As you shop for the right window treatment for your space, you’re likely to come across many different terms. Among them are blackout and light diffusing. Whether you’re looking at blinds, shades, or curtains, you may continuously find these two labels, but what do they really mean and how will they affect your space once you get them up there?  

The Difference Between the Terms

Blackout shades do exactly what they sound like they do – they completely eliminate the light in a room. Blackout curtains are designed to do the same thing. In fact, any window covering that is labeled “blackout” is designed to wholly eliminate the natural light from that space. 

Light-diffusing shades, on the other hand, do something completely different. They help to control the level of sunlight that comes into a room. You get the cozy comfort of natural light without the glare and heat that the sun can sometimes bring. Light-diffusing blinds, shades, or curtains are all designed to create a soft glow as well as a little bit of privacy. 

Which Is Right For Your Space?

So, should you go with blackout window treatments or light-diffusing window treatments? It depends entirely on the room in which you’re considering. Bedrooms often need blackout shades or curtains, as the importance of complete darkness while you sleep has been continually proven. In your other living areas, though, you may want to consider a different kind of window covering. Light-diffusing shades or blinds can help let some sunlight in without giving the sun’s rays free access to your room to damage your furniture or flooring. 

At the Gallery of Shades, we specialize in helping customers just like you decide on the right window treatment for every space. With free consultation sessions and an expansive list of products to meet your needs, we can help you find the right window treatment. Learn more when you contact us today. 

If you’re like many people, you want your bedroom to be a sanctuary – a space where you can wind-down, relax, and enjoy your life. It sounds like a pretty simple concept, but the reality for many is far different. Bedrooms tend to be spaces where clothes, extra furniture, and books get dumped. Knick-knacks end up stacked everywhere, and it’s far too busy a place to really relax. How exactly can you go from a space like that to one that is truly a sanctuary away from the chaos day-to-day life often creates? It actually starts with your window treatments. 

Why The Right Window Treatment Matters

Your windows allow plenty of natural light into your space, and at times, that can be a real help, but in your bedroom sanctuary, you may need something different at times. From diffused, gentle light to privacy to complete blackout options for sleeping during the day, you want to be able to control the light that comes into your space, and the right window coverings can help you do just that. 

So, what bedroom window treatments are ideal in a space like this one? Think first about the way your windows face. North facing windows generally don’t get the sunlight other windows to do, so you may not need blackout bedroom curtains in that scenario. Once you’ve factored in light control, you may want to think about both the privacy level and the view you want from your sanctuary. 

Bedroom shades offer varying levels of privacy, so if you have nearby neighbors, you’ll want something that offers you complete privacy. If the view from your room is gorgeous, you’ll want to play that up with your bedroom window covering choice. Finally, think about the aesthetics of your choice. Whatever you get should be a reflection of both the style and mood of your bedroom sanctuary. 

Isn’t It More Than Windows?

Make no mistake, building the perfect bedroom sanctuary is about far more than windows. That’s just a good starting place. You’ll also want to factor in a number of other things. Here are a few you’ll want to consider. 

• Think calming colors: Paint color can actually change the entire mood of a room, so if you want to build the perfect sanctuary, think about the colors that relax you. Lighter colors tend to expand the space, while darker colors tend to create a cozy, defined space. Understanding the mood you’re trying to create will help define your color scheme. 
• Add Texture: Your bedroom is a great place to incorporate a number of different texture options. Grass weave shades, for example, can help create some warmth and add a new texture to help your bedroom have a richer, deeper feel than you initially imagined. 
• Stay Simple: The more stuff you have in the bedroom, the more crowded it’s likely to feel. Try to pare down to the absolute essentials in this space if you really want a cozy, comfortable feel. 

At the Gallery of Shades, we can help you address master bedroom window treatments to ensure you take the first step to create a bedroom sanctuary that is the peaceful retreat you’ve always wanted. 

It may be the last thing you think about cleaning, but that doesn’t make it any less important. Understanding how to clean window blinds, shades, and shutters means a chance to completely deep clean your house, but they’re not all cleaned in the same manner. Understanding how to clean each type can help you protect your treatments and make your entire home look great once again. 

Cleaning Shades

With many different types of shades, the cleaning can vary a bit from type to type. If you have typically vinyl roller shades, you’ll just want to dip a cloth or sponge in mild dish soap and water, then wipe it down in sections. Other types of shades, like sheer shades, Roman shades, cellular shades, and panel track shades can be treated with the vacuum’s dust brush tool. 

Cleaning Blinds

Cleaning blinds depends on exactly what type of blinds you have in your home. If you have wood blinds, you’ll want to treat them like a wood furniture in your house. Dust regularly with a soft, clean cloth. To effectively reach all of the spaces, lower the blinds completely, then tilt the slats closed. Begin dusting. Once you’re done with that side, tilt the slats the other way and dust again. If necessary, you can use a damp microfiber cloth to wipe the slats down. 

If you have aluminum or vinyl blinds, you can be a little less cautious. Use a damp microfiber you can wipe the slats clean while they’re closed using a side to side or top to bottom stroke. Switch the direction of the vanes, and do it again. If you need to, you can spray a bit of warm, soapy water on the vanes to help clean them. 

Cleaning Shutters

Understanding how to clean shutters is a bit different than understanding how to clean other window treatments. Initially, you’ll want to dust them on a regular basis. Use a clean, dry microfiber cloth. Work from the middle to the edges. You can make this process a bit quicker by closing the slats as you clean. 

For deeper cleaning, use the vacuum cleaner’s dust attachment. Be sure, though, that you don’t overlook the nooks themselves. If you’re having trouble getting dust out of the corners, a soft toothbrush can help. Just be sure not to rub too hard if there are any smudges. Just use light pressure or you could damage your shutters. Remember, if your shutters are wood, you’ll want to avoid any moisture, as it can shrink your wood unevenly. 

After cleaning, if you realize it’s time for something new in your home, contact us at Gallery of Shades! With a great selection of the best window covering options on the market today, we can help you find the perfect window treatment for every room in your house. 

As you consider the right window coverings for your home, you’re likely to come up against the age-old argument about window valances. After all, they’re more beautiful than function, and given the fact that they can look a bit outdated in many situations, most these days choose not to order window valence options with their window covering choices. That’s a shame because the best valances for windows can actually offer you something a little different. Take a look at a few advantages of adding window valances to your home. 

• Added Color: Some spaces just need a bit of color, and when you do that through a valance, you’ll get the look you want without added fabric. You can make your window a focal point without even trying thanks to a valance, and it could be just the bold statement you need in almost any room in your house. 
• A Style Shift: Valances come in many shapes and sizes from boxy and sturdy to swag. Often this can mean that you can add a touch of style without overwhelming the room completely. A valance can be an easy-to-implement choice that means you get just want you to want with one simple touch.
• Changing Balance: Have too much going in one space? A valance can help. By drawing the eyes up, you’ll help make any room feel just a little bit bigger, which is a must when you have lots of bold options that seem to overwhelm a smaller space. 
• Building Style: Homes and apartments these days are often light on architectural elements, but that doesn’t mean your space has to feel like it’s lacking those elements. Valances can actually add to your window, helping build a feeling of connection and size, even when they don’t really have it. 

Think a valance might be right for your home? Contact us at Gallery of Shades today! We create custom window valance ideas for every room in your home. 

Looking to make your home a bit smarter these days? It’s getting easier than ever. From electronic door locks to smart lamps and even smart appliances, it seems there are few things you can’t control from your phone. Add window coverings to that list. Thanks to advances in motorized vertical blinds, you could be looking at window coverings that you can raise, lower, or otherwise adjusted from an app on your phone. 

What to Consider

As you begin to shop for motorized vertical blinds for your smart home, there are several features you may want to consider. This guide can help. 

• Light Filtering and Privacy Options: As you get ready to shop, one of the first things you’ll want to consider is just how much privacy and light filtering power the choices on your list offer. Nearly every brand offers a different option, so if you’re looking for something for your bedroom, you’ll likely want something that has a blackout option. If, by contrast, you’re looking for something that allows you to control the level of light in a room, you might need something completely different. 
• Remote Control Access: While you certainly want a choice that allows for control from your phone or tablet, you may also want one with a remote control option. Imagine, for a moment, someone is house-sitting while you’re on vacation. A remote control might be perfect so your guest doesn’t have to download the app to handle light and privacy control. 
• Color: Not all motorized blind choices are created equally. Some brands offer multiple color options to help match any room in your home, but some are stuck with just one or two color choices. Shop for a variety of color palettes that best meet your needs. 
• Texture: You likely love custom draperies thanks to the different styles and textures available. Why should you have to skip that option just because you want smarter window coverings? Several brands offer a variety of textures, too, to better meet your stylistic choices in any given room. 

Ready to find the motorized vertical blinds that will meet the needs of your smarter home? Contact Gallery of Shades today. We’ll help you connect with the right option in a free consultation session!

Shopping for window coverings throughout your home is tough enough, but shopping for the right blinds for your bathroom can be downright frustrating. After all, you want the most possible privacy in your bathroom, but you might also want diffused natural lighting too.

More than that, though, you have to factor in the very different environment in your bathroom – heat and moisture can be problematic conditions for any window covering, and given that they’re omnipresent in the bathroom environment, finding a solution that can stand up to these two factors is absolutely key. Before you decide on the right window covering for your bathroom, you may want to consider these essentials.

Mildew Resistance

Bathrooms are the most susceptible space in your home when it comes to mildew. It can appear on your walls or tile, and one place it loves to appear is on your bathroom window covering. As a result, making certain you get a mildew resistant choice is absolutely key. There are mildew resistant blinds available with anti-microbial properties that can actually prevent mold and mildew from growing on the surface itself. This is an absolute must in a bathroom space. 

Heat Tolerance

Few spaces get quite as warm as the bathroom after a hot bath or shower, so you want to make certain you choose a window covering that can stand up to that heat. Faux wood blinds are a great choice because they offer you the elegant, classic feel you want with a level of heat resistance. They’re easy to clean, too, a must in any bathroom environment. 

Maximum Privacy 

Beyond the obvious need for heat and mold resistance, you’ll also likely want a window covering choice that offers you plenty of privacy. While not all blinds and shades offer you complete privacy, in the bathroom, you’ll want a solution that helps prevent anyone from seeing in even when the room is lit for the inside. Fortunately, you don’t have to go with a blackout solution to get the level of privacy you need. Instead, there are many options available today that offer you that privacy without completely eliminating the possibility of natural light in the bathroom.

Shopping for the perfect solution to meet your needs? Contact Gallery of Shades today. We offer free consultation sessions and many different options in our showroom. We’ll help you find the best choice to meet your needs whether you’re looking for bathroom blinds or a whole-house solution. 

Unique window coverings. Is it even possible anymore? After all, shades, blinds, and shutters have been around for centuries in one form or another, so are there actually any real innovations that can take place in this industry any more? Absolutely, and Hunter Douglas has done it with the best-motorized window treatments on the market today. Meet the newest innovation from this window covering giant – Silhouette Motorized PowerView Shades.

What Are They?

Silhouette PowerView shades are smart technology in a window covering. Fully motorized shades, they have the ability to move the harsh sunlight that so often hits your windows and damages the interior of your home into diffused natural lighting that will emphasize your home’s best features.

Thanks to S-shaped fabric vanes that seem to float between two panels of sheer fabric, you can manage both the light coming into your home and your level of privacy with the push of a button. These remote control shades can even be managed from your phone. The vanes themselves can tilt like a plantation shutter might, and they can disappear completely should you decide you want the view outside to trump your beautiful shades. Available in various vane sizes, different fabric colors, and textures, they’re ideal for any room in your home.  

Understanding the Advantages

The advantages of this option are enormous. They offer a contemporary look that includes soft fabric vanes that are completely adjustable, so you control the amount of light in any space. The vanes tilt and diffuse the sunlight in spaces. Should you decide you want the full effect of the sunlight in a given space, the Silhouette shades raise and disappear into the headrail.

A room darkening panel can lie behind the Silhouette shades in the same headrail to give you the privacy and light control you need in any bedroom. Thanks to the PowerView App, you can control and program your window treatments to meet your needs, even when you’re not home. It’s a smart home feature you’re absolutely going to want. 

Ready to Purchase These Remote Control Shades for Your Home?

If you think these sound like the best-motorized window treatments on the market today, give us a call now. We’ll schedule an in-home consultation to make sure you get exactly what you need in your home!

Shopping for blinds? If this is the first time you’ve ever looked at blinds, you might notice one key difference while you shop – you can get both vertical and horizontal blinds in almost every size and shape available. It’s a confusing choice, and for a first-time window covering purchasers, you may be left wondering, “What are the best blinds for my space?”

Fortunately, it’s fairly easy to understand the difference between vertical and horizontal blinds, and with this guide, you’ll easily be able to find the best blinds for your home. 

The Basic Differences Between Vertical and Horizontal Blinds

At the heart of this difference is the fact that one choice includes vertical slats while the other has horizontal slats. The differences, though, actually go a bit deeper than that. While horizontal blinds come in a variety of materials – from faux wood blinds to typical aluminum and plastic mini blinds – vertical blinds tend to come with either fabric or plastic vanes. There are a few other key differences.

Horizontal blinds tend to come in smaller sizes than vertical blinds do. There is a limit to how long and wide horizontal blinds can be. Vertical blinds can be far bigger. Horizontal blind vanes also tend to be smaller while vertical blind vanes can come in sizes of up to several inches. While there are many differences between the two, there are also a number of similarities.

Both of these options offer a cordless variety for safety these days, and both come in a number of different colors and options to complement any room. 

What are the Best Blinds for My Space?

So, what blinds will actually work for your home? It depends a bit on what you want. You’ll want to first consider the size. Siding doors typically use vertical blinds due to their sheer size. A small bathroom window, though, would likely use horizontal blinds. If either would work in a given space, you might want to consider the direction of the sun on that window. Vertical blinds are usually used when the window faces east or west.

Horizontal blinds are usually placed on windows that face north and south. The reason for this is simple. They can be adjusted to better match the angle of the sun. Privacy should also be a consideration in this equation. Vertical blinds tend to allow a bit more light through, and if you bump into them, they can remain open slightly. Horizontal blinds, on the other hand, offer total control. 

Making the Choice

Still not sure which might be right for your space? Contact us today. With free consultation sessions, we’ll help you find the right choice for your home. 

Honeycomb shades are the wave of the future! They’re great for your home and business, and have a lot of different perks to help you maximize the use of your space: they can help you regulate the light level of your room, they can save on energy costs for your home, they can help to save our ecosystem, and they can even spruce up a dull space. Need to explore a few more benefits of the best honeycomb shades on the market? Take a look. 

Why are These Shades So Great?

Hunter Douglas PowerView honeycomb shades, or Duette shades, are some of the best honeycomb shades on the market. They work with folds or “honeycombs” to help regulate light. Each section of the shade folds into a honeycomb, creating a great way to delicately affect the light level of your room. These shades can also help insulate your home- the air pockets formed in each folded honeycomb help to keep your house at the temperature you want, all the time. Some shades even come with specific options to help you control the light level of your room, and these are even motorized, so you don’t even have to hassle with getting your blinds tangled while trying to raise and lower them.

A Delicate Touch

Even better, these powerful honeycomb shades just need a little to be the best shades you’ve ever bought! They don’t have to just come from the top of your window- you can set your shade to rise up from the bottom of the sill, or even set it somewhere in the middle to allow for all the sunlight you want- or even none of it! Depending on the opacity of your shade, your room might be able to look like midnight, even in the middle of the day! If you’re looking for the best kind of honeycomb shade, you should check out Hunter Douglas PowerView honeycomb shades, for the best coverage you can get.

Strange Shapes

But wait- there’s even more that these great shades can do! If you have a strangely-shaped window, like an arch or an a-frame, it can be hard to find the right blinds to fit your needs. But with power honeycomb shades, the shades can be built around your window to find the perfect fit! You don’t need to worry about finding the right shades or getting them tangled around your strangely-shaped windows, because motorized honeycomb shades never tangle and can raise and lower on their own.

To learn more about just how powerful this option can be, visit our showroom in Scottsdale or give us a call today at 480-643-0014.