Types of Window Coverings

There are plenty of fabulous options of ways to cover your windows, and the choices come down to two main things:

  1. Personal Esthetic: how do you want it to LOOK?
  2. Functionality: what do you want it to DO?

In our consultation, The Blonde can help you determine what is best for your windows and your lifestyle, but you can certainly start looking at options to determine what you like before we meet in person.

Blinds

Technically, blinds consist only of window coverings that tilt open and closed, so Horizontal Blinds (aka Venetian Blinds) and Vertical Blinds are the two types.

Horizontal Blinds

These have slats or louvers which run the direction of the horizon and tilt upward and downward to provide light control and privacy and can include wood or faux wood slats in various slat sizes, but typically they are 2” wide. PVC, aluminum and fabric Venetians are not really available for residential applications in Canada anymore, but can be used in commercial spaces. Now that the CWCR is in place, Horizontal Blinds must have cordless lift systems, the internal cords must not exceed 22cm in accessible length, and usually will have a wand or rod which twists to tilt the slats up and down. One downside of Horizontal or Venetian Blinds is that there are lots of horizontal surfaces on which dust can settle. Most custom wood and faux wood blinds are treated with an anti-static coating so they don’t attract the dust, but the cleaning is definitely something to consider when choosing this type of covering. That being said, these materials are more wipeable than fabric options, for example, so they can be a great option for bathrooms and kitchens, especially when windows are located right above the sink! (Think washing the big spaghetti sauce pot and not having to worry about staining your fabric shades!)

Vertical Blinds

These have vanes which run up and down and tilt side to side) include fabric, PVC or soft vinyl options, usually in a 3 ½” vane width. Verticals are a great solution for sliding patio doors, since the treatment opens the same way that the door does. The back of the vane should always face either the south or the west exposure, so you almost always see the front side of the vanes. We no longer do weights and chains on the bottoms of the vanes, as they are unsafe for kids and pets, as well as rather unsightly! Fabric and soft vinyl vanes will have sewn-in weights to keep the vanes straight, and hard PVC vanes don’t require weights as they are rigid. We won’t see cord and chain controls anymore, so you will usually have a wand that is used for both drawing and tilting the vanes.

Shades

Shades are a type of window treatment that don’t tilt open and closed. It is typically one piece of fabric that has one operation. Some examples of Shades include Cellular/Honeycomb Shades, Pleated Shades, Roller Shades, Roman Shades, Banded/Layered/Alternating/Dual (colloquially known as “Zebra”) Shades and Panel Shades.

Cellular or Honeycomb Shades

These are a fantastic option for a ton of different applications! If you look at the fabric from the side, you will understand why they are called Cellular/Honeycomb since the fabric is shaped as such. Additional benefits of these shades include energy efficiency/insulation since the cells trap air and act as a barrier against heat and cold! They are also usually white to the streetside/outside, which keeps them looking neutral and is great for curb appeal, and means they do not absorb heat from the sun. They can be sheer, semi-sheer, semi-opaque aka light filtering, light dimming aka room darkening, or blackout aka opaque. We like to say that no treatment is considered 100% blackout, but Honeycombs do a pretty darn good job! Some neat options with Cellular Shades include Day/Night or Two-Fabric Combination Shades (where you might have a sheer on the top and either semi-opaque or opaque on the bottom) or Top-Down, Bottom-Up aka Café Style, where you can lower the fabric from the top of the window or raise it from the bottom of the window. Both of these options give you the option to have more light coming in from the top of the window while keeping your privacy with the lower part of your window covered.

Pleated Shades

Sometimes known as Accordion Shades, these are similar to Cellular Shades, but are only one layer of fabric. Since they have cords running through the fabric, they are no longer available in Canada for residential applications because they are not child safe. Personally, I prefer the look of Honeycombs anyway, since the cords are encased within the fabric, resulting in a much tidier look.

Roller Shades

This is a very simple and classic window treatment with a very wide range of fabrics, opacities, colours, textures and patterns. The easiest way to imagine a Roller Shade is to think about a roll of paper towel. Rollers can cover very large windows, though there are limitations with some fabrics. You can have screen fabrics, which offer privacy during the day and some view-through, so these are a great option for offices and businesses, garages, acreages or any space where total privacy is not required. If anyone tells you “you can see out, but no one can see in,” that is true to a degree, but please don’t get naked with your lights on in front of Screen Roller Shades unless you want your neighbours to see you! We will happily explain more, and demonstrate the view-through in different lighting conditions, in your consultation. Like Cellulars, Roller Shades come in a very wide range of opacities, so various levels of privacy and light control can be achieved. Some fabrics will be the same front and back, and some will have neutral backsides. Rollers can have a a number of top treatment options as well, such as open-roll, cassette valances, fascia valances and more. Rollers can be cordless manual, have continuous chain loops with child safety shrouds, or motorized with hard-wired or rechargeable battery power. Working with an expert will help you determine the right combination of all of these options for your particular application! These are not your parents’ Roller Shades from a department store catalogue with the horrible spring-loaded operation that is so hard to control! Custom Roller Shades can be classic, elegant, modern, trendy, funky, and/or simple, but again, having a professional guide you through the often overwhelming jungle of options is your best bet.

Roman Shades

This is a beautiful and classic option for covering your windows. They are very elegant and can be made from nearly any type of fabric. Sometimes they are a flat version, and sometimes they are hobbled. There are definitely pros and cons to this interesting window treatment, but there is not really anything comparable if this is the look you are wanting. Romans come in a wide price range because there are so many options, from stiffer fabrics to softer ones, from sheer to opaque, and with absolutely unlimited custom embellishments! Do you want to add a fringe? How about edge banding? Crystal decorative pulls? If you have an unlimited budget and you can dream it, we can do it!

Zebra Shades

are made from one continuous piece of fabric with alternating sheer or mesh bands and semi-opaque or opaque bands, in two layers. Known by a number of different names, all of which describe the style in a different way, Banded Shades are a very modern and versatile window covering. As they are raised or lowered, Layered Shades alternate between the sheer bands lining up with each other giving you a view-through the sheer or mesh stripes and the semi-opaque or opaque bands overlapping for privacy and light control. Since Alternating Shades are made from two layers of the same fabric, one downfall is that they must be the same on the street side as they are to the room side. If you choose a purple Dual Shade, for example, it might look great in your room, but does the purple go with your siding? Maybe it faces the back of your home, and you don’t care what it looks like from outside, but if it faces the front, you might think more about the curb appeal (or lack thereof) of having purple window shades. (I actually love purple, don’t get me wrong, but it is not typically an exterior colour!) Also, when you choose a darker colour, keep in mind that it will absorb heat from the sun, as well as possibly fade from being in a south or west exposure, depending on the quality of your windows. Two layers of sheer bands may create a moire effect, which some people find problematic, where two layers of mesh will likely give you a better view-through, but can be less robust. Do you have kids? Pets? A husband who is less than gentle when moving the window coverings? These are all elements to consider when choosing the right fabric! A window coverings expert like “The Blonde” can help you navigate all of these options during your free consultation!

Panel Shades or Panel Track Shades

These are a simple and modern alternative for very wide windows or sliding patio doors. Often made with the same fabrics as Roller Shades, Panel Shades have a wide variety of fabric options in terms of opacity, as well as colour, texture, pattern, etc. There is a horizontal track, with wide, vertical panels of flat fabric, usually around 12” to 18” in width. A sliding patio door, for example, might have 5 panels, with a slight overlap when fully closed, and a stack-back of one panel when fully opened. The panels do not tilt, rather they slide either all to one side, or with an equal number of panels, you might opt for a centre split instead. Similar to a barn door, you must think about how the treatment stacks off the window opening, or if you don’t mind it covering part of the opening when the shade is fully opened. A true expert will be able to tell you exactly how wide your track will be, how wide the panels will be and how large the stack will be etc.

Conclusion

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