Spring. Finally time to open up the windows again and breathe in fresh, delicious air. However as spring and summer roll around, the sun’s rays get stronger and it’s time to think about protecting your home against UV rays as well as the sun’s heat. Spring shades and blinds bring in style to a home and help insulate against the sun’s heat.

Insulating blinds don’t just mean offering insulation from the cold, they also offer insulation from the heat of the sun. Choosing the right window treatment for spring can help keep air conditioning costs down and help you feel more comfortable in your home.

Here are the Top Five Window Treatments for Spring:

1. Solar screen shades. Solar screen shades protect against the sun’s rays. They help control light, privacy and heat that enters. They come in various openness factors, which refers to how much view you can retain, or the amount of open space in the weave.

2. Soft Sheer Shades. These window treatments come in light filtering or total privacy options. They are made of durable nylon and polyester. While they offer a soft, summery appearance to the eye, they are in fact, very durable. They offer excellent light control and are Greenguard certified.

3. Bamboo Shades or Woven Wood Shades. These are prefect for letting warm breezes filter through the home while effectively blocking the sun’s harsh rays. They can be paired with a privacy liner for better energy efficiency. Bamboo shades come in a variety of stains and patterns for a uniquely exotic feel.

4. Roller Shades. Roller Shades are now soft to the touch. These are classic window treatments that allow maintenance of views while blocking UV rays that can damage a home.

5. Honeycomb cellular shades. These shades have become extremely popular for insulating against the cold, but they don’t get as much kudos for insulating against the heat, which they do equally well. The higher end products allow for a federal tax rebate. With top-down, bottom-up options, you get to control view, light and glare reduction.

Don’t waste another minute before buying spring shades. If you’re updating your home, remodeling, or sprucing up your home for sale, new window treatments are a cost effective way to not only change the look of your house, but improve energy efficiency and reduce glare and heat.

Want to find out more about custom window shades, then visit Blinds Chalet for the best selection on blinds, shades and window treatments.

Considering window treatments as art may seem like a strange thing to do, but if you really think about it, it makes a lot of sense. Windows are a huge part of any room. They let light in, they affect how bright a room is, how comfortable a room is depending on how energy efficient they are and more. Some people may be in the market for new blinds and others may be remodeling after purchasing a new home. Whatever the reason, before you go out and buy the simple, practical solutions for window treatments, consider your options for turning window treatments into art.

If you’re ready to update, set aside some time when you aren’t too busy to take a look at the different styles, fabrics and colors available. If you already have a color scheme you are working with, that can help you narrow down your choices. If you’re rushed, you may feel overwhelmed with the amount of choices available to you. The following are a few ways to change up your home and turn it into art.

The following ideas can turn window treatments into art:

1. For those looking for energy efficient blinds, cellular blinds are your best bet, however the color selection can be limited and the look is simple, but not exciting. To spice up your windows, pair energy efficient blinds with custom drapery. This is where you can add your own personal flair. Decorative curtain holders can elegantly frame the window with the drapes, and when closed you have an additional layer of insulation.

Use a contrasting color to the rest of the interior design. Consider adding a bright bold color through fashionable window treatments like roman shades. Be sure to use a matching valance for a complete, finished look to the window treatment.

For an exotic look, pair bamboo or woven wood curtains with decorative window tapes. The window tapes frame the window, protect the window treatments and can utilize either bright bold colors or patterns, creating a frame for the window, or they can use neutral colors for a more subtle effect.

4. For a more east coast look, consider shutters. They are easy to adjust depending how much light you want in the room while adding a quaint feel to the home. Shutters are a great addition to kitchens, bedrooms and living rooms.

5. Use the existing window trim as the frame for your masterpiece – your views. You can paint the outside edge of the frame in a different color than the rest of the trim, pulling the eye to that area.

Window treatments need to be more than functional. They help create the feel of a room and are often where the gaze is trained for long periods of time. Human eyes naturally gravitate towards light; therefore windows are most commonly the first item observed in a room. With the above tips, it’s easy to turn window treatments into pieces of art.

Go on-line. You’d be amazed at the variety of colors, patterns and materials available. Find window treatments that fit your style, or choose a window treatment in your favorite color. You’re the one who gets to live with these window treatments, let them be luxurious, let them bring in tones of the ocean, tones of nature or tones of opulence. The choice is yours.

Learn more about custom window shades. Stop by Blinds Chalet to find out more about quality discount window blinds, shades, shutters and custom drapery.

As we age, we start to notice little things we never noticed before, like how heavy window blinds can be to open and close every day, especially the ones on oversized windows. For those with arthritis, thin cords to grip to raise and lower blinds can cause pain. Because we all deserve window treatments that are easy to operate and look good, we recommend the following blinds.

Blinds and Shades for Seniors:

* Oversized window, or large windows can be difficult to fit for window treatments. Instead of buying one large window blind, which may end up with a lot of weight to lift, consider several smaller window treatments (2 or 3) hanging side by side with a single valance that covers the window top from edge to edge. The valance creates a unified feeling, while the individual shades will be more manageable to lift and lower.

* Lightweight window treatments such as cellular shades, soft sheer shades, roller or solar shades and roman shades are all easy to operate and weigh a lot less than blinds such as wood and faux wood blinds.

* Arthritis can cripple hands, rendering them stiff and sore. Cordless blinds are the perfect solution for those who find gripping things difficult. Cordless blinds are available in a wide selection of patterns and colors and textures. Some popular cordless blinds include honeycomb cellular shades, roman shades, pleated shades and aluminum mini blinds.

* The last and most fun option is motorized blinds. These can be operated by a remote control so you don’t ever have to worry about opening or closing a blind by hand again. Consider roman shades, roller shades, solar screen shades and collegiate shades for easy to adjust glare reduction and blackout privacy.

For those looking for energy efficient blinds, we recommend honeycomb double cell shades. They can insulate up to 15 times more than a single pane of glass. For summer locations, soft sheer shades and roller shades will help protect against UV rays and help insulate against the sun.

As far as style, there are shades for seniors that range from contemporary to traditional. Fabrics vary from silks and satins to polyester or aluminum.

There are window treatments on the market for seniors available for all different economic incomes and needs. Be sure to work with a reputable dealer who can advise you how to properly measure window treatments and can deliver the product to your door. You may also want to contact their customer service department for samples of different fabrics and styles so you can match what you are getting to your current dcor. If the company doesn’t have a customer service department, find another company.

Looking to find the best deal on custom window shades, then visit Blinds Chalet for the best advice on custom window treatments.