cell counts and also come with room darkening or light filtering qualities

Standard wood blinds also come with cordless options. That way you get the same traditional appeal of wood but without long dangerous cords! Roller shades and solar shades are also great options because they can come with spring-lift systems that eliminate the need for cords altogether! All of these options are perfect if you want beautiful shades without any cords.

Vertical Shade Alternatives

Q: I need vertical shades for a large front window in my home and wanted to know if there were any other types of vertical blinds besides traditional slats.

A: Yes, in recent years, blind manufacturers have come up with incredibly fashionable alternatives to conventional vertical blinds. Sheer verticals, cellular, and sheerweave are the most common among them.

Sheer vertical blinds have been around for years and mimic the same soft appeal of sheer horizontal shades. These unique blinds provide both privacy and light filtering capabilities and give you soft aesthetics, too.

Cellular shades, those unique shades that trap air when in use, are now available as vertical shades! They're best known for their sleek design and energy-saving capabilities, helping you insulate your room against excess cold or heat while giving you a simple yet functional shade.

There are also sheerweave and solar shades that are available as vertical shades. These shades give you all the view while still blocking harsh sunlight. They're another great alternatives to traditional verticals if you're looking for a more contemporary or low-profile design.

Sheer Vertical Shades – Another Alternative to Vinyl

Q: I saw your blog on alternatives to traditional vinyl vertical blinds and was wondering if there were any other options along the same line. I'm hoping to find something with vertical slats but not weighted fabric.

A: You might want to try Sheer Vertical Shades. These shades are just like sheer horizontal shades but work like vertical blinds. The wonderful thing about sheer verticals is that you can have diffused light and total privacy all with one blind! The opaque fabric vanes hang between sheer sheets of fabric so if you tilt the vanes open you get light diffused through the sheer fabric. Close the vanes and you get additional light control and improved privacy.

Sheer vertical blinds come in a wide range of colors, too, so it's easy to find something that matches your rooms. You can even order options that let you either pull all the vanes to one side or split them down the middle. These are a great, soft, versatile alternative to traditional vinyl.

Vertical Blinds: Alternatives to Vinyl

Q: I like the look of slats with traditional vinyl vertical blinds but really don't like vinyl. What other options are available?

A: Vinyl blinds used to be the norm, but now fabric and combination vertical blinds are far more popular than their predecessor. If you go with fabric vertical blinds then you have the option of having light filtering blinds that can really give an elegant accent to any room. They're soft, too, which means that they move much like drapes but still have the form and function of vertical blinds. They're less noisy, too!

If you still want the room-darkening traits of vinyl but with a more stylish look, go with fabric verticals with pvc inserts. They'll be rigid and give you more light control but still cut down on noise. You can get these (and regular fabric verticals) in lots of different styles, colors and textures, giving you even greater versatility when it comes to decorating your home!