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| Living
In Style Newsletter |
| February,
2007 |
Volume
3, Issue 2 |
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| "Our
Passion is Your Window Fashion" |
NEWSLETTER
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up to be notified for our Newsletter.
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| Sales and Promotions |
| *10% off all Graber Products Through March 31st. |
| *Free Routless and free crown valance on Plantation Shutter Blinds. |
| *Free Routless and free crown valance on Woodwinds Privacy Plus, Woodwinds Reed Flat, and S-Curve blinds. |
| *Free Top Down Bottom Up on Serenade Roman Shades. |
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Window treatments in a child's room deserve special consideration. Beyond the choices of color, style, and pattern, are the basic safety and function issues. Many home experts recommend avoiding long draperies in a child's room, especially during the years when they are crawling and learning to walk. It is all too easy for small children to grab onto long flowing fabrics, with a danger of pulling the hardware down.
Cord hardware on blinds is one area where major improvements have been made. Ask for newer breakaway and safety cord options when purchasing blinds for a child's bedroom and perhaps throughout your home. Here are some great options in window treatments for children’s rooms.
• Keep things simple. Window treatments for a child's room should be as light and airy as possible.
• Avoid long "to the floor" draperies for very young babies and children. Go for shades, blinds, or shorter curtains instead. Be especially careful about installation and hardware choices when windows are in close proximity to cribs, beds, shelves, or other furniture. For example, a changing table placed near a window can offer tempting opportunities for a child to grab fabrics, pull on cords, or twist mini-blind slats. |
• Soft fabric shades with blackout linings are custom-made to fit a window. Raise them completely for light or view then lower them for privacy and light control
• Mini-blinds or wood blinds will also control light somewhat, with Most of these changes will happen in the month of January. However if you are interested in any of the new products or fabrics, just call us and we can send you some samples. If you want a window treatment that we do not have on our site, please call as well. Many times we have several options that we do not put on our site because of complicated ordering processes for that particular product. If we do not carry a product, we will find someone who does for you! It’s all about our customers at BlindsOnSale.com a cleaner, more contemporary look than fabric shades. |
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• Old-fashioned roller shades can be a good choice for a nursery. They can be ordered in light blocking versions and can be raised out of the way during the daytime to allow natural sunlight into the room.
• A fabric valance offers a way to repeat fabrics in the room as well as add color and style. Choose gathered or ruffled styles for girls, plain or tailored box pleats for boys.
• Cornice boxes can be ordered in many Most of these changes will happen in the month of January. However if you are interested in any of the new products or fabrics, just call us and we can send you some samples. If you want a window treatment that we do not have on our site, please call as well. |
Many times we have several options that we do not put on our site because of complicated ordering processes for that particular product. If we do not carry a product, we will find someone who does for you! It’s all about our customers at BlindsOnSale.com styles from a drapery workroom. Or build your own box inexpensively out of stock lumber. Paint, molding, and wallpaper or fabric panels can customize the look for your room decor.
• Cornice boxes hide blind or shade hardware, but can also be designed to provide a theme area or display shelf space.
• If you use a fabric on your window treatment, try to repeat that fabric around the room in at least 3 or 4 other places -- on chair seats, pillows, quilts, bed skirts or a table runner. |
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Privacy is a Prerequisite |
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Window treatments can baffle even experienced home decorators. Overwhelmed by a huge variety of choices in material, fabric, color, size, options, and hardware, where do you start? You start with the basics: privacy, light control, function, and style.
Paying attention to these four elements can give your project a sense of direction, and combining window treatments in intelligent ways can accomplish the necessary functional aspects as well as contribute to a room's style.
Let's take a look at each of the main factors in window covering choices and see which treatments can be most successful in each case. Privacy.
Perhaps the only people who don't need privacy in window treatments are those who have homes in the forest, far from prying eyes. |
For the rest of us, however, privacy can be a major issue. If you have a bathroom window that looks directly into your neighbor's hallway, you need privacy. When your dining room looks out on a busy sidewalk, street corner, or a community pool, you want privacy.
To get it you'll need to choose window treatments that offer complete opaque covering. Here are some good choices for privacy:
• Fabric or Roller Shades generally offer complete window coverage. Most roller shades are made of vinyl or fabric that is usually opaque, while fabric shades (Roman, balloon) are lined and custom made to your exact window measurements. |
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• Curtains and Draperies, when closed, will also close off the view. Add linings that will add to the opacity and durability, and arrange the center overlap to eliminate open spots.
• Pleated and cellular shades (in non-sheer materials) have full glass coverage for privacy. Many styles can be ordered with a "top down" feature, so a portion of the glass can be visible at the top of the window to let in light and have a view. Sheer curtains and draperies may afford a bit of daytime privacy, however at night most will turn practically transparent with indoor lighting. |
• If you love sheers, but want privacy, then use shades underneath for privacy after dark.
• Mini Blinds, wood blinds, and shutters will all provide a nearly private environment. Be aware, however, that with each of these there is a small possiblity of seeing through the slats at certain angles.
• Cellular shades (in non-sheer fabrics) can add privacy and many have insulating benefits as well. |
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Counting Benefits Instead of Sheep: How Blackout Linings Help You Sleep and Save Money |
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What began as an amenity in commercial settings over thirty years ago has become more than a convenience in residential settings today. When blackout linings first made an appearance in hotels, the commercial market, and others, they were coarse and stiff. The linings did the job, allowing travelers adequate sleep regardless of time of day, but the plastic-like nature of the antiquated blackout linings limited them to commercial use. Over the years, consumers started asking how they might get blackout linings in their own homes, and some fabric manufacturers answered their call. |
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In the last five to seven years, there’s been a surge of increased blackout lining use in residential settings, says Stanley Fradin, president of Rockland Mills division of Rockland Industries, in Baltimore, MD. The linings are much softer and more droppable these days. Fradin tells us, creating what he likes to call “a marriage of fashion and function.”
Recognizing the need for pleasing aesthetics in the realm of blackout window treatments, Rockland Mills has created an entire line of blackout fabrics. The line includes 37 different colors, and Rockland Mills can print the fabrics for added versatility. Fradin points out that consumers are using blackout fabrics in their bedrooms for a better night’s sleep, and are now putting them in children’s rooms for better nap times. As an added benefit, says Fradin, the heavy, non-breathable fabric has turned out to be an energy saver. No one knows this better than the people at Hanes Fabric Company, a finisher, converter, and distributor of woven fabrics based in Conover, NC. |
“We are always asking ourselves, ‘what are the big issues, and how do we meet the needs of our customers surrounding these issues?” says Tim Allen, marketing manager for Hanes Fabrics. An issue of great concern to consumers is the rising cost of energy, as well as the rising costs of heating and cooling your home. Hanes Fabrics set out to tackle this problem, and the result was the developments of its TempAssure program- a product line designed to have a direct, tangible benefit for the end user.
Allen says that Hanes Fabrics knew that blackout fabrics had an energy-saving aspect to them, but even they were surprised by the results when they sent the TempAssure products to an independent laboratory for testing. “Depending on the type and number of linings you use,” says Allen, “you can receive anywhere from 43-310% improvement over unlined fabrics.” Todd Hoover, business unit manager for Hanes Fabrics, says that in addition to the energy-saving aspect of the blackout linings, there are other benefits as well. |
The products protect furnishings, flooring, and artwork from sun damage. In bedroom treatments, they provide a better sleep environment. Helping customers get better sleep was a driving force behind the development of a variety of blackout linings at Morgan Textiles Inc., a converter and distributor of non woven textiles products.
Experts stress the benefits and importance of a good nights sleep. Many of these experts will go on to explain the number-one reason for interrupted sleep is some form of light disturbance. People have many different light related reasons for interrupted sleep, such as an east-facing bedroom window, street lights too close to their window, or the simple fact that they reside in southern states, where the sunlight is more piercing. |
Whatever the reason, an iron-on blackout lining will quickly and effectively remedy the problem. By nature of adding another layer to draperies, a person is also adding another sound barrier as well.
Whether you use an iron-on blackout or a free-hanging one, whether you line your draperies with energy-saving linings, whether you’d prefer a solid blackout fabric or printed fabric, blackout linings will prove to be energy efficient and effective light blockers. They’ll help protect furnishings, flooring, and artwork. All this adds up to peace of mind, and lets you rest easy. Sleep tight! |
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Designer Tips and Trade Secrets -
An interview with the author of “The Curtain Bible” |
Katrin Cargill
 
Katrin Cargill is an internationally recognized photo journalist and author, who contributes to such magazines as Victoria, Country Home, British Homes & Gardens and several leading newspapers. She is also the design consultant for Shaker Ltd. Her previous books include the successful Fabrications, Pure Country, Swedish Style, The Home Furnishings Workbooks, Simple Curtains, Pillows, and many more. |
One of Katrin Cargill's first pieces of advice is to "always look at the basic design and proportion of a house, a piece of furniture, or a floor plan. No amount of decoration, fabric, paint or money will make a room look wonderful if the basic architecture is wrong.
A sofa with bad proportions will never look good even if you cover it with the best fabric money can buy. I would far rather spend money on getting the basics right, then adding simple pieces be they antique or new. |
I also love colour, am drawn to it instinctively. I love pattern, but used sparingly." She suggests that the best way to begin sewing for your home is "to start with simple unlined curtains with a tape heading, or even a 'quick sew' roll-up blind. The instructions for these are clear and easy to follow, and will give you a tremendous sense of satisfaction to make." She also advises that novices might start with plain fabrics (rather than patterns), and to look for wider fabrics that won't require a lot of extra seams.
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| In determining what window treatments might be best for your window she says to "remember that curtains can be used not just to keep light in or out, or maintain privacy, but also to alter the visual proportions of a window. Thus, if a window is particularly low or squat, hang the curtains high to |
give the illusion of better proportions." Katrin says she also tries to match the window to the type of curtain that will go on it. She prefers "simple curtains that aren't too full, or heavily lined" using a cotton check, stripe, or a simple floral. As for color choices, Katrin advises that |
"if you already have several colours in a room, it is perhaps better to use a plain neutral colour on the windows, or maybe to pull out the dominant colour of the room to try and unify it. A busy wallpaper, for example, will look better with unpatterned curtains. |
A strongly patterned rug might be enhanced by pulling a colour from it and repeating it at the windows. Plain walls and neutral carpeting will give you a bit more room for pattern and colour." |
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Creating a Haven for Rest |
Is your bedroom conductive to rest, relaxation, and sleep, or has it become a storeroom for extra clutter? With the emphasis today on living a more health-conscious lifestyle, the role of the bedroom is significantly changing. It’s no longer a simple place to house a bed and store clothes. The new emphasis is to provide a tranquil, peaceful sanctuary for creating a restful place for quality sleep.
Recent studies have shown that getting a good night’s sleep not only is essential to our productivity and ability to cope with daily stress, but it’s also equivalent in magnitude as diet and exercise is for the health and wellness of our bodies. We all may realize sleep is essential, but we seem to shortchange ourselves by not acquiring the recommended seven to eight hours per night or by not providing ourselves with an adequate sleeping environment. |
Both of these can cause chronic sleep loss, which left untreated can contribute to health problems such as high blood pressure, weight gain, and a decrease in the immune system’s power.
So what can you do to improve your sleep and correct this problem? First, make your sleeping hours a priority, and second, redesign your bedroom into a restful retreat-one that relaxes and encourages sleep. Simple factors such as color, lighting, and clutter can influence your ability to unwind for a restful night’s sleep.
Fortunately, it doesn’t take a major renovation to create a sleep friendly environment. Just these steps can transform your room. |
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“Sleep is that golden Chain that ties health and our bodies together.” -Thomas Dekker
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CONTROL THE LIGHT
The amount of light in the bedroom is perhaps one of the most important elements in creating a relaxing atmosphere and generating a good night’s sleep. Our brains have an internal clock that regulates the balance between sleep and wake time. Light dramatically affects this balance. Bright light stimulates the brain for the waking hours; to prepare our brain for sleep and the production of melatonin, a natural hormone associated with deep sleep, experts recommend using dimmer switches, low-wattage bulbs, and candles. To help sustain your sleep throughout the night, use opaque curtains or shades to eliminate any outside light or window glare. |
CLUTTER AND SPACE
Open and uncluttered space provides for a better nights sleep. A bedroom overcrowded with furniture, exercise equipment, computer, laundry, and “stuff” reduces your ability to relax. Make an effort to remove all unnecessary items and furniture, consolidate clothing, and keep the bedroom clean and simple. This will help transform your bedroom into a peaceful oasis.
COMFORTABLE MATTRESS
If your mattress is more than ten years old, you may want to consider investing in a new one. |
It won’t matter how peaceful and calming your bedroom has become if you toss and turn all night in an uncomfortable bed. If a new mattress is momentarily out of the question, try a feather or memory foam mattress topper. These can help revive your old mattress and cure the nighttime tossing aerobics.
Relaxing Scents
The final touch in creating your haven for rest is filling the air with calming and relaxing scents. Several fragrances, such as lavender or rose are considered rest promoting. Sweet dreams! |
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BlindsOnSale Roller Shades |
Now that spring is hovering on the horizon, the pleasures of increasing sunlight mingle with the threat of increasing UV radiation. The warnings linking UV exposure to skin cancer have elevated awareness about the human health risks of too much sun, but your home doesn't like too much sun either.
UV rays can damage your upholstery, your art, and even your fine wood furniture. The solution: Remodeling your windows with roller shades to protect your home from UV damage as you would your own skin.
The New Roller Shades
Automated window shades, AKA roller shades, manage sunlight by raising and lowering to let in the optimum light while controlling glare, UV radiation, and solar heat gain. Automated shades are essentially fabric wrapped around a motorized tube; they can be raised or lowered at the push of a button. |
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| If you've rejected roller shades for your home windows because you didn't like their bulky business building look, now's the time to give them a second chance. Contemporary roller shades fit into a 3.5"x3.5" pocket, making them suitable for narrow spaces. They fit even the tallest window as well. |
Remodeling with Roller Window Shades
Whether you're installing a new home theater and want a blackout shade or you're creating a fresh, streamlined look for your windows, a controllable window treatment system will suit your needs. |
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| You'll have more choices than you can imagine, since companies like BlindsOnSale offer more than 100 styles to choose from. If your remodeling involves custom fabrics, BlindsOnSale will even make one-of-a-kind window shades using your material. You'll get custom operation to match your custom design too. |
If you don't want your interiors to have the look of last year's faded outdoor furniture, protect them from UV damage with attractive automated window shades. One last plus? You'll be able to watch TV before sundown when you banish the glare with window shades. |
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Credits |
BlindsOnSale.com
thanks, Hunter Douglas, Comfortex, Graber,
and Better Homes and Gardens.
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About Our Organization |
| You will enjoy shopping here because, BlindsOnSale.com is a family owned and operated business based in Oklahoma City. We have been in the blind industry for over thirty years, and work with some of the top designers and name brands. We back every product with a limited warranty and guarantee the quality of our products. |
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