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Window Shades Cover The Gambit
From plain Jane to drop dead gorgeous window shades fill the bill.
I literally mean fill the bill as you can get a roller shade for $3 and some Austrian shades will cost upwards of $3000 each. Quite a span don't you think.
To keep this discussion of window shades at a manageable level let's divide them into the following categories:
- roller shades
- roman shades
- balloon and austrian shades
- pleated and cell shades
There are other shades like cloud shades but they are just a variation of one of these.
Roller Shades
Roller shades by themselves cover a wide territory. You can get a vinyl pull down roller shade at a box store for around $3 while some of the sun control shade will cost in the thousand's each.
I once put these sun control shades in the control tower at Ft. Pierce International Airport. That was an experience I won't forget. They had to be installed before they could put the equipment in due to the sun and glare being so bad.
That was also before to elevator was running so we had to hand carry the shades and all the tools we needed up the stairs. That was a climb. I think I lost ten pounds just doing that job but it was a lot of fun.
You can use Roller Shades in any situation where you need to control the light.
The old fashioned spring roller shade has been replaced by an aluminum roller with the Rollease cloth system which makes it a breeze to raise and lower the window shade.
The only exception are the big box store that still sell spring roller shades with cardboard tubes that are not worth the money let alone the time to carry them home and install them.
Roman Shades
Roman Shades allow you to show off those good looking decorator prints especially those prints with big pattern repeats. They can be made so the pattern falls exactly in the same place in each window.
When you order them you need to stress that you want the pattern in the same place otherwise they will fabricate with the pattern where ever it fall.
There are two different types of roman window shades. One is the flat roman which does exactly what the name implies. The fabric lays flat when the shade is all the way down.
The second type is the hobbled roman which cascades down in folds. Every thirteen inches or so there is loop of extra fabric that adds to the charm and grace of the shade.
Because of the loop it hard to show off a big pattern. Best if used with small patterns or prints that you just want to show off the colors not necessarily the pattern.
Roman shades are best inside mounted but can be used outside mounted if you go at least three inch on each side of the window for privacy. You may need to go out even more when using a stiff fabric on a hobbled shade.
Balloon and Austrian shades
Both of these window shades have fullness in the length. You need at least 2 1/2" of fabric for each 1" of window length to make these blinds look awesome.
Balloon shades have from two to two and a half inches of fullness in the width also. Cut them down to less fullness and you end up with a sick shade.
Too many times I have been told to make them with less fullness- especially by decorators who should know better- and almost every time the result has been less than awesome.
Austrian shades on the other hand have very little fullness in the width, just enough for the shade to gather in to tight little swags or loop to give you a very structured full look.
Both the balloon shade and the austrian shade will need to be purchased from a local drapery workroom or Jennifer Thoden has the detailed plan available for immediate download at Her Site for those of you that would like to make your own.
Pleated and cell shades both cascade down from the top in soft fabric that changes the color of the room to the shade color.
Pleated shades have just one layer of fabric so they are not a very good insulator, The cell shade though has at least two layers and can have as many as four layers witch open up in to little dead air spaces when let down.
A dead air space is the best insulating factor you can have. On a sunny day you can put your hand in front of these shade and it be just as cool as can be. Take your hand and put in behind and you will not be able to hold it there as the heat will be too intense.
Because of this I wouldn't wast my time purchasing a pleated shade when the advantages of the cell shades are so much better.
Today we have such a huge assortment of window shades available to us that it's almost mind boggling. The one place I recommend for the best price and selection is Blinds.com - America's #1 Blinds Store..
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