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!

Control Options of Roman Shades

Q: I really like the look of roman shades but wanted to know what control options are available. Thanks.

A: Roman shades make a great functional alternative to drapes and come with either continuous cord loop controls or with the popular top down/bottom up feature. Most people are familiar with cord loop controls since they've been featured on blinds and shades for years. These cords are looped through the top rail and all you need to do is pull on one side of the loop to raise the shade and the other side to lower them. They're pretty safe, too since they maintain a constant length no matter how high or low the shade.

The top down/bottom up feature in roman shades is not as well known but it's just as convenient. In fact, it's one of the best secrets in the industry! This feature allows you to not only raise and lower the bottom edge of the shade, but the top half, too. This way you can get light through just the top edge of your window (which means it's perfect for when the sun is really low). You can use these shades like normal roman shades or conveniently lower the top rail to let natural light in at the top! It's such a great idea!

Soft Blind Alternatives

Q: I'm hoping to find something that functions like a blind but isn't rough or rigid like traditional wood or aluminum. Basically, I want the versatility without the slats. Can you help?

A: Of course! There are a few “blind alternatives” available. The most common are sheer horizontal blinds but there are other popular options like cellular and pleated shades. If you really want the slat “look” but with softer tones or light filtering, then you'll want to go with sheer horizontal shades. These shades have strips of opaque fabric suspended between sheer panels so that you have the best possible light control. You can leave the “slats” open to let in soft, diffused light, or you can tilt them shut for better privacy or to darken the room. Of course you can also raise these and let in full sunlight, too.

Cellular and pleated shades look a lot like traditional blinds but are solid pieces of fabric rather than slatted. These are great options for more contemporary looks but are still soft to the touch. In fact, cellular blinds have the added benefit of insulating your window against energy loss and noise.

My personal favorites are the sheer horizontal blinds because you have so many options for light control. But honestly, any way you go, all of these are great, soft alternatives to your traditional slatted blinds!

Shades with Top Down/Bottom Up

Q: I really like the top down/bottom up feature of some cellular shades and wanted to know if that same control feature is available on other shade/blind styles.

A: Yes, the top down/bottom up control option is available on cellular, roman shades, and pleated shades. For those of you that may be unfamiliar with the term “top down/bottom up” it refers to the option to raise and lower both the top and bottom rails. This wonderful feature allows you to block a portion of your window at either the top or the bottom, giving you a lot more flexibility in blocking direct sunlight. The top down/bottom up feature works just like a regular shade, except you can also lower the top rail, too. I adore these shades and think they're the perfect solution to most privacy and light problems.

As mentioned above, this feature is very popular for cellular shades but is also available with roman and pleated shades. Roman shades give a nice soft fabric feel while pleated shades are a cost effective solution for those who like cellular blinds but don't necessarily need the insulating qualities. The top down/bottom up feature is fantastic and really makes for a very versatile blind!