Versatile Shades for All Seasons

Q: My home has a ton of windows that face south so there's always light all year round, which means I need shade and privacy all year round, too. Can you suggest a shade that suits my fall and winter style but still matches my summer décor? Thanks.

A: Roller shades would be perfect for your home! These sleek, simple shades come in a wide range of light filtering and room darkening styles that can help diffuse bright light in the summer and create elegant ambiance in the winter.

Not to mention they come in a huge range of colors, texutres, fabrics, and prints. While certain textures or prints are best suited to specific times of year, the range of options means that you can choose a roller shade that will match your decorations all year round.

And, the low-profile design makes it easy to combine window treatments at any time of year. For example, for a sleek, simple look in summer, let the roller shade stand alone or combine it with a simple cassette cover for the roller bar. In the winter, you can hang drapes over and around the roller shade for a heavier, warmer look without loosing the versatility of light control.

Your options are endless!

Mini Blinds with Two Colors

Q: I want to buy new mini blinds for my daughter's apartment at college but her neighborhood requires all street-facing blinds to be white. Do I have any options besides getting her plain white mini blinds?

A: Thankfully, Hunter Douglas and Levolor make blinds that are colored on the inside and white on the outside. Like most other mini blinds, both of these blinds are made with aluminum slats that are great for creating quality shade and light control on a budget.

The Hunter Douglas lines of two-tone blinds are called Duotone and Lightlines. The Duotone blinds are standard 1” aluminum blinds with color on one side of the slat and white on the other. Lightlines are identical to Duotones except they give even more light control by eliminating the route holes in the slats. This can be especially useful for preventing unwanted glare on computer screens during late night study sessions.

Much like Lightlines, Levolor's Tiltone uses routleess slats that prevent unwanted light from entering the room. And, like their alternatives, Tiltone gives you a choice in colors for the inside of the room while still conforming to neighborhood regulations on the outside.

With Hunter Douglas and Levolor you can follow the rules and still have style!

Matching Cabinets – Stains for Wood Blinds

Q: My new home has beautiful cabinets installed in the kitchen and I'm hoping to get blinds to match. They're not a traditional color or stain and I'd love to keep everything consistent. Do manufactures have a wide range of stains I can look at and match?

A: Wood blinds come in a HUGE range of stain colors and can be painted to order depending on what slat size you want. For example, the Hunter Douglas Classic line of wood blinds has 35 stain options ranging from black, pale white, and blue to traditional chestnut, pecan, or maple. You can even order swatches of the blinds before you purchase in order to correctly match your existing cabinets.

In addition to a custom stain color, you might also want to consider adding a cloth tape to further personalize your blinds. These tapes run vertically down your blinds, hiding the route holes and reducing glare. They come in a wide range of colors and patterns that you can use to match the rest of your décor!

Drape-Like Shades

Q: Are there any shades or blinds that have the same soft richness as drapes? I love my drapes and the look of lose fabric, but I was hoping for a convenient solution. Any ideas?

A: Check out Roman Shades! Roman shades are unique to the shade and blind world and combine the soft appeal of fabric drapes with the simplicity and function of shades. There are a few different styles, too. While most people think of lose folds of fabric, roman shades actually come in a variety of styles that range from casual and lose to streamlined and modern. If you're looking for a very lose fabric look, try out hobbled or relaxed roman shades. If you want something more sleek and tailored, look for a classic flat style.

The best thing about roman shades is that they're available in a huge range of fabrics, textures, and patterns. You can even get them in light diffusing fabrics or have them lined to have shades that really darken your room. Either way you'll end up with a soft window treatment that appeals to both aesthetics and function.

Matching Specific Colors

Q: I'm pretty picky about my home and am having a hard time finding shades and blinds that match my color scheme. I'm open to different styles and types, I just want a certain color. Is there anywhere that can help me do this? Any help would be appreciated.

A: Great question! Color schemes are important and there's a really cool color finder here that can help match types of shades to your existing palette. While some people have an idea of the type of shade they want (ie roller, cellular, mini blinds, vertical, etc), others know the color or stain they'd like and are flexible with styles. If you know the general color you'd like, just pick the color and the color finder will help you find a shade or blind that matches that category.

Keep in mind that some of these shades come in both light filtering and room darkening styles. Once you choose the color and styles, you might also want to decide on the type of light control you'd like, too. There are lots of options, but the color finder is a good place to start if you're looking for a good match to your décor.

If you need an exact color, just ask for free samples. That way you're sure to get an exact match!

Color Options for Cellular Shades - Two Sided

Q: Hi, I'm looking at buying cellular shades and saw that some have options for different colors on the room side versus the outside. What does that mean and what are my options?

A: Since cellular shades are created by fusing layers of fabric together to create pockets of air to insulate your window, it gives manufacturers the ability to use different color fabrics on the inside and outside of the shade. For example, you might want blue cellular shades to match your rug but white to match the trim on your front porch. With double-sided shades, you get to have both!

Cellular shades are one of the few window treatments that come with this option and I think it's a great way to get the look you want both on the inside and outside of your home. Most times people order standard cellular shades that have white towards the outside and a decorative color on the inside. The white also helps reflect sunlight and improves the insulation qualities of the blinds and creates a clean exterior look.

Fabric Options Available on Roller Shades

Q: I wanted to know what fabric style options I have for roller shades. I like the minimalist style but don't like the traditional look of vinyl. What else is out there?

A: Roller shades have come a long way since their vinyl heritage and you can find them in all kinds of colors, patterns and textures. Hunter Douglas carries a lot of beautiful style and subtle prints that come in both light filtering and room darkening styles. These soft textures are great for bedrooms and living spaces and are perfect for picture windows and contemporary styles.

Roller shades really have a unique, low-profile design with a small footprint that maximizes window space. With all the different fabric options available, you're bound to find the perfect one!

Keep in mind, thought, that new vinyl shades aren't what they used to be. While vinyl roller shades are still durable and easy to clean, they're available in softer colors and textures that can accent any room. (And are perfect for high-traffic areas!)

Wood Blinds with Color

Q: I love real wood blinds but, well, my room is a bit dark to begin with and I'm hesitant about the darker grains of wood. The room is small and I would really like to brighten it up a bit. Do they come in lighter or more colorful styles?

A: Yes they do! And you'll see that wood blinds (and faux wood blinds) come in all sorts of great colors and stains. You can choose lighter natural woods like maple or get one with a painted finish. Just because you have wood blinds, doesn't mean you need to keep the color of the wood!

You'd be amazed at the variety of colors you can get on wood blinds. There's everything from white to dark greens and blacks. This gives you a great opportunity to match anything in your room or, like you said, brighten things up a bit to make the room look bigger. There are a ton a gorgeous soft paint colors available. That way you get the real wood look with a lighter touch.

Of course, if you change you're mind, you can always order the darker stains or real cherry or oak. They're beautiful!