Whether you're moving into or redecorating your new San Diego home, different types of window treatments can enhance your interior design. In particular, these window treatments can change the look and feel of a room. If you plan on adding new windows in San Diego, you'll want to consider window treatments as well. Here's a guide on the different types of window treatments you may want to look into:
What is a Window Treatment?
A window treatment is a covering placed around a window to create a desired functional or aesthetic effect. Window coverings come in many styles like blinds, curtains, glass blocks, or drapes that can alter a room's lighting, energy efficiency, privacy, and temperature. Custom window treatments can provide functional home comforts and make your home decor stand out.
Factors to Consider When Choosing Window Treatments
When choosing a window treatment for your San Diego home, consider how it could affect your space. For example, window treatment can provide the following:
- Level of privacy: Window treatments are an excellent way to enhance the privacy of your home. Curtains or frosted glass can keep people from peaking inside your home, giving you total privacy in your bedroom, living room, or bathroom.
- Amount of light: Carefully consider the type of lighting you want in your home before choosing your window treatment. If you enjoy the natural light in your dining room, opt for a sheer curtain for minimal light control instead of a room-darkening option like blackout curtains or other types of thick drapery.
- Temperature control: If your room gets too cold from the breeze, the window treatments can keep out the draft and maintain a cozier temperature in your home. Conversely, if the room gets too hot, especially in the San Diego summer, treatments with thermal backings keep out the hot air, ensuring your room is more temperate. Energy efficiency is important to consider when selecting window treatments, as a more insulated room will need less air conditioning or heat.
- Decor: Most window treatments serve a functional purpose, but you may also use them purely for decoration.
Wood or Faux Wood Blinds
Add dimension and depth to your interior space with wood or faux wood blinds. This window treatment option can add a lux, modern feel to any room and can be easier to clean than fabric window treatments.
Wood blinds offer the rich aesthetic appeal of wood shutters without the expenses or heavyweight. A timeless decor option, wood blinds add a warm, welcoming feel to any room. They are typically made of eco-friendly hardwood and are built to last a long time. Real wood blinds come in a wide selection of rich stains and finishes. They are also available in different slat sizes and come in both custom and readymade options. Like all blinds, they are ideal for bedrooms, home offices, and living rooms. Avoid installing wood blinds in rooms that contain high humidity, such as bathrooms.
Faux wood blinds offer the same benefits as wood blinds at a budget-friendly price. Faux blinds are scratch-resistant, easy to clean, and low-maintenance. They're ideal for rooms with high humidity because they won't crack, warp or peel, even in bathrooms. Faux wood blinds come in everything from dark wood to bright white looks. More flexible than wood blinds, they bend without breaking. However, the heavier weight can make them harder to hang than genuine wood blinds.
Vertical Blinds
Wider and tall windows are the most common uses for vertical blinds. Usually made of vinyl, vertical blinds are affordable and low-maintenance. Closed, vertical blinds offer great privacy. They operate on a sliding track that pushes the blinds out of the way to one side. They may feature vanes that tilt open. Vertical blinds are made of faux wood and durable synthetic materials. Vertical blinds may include custom options, including:
- S-shaped slats can mimic the curves of drapes. They add a soft touch while providing great privacy and light control.
- Vanes can open from the left, right, or middle of your window. Pick the option that fits your existing space.
- A back stacker feature enables the vanes to be pulled from the back. This reduces vane sway.
Vertical Panels
Vertical panels are perfect for larger windows. Comparable size horizontal shades and blinds can sometimes be too heavy and big to operate. Vertical panels are also a visually appealing option for patio entrances and sliding glass doors. They are available in vinyl, wood, woven wood, and many fabric varieties. In particular, sheer soft verticals have slats that hang vertically rather than horizontally. They provide unmatched control over large amounts of light and are great light diffusers. Additionally, vertical-type shades are constructed from an energy-efficient honeycomb fabric. They look similar to cellular shades, except they function using a sliding track. This lets you easily adjust the lighting in your home.
Mini Blinds
Mini blinds are a very popular option among San Diego homeowners. Mini blinds are lightweight and come in nearly every color. They are useful, especially in homes that have a lot of windows. The quality of aluminum is often measured in gauges. The higher the gauge, the more durable and thicker the blind. High-quality mini blinds won't have slats or vanes that snap or bend with Use.
Mini blinds are available in 1/2-inch, 1-inch, and 2-inch vane sizes. Because mini blinds are metal, they can be noisy in the window. Options such as routeless mini blinds feature a cloth tape construction that raises or lowers the blind. These types of blinds will close tighter, thus can create dark spaces.
Roller Shades
Roller shades offer a large variety of options for color and texture. Create privacy and block light when needed. The retracted shade stores neatly at the top of your window when not needed. Roller shades roll down and up by pulling. They offer a nostalgic yet chic look. Roller shades come in many opacities and fabrics. They are available in patterns, textures, and colors.
Some modern roller shades are constructed from solar screen fabrics. This special sheer fabric filters light while reducing glare. Solar shades control solar heat gain and block harmful UV radiation. They add protection that can keep furniture and other decorative fabrics from fading.
Solar and roller shades can be paired in tandem with some roman or cellular shades. When the roller shade is installed behind another blind or shade, it provides extra light control.
Solar Shades
Save on energy costs with solar shades to filter out strong sunlight on hot summer days. Similar to regular roller shades, they store neatly at the top of your window when not in use. Solar shades feature an opaque design that enables you to preserve your outside view while providing excellent light control. Available in openness factors ranging from 3 to 14%, you'll choose a higher openness to allow more light and preserve your view in your home.
Roman Shades
Make a statement with Roman shades, a classic window treatment option. Choose any fabric and style to suit other design elements in the room. Roman shades are tailored fabric shades, and they combine the flowing look of draperies with ease of Use as a lifting shade. A Roman shade produces soft, horizontal folds when it is lowered. They come in flat, pleated, hobbled, or relaxed fold styles. Roman shades are an affordable alternative to drapery. They are available in a wide selection of rich colors and patterns.
Cellular Shades
Cellular shades are designed with fabric-like pleats that run up and down. Popular types of window shades usually have a 3/8-inch double cell honeycomb design, which can insulate and regulate room temperature. These shades are compact when lifted, providing a clear exterior view so that you can enjoy the beautiful weather of San Diego. Cellular shades work great with cordless controls, which are pet and child safe. You can also customize the energy efficiency of these shades by choosing single, double, or triple cell honeycomb construction.
Pleated Shades
Pleated shades have a similar look as cellular shades but without a distinct honeycomb design. They simply fold like an accordion when it's raised. Pleated shades are one of the easiest window treatments to install and operate. Pleated shades are an elegant and style option. They come in many colors and decorative fabrics. Some brands offer custom pleat sizes to fit your decor style.
Outdoor Shades
Outdoor or exterior shades protect and cool patios, decks, sunrooms, or porches. They block harsh light, wind, and dust from getting inside your beautiful home. Outdoor shades have reinforcing hardware to prevent flapping and billowing in windy conditions. They are made from high-quality and woven in all-weather fabrics. They come in whites, blacks, greys, and various opacities.
Outdoor shades are chosen primarily on their openness factor. A shade's openness factor determines how much you can see through it. The higher the openness factor, the more UV rays the material can block. Openness factors range from 5 percent to 20 percent or more.
Sheer Shades
Sheer shades combine softness and structure. They have horizontal fabric vanes that float between two layers of sheer fabric. Sheer shades give good privacy during the day. However, at night, indoor lighting can make them transparent. We recommend adding a second layer of drapery to supplement your sheer shades.
Sheer shades feature a built-in continuous cord loop that is controlled and tilts the slats. When the slats are open, the room is filled with a beautiful warm, diffused glow. When the vanes are closed, they can serve as room-darkening or light-filtering shades.
Consider pairing sheer shades with cellular or Roman shades. Instead of a clear gap when the top is rolled down, there is a sheer shade that lowers to fill the space.
Woven Shades
Woven wood shades bring an inviting and relaxed look. Woven wood shades are made of ropes, twines, rattan, hemp, and reeds. They are all natural and eco-friendly. Also called matchstick blinds or bamboo shades, woven wood adds texture and earthiness to a space.
A woven wood shade's light and privacy benefits depend on its weaving style. The thicker the weave, the less transparent it'll be. The thinner the weave, the more light passes through. Choose between blackout, light-filtering water-resistant, and thermal liners. The street side of the liners is white to maximize curb appeal.
Shutters
Shutters are a classic type of window treatment. A shutter is made of horizontal slats or louvers in a frame. Pick between the following louver sizes: 1 1/4-inch, 2 1/2-inch, 3 1/2-inch, or 4 1/2-inch. Generally, the larger a louver, the more light the shutter provides. However, it also means less privacy as well.
Wood shutters are usually made of hardwoods or faux wood in various finishes. Some shutters may also be made with fabric, glass, or solid panels. Some have a tilt rod control, but many can't be raised or lowered. Traditional plantation shutters offer wide slats. Shutters may be customized to fit unusual window sizes and shapes.
Custom Drapes
Custom drapes are elegant and insulating, allowing you to create unique window treatments or cater to unconventional window shapes and sizes. Custom drapery panels can be used in any room in your home. They are usually sold in pairs and hung on a single rod. Drapes are attached to the rod by rod pockets, clips, grommets, or hooks. Drapes can be easily opened or closed from the left, right, or middle. They can be operated by cord or hand.
Drapes are paired with other types of window treatments, like valances. A valance hangs just a few inches from the top of the window. Typically, decorative valances, like drapes, come in everything from light linens to luxury velvet fabrics. The colors and textures are virtually endless.
If you're getting new windows, it's worth dressing them up to enhance the look and functionality of your home. At US Window and Door, we can help you with your window installation. Pairing the right windows with window treatments can complete the look of your home. Get your home improvement project right. Contact US Window and Door for new windows in San Diego and schedule a free in-home estimate today!
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