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One way to add some style to your bedroom, living room or any room in your home is to install some Roman Shades. They come in various materials and styles. What characterizes Roman Shades is how they fold up when they are retracted. Whether driven by a hand pulled string or by motor, Roman Shades fold up neatly at the top of the window frame.

Roman shades can be made from many materials including bamboo, various fabrics, and wood.  Bamboo Roman Shades can add an organic look to your room. On the other hand if you are looking for a more modern fabric, Roman Shades are available in a variety of colors. Classic Roman Shades have overlapping folds even when lowered while flat Roman Shades are smooth when lowered.  They come in numerous styles to match any type of home decor and can be customized to fit even the most unique homes.

For those who want low maintenance they can look into faux roman shades. This way they can enjoy the benefits of having faux wood without comprising on style. For people used to everyday drapes and blinds, Roman Shades may sound obscure but they are an easy way to add subtle character to your home.

Window treatments add personality and flavor to a room instantly. They are often used to draw a color scheme together or attract attention to or from a specific area or item in the room. The assortment of colors, styles and design options available in window treatments is as varied as the human race. Used for both practical and aesthetic purposes, modern window treatments have taken on a definition of their own. To help understand what you are getting, here are a few of the common terms used in designer window treatments.

Blinds- Blinds are individual slats or vanes that can be rotated, raised and lowered to filter air, light and sound.

Shades- Window shades are a solid, single-pieced unit. When down, the entire area of the window that it is covering is concealed.

Shutters- Shutters are usually wooden louvers, or slats, fixed onto a tilt wand mechanism with limited filtering capabilities.

Drapes- Window treatment drapes are long pieces of material, often referred to as curtains, that hang loosely without any mechanism. They are supported by a curtain rod, upon which the drapes can be pulled open or closed.

Sheers- Sheers are a combination of blinds and shades. These contemporary window treatments offer the soft material of shades or even drapes with the mechanical ease of blinds.

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Window sheers combine the pull cord or motorized technology of blinds with the exquisite beauty and elegance of drapes. Long pieces of delicate fabric rest graceful over your windows when closed, and gently gather on the sides or above your window or doors in a dramatic wisp while open. The discreet mechanisms can be further disguised with an attractive wood fascia, tasteful window swag (’scarf’), or matching valance. All these enhance the already present style and grace given to your window by hanging vertical curtain sheers or sheer horizontal shades.

Sheer horizontal shades are constructed of thin vanes that are suspended between the sheer material of the shades. These vanes are adjustable to offer more light or privacy accordingly. When titled up, vanes allow a soft hampered lighting to shine through. When vanes are shut, view and light are blocked from the outside, giving you more space to yourself and better lighting quality for entertainment systems. Vertical window sheers are long thin panels or cords wrapped in soft sheer material and controlled by a pull cord mechanism situated above. Head rails are designed to further develop the color scheme and mood of the room.

Window sheers come in a few sizes, typically ranging from 1-3 inches, and a variety of colors and textures allow you to harmonize your sheer window shades with your furniture, wall hangings, trimmings and the rest of the room’s décor. Darker colors and fabrics are recommended for rooms that require an additional measure of light control. Choose rotating panels for varied levels of lighting and privacy, or the unique room-darkening feature for more shading.

Among the popular choices in window treatments are custom vertical blinds. Vertical blinds come in an assortment of materials from wood to fabric and vinyl, and sizing is standard or made to measure. Vertical blinds consist of long vanes that are made of or covered in your desired material. This can often be more dramatic than other window treatments because the length gives your windows more prominence and grandeur. Vertical blinds need minimal maintenance and cleaning because the vanes hang vertically so dust and dirt don’t settle on them. A very occasional vacuum or soapy water solution, accordingly, will return your vertical blinds to their original beauty.

Materials:
Fabric vertical blinds- fabulous effect on glass doors or large windows where the full length of the sheer fabric can be admired.

Wood vertical blinds- Everyone loves the fresh look and smell of natural wood vertical blinds.

Bamboo vertical blinds- Bamboo is lighter, more durable, and the most environmentally friendly option in window shades. Bring the great outdoors feeling inside with bamboo vertical blinds.

Aluminum vertical blinds- Aluminum vertical blinds offer the strength of aluminum with a contemporary and dramatic flair.

Vinyl vertical blinds- For a no-nonsense design and maintenance-free window treatment, vinyl vertical blinds are your answer. Ideal for at-home offices, kitchens, bedrooms or anywhere you don’t want to spend too much time dusting and cleaning, vinyl gives a professional air and sleek touch to your room.

Shutters are similar to blinds in that they are made up of slat-like pieces of material (called louvers). Unlike blinds, however, both useable and decorative shutters are primarily made from wood and use a tilt bar for light and air filtration. Both exterior window shutters and indoor shutters add loads of personality to the area. The classic style colonial shutters are cheerful and fun, bringing light and air into your home on several levels. Cedar shutters are popular for their rustic beauty and charm, though faux wood shutters are quickly gaining recognition as well. Single or multi-paneled, hinge style, and length are all flexible to personal preferences.

Full-Length (plantation style)- These shutters are popular for tall or extra wide windows facing the sun and even serve nicely as a porch door or the like. Shutters allow the light and air in during the sunny hours, and block the light at night.

Café Style Shutters- Café style shutters are a unique style of window covering that only shields the lower half of a window. These decorative window shutters get their name from the old time French café’s that needed to maximize lighting while still maintaining a comfortable level of privacy for their patrons. Café style shutters come in a variety of lengths and widths.

Tier-On-Tier Shutters- This style consists of two independent rows of shutters, one on top of the next. The reason for this is to allow each tier to work independent of one another. So if you want one half of the window covered and the other shaded, this is an excellent choice for you.

Solid Shutters- Solid shutters are the most basic form of shutters. These are door-length solid panels of wood that are hinged to one another and lock tightly shut. This can be used as a security measure or just to keep children or pets in.

Exterior Window Shutters- Because of their picturesque nature, shutters have been used as purely decorative items on the outside of people’s homes. Painted and styled to match with a house’s pre-existing décor, exterior window shutters infuse a home front with personality and Southern appeal.

Faux wood blinds
Many people can’t be bothered or don’t have time to deal with even the simplest maintenance tasks. For such individuals, faux wood blinds were invented. Faux wood blinds give you the look and feel of natural wood blinds without the cost, precarious lifespan or maintenance concerns. Made from simple vinyl polymer and, sometimes, wood blends (composites), faux wood blinds are durable and realistic, often passing for real wood blinds. Because there is no real wood, blinds do not run the risk of warping or being lost to water damage, as is sometimes the case with natural wood blinds. Due to their ability to stand up to humidity and moisture, faux wood vertical blinds are often used in the kitchen and bathroom where such heat is prevalent.

Available options in faux wood window blinds
2 inch faux wood blinds are the standard size that is sold for your everyday windows. 1 inch faux wood blinds are used on smaller windows and French doors, and faux wood mini blinds and even custom faux wood blinds are readily available online to meet any unusual shape or sizing request. The market is currently progressing in the field of faux wood window blinds, and more styles, colors and sizes exist with each season.

More benefits
Faux wood blinds are an economical way to achieve the natural look and feel of natural wood blinds. Faux wood window blinds also act as an additional layer of insulation between you and the elements. From large faux wood plantation blinds to the mini blinds for extra small spaces, faux wood gives you all the charm and beauty, with even more durability and wear and tear for your money.

Mechanisms behind motorized window blinds
Motorized vertical blinds are attached to a small mechanism that is controlled by remote control. The shades are mounted onto a track or rod that directs them where to go when activated by either the remote or timer setting.

Some of the many benefits of motorized window blinds:
- With motorized blinds you can control the hardest to reach window treatments. High ceilings, large bay windows, and window treatments hanging above staircases or other obstructed areas can be adjusted with the press of a button.
- Motorized blinds increase energy efficiency by allowing you to put your shades on a timer. This will let you warm up or cool down the house naturally even when you are not home (by filtering the amount of sunlight), cutting down on heating and air conditioning costs. You can also increase security and peace of mind when you are away from home or home alone with time-controlled motorized window shades.
- Easily control light in your home theater to prevent glare and light from washing out the picture. Without having to leave your seat, you can adjust the lighting to fit the movie or mood.
- In the same manner, using remote control blinds allows you to raise and lower blinds and shades from wherever you are positioned be it the couch, bed, or computer desk. You can tilt slats open and closed, varying the amount of visibility, air and light that enters the room.
- Wireless wall switch option is great for individuals who are always misplacing the remote. This also features a programmable clock timer for continuous hands-free service throughout the day, week or year.

Shades are a single-pieced window covering that can be left down for privacy and hampered lighting, or rolled up completely for a clear window. Shades don’t have an in between stage like blinds do, but many shades come in sheer materials to allow a decent amount of light to shine through even when the window is covered.

Fabric roller shades (a.k.a. Holland shades)- These are attractive pull-down rolling shades. Many people prefer the roller shades for their smooth mechanism and easy touch and release handling.

Pleated fabric window shades- Pleated shades are just that; shades made from pleated material. When closed, these shades are inconspicuously contained within the window frame. When open, they hang down in neat and pretty pleat fashion.

Honeycomb/Cellular shades (a.k.a. insulated window shades)- These are multi-layered pleated shades. Double or triple layers create a honeycomb appearance. The individual layers are connected at each pleat to form small, defined pockets. Cellular shades provide further insulation by trapping air within these pockets.

Roman shades- The most definitive feature of the roman shades is its ability to be neatly stacked behind one another in a pile at the top of the window. Each section of the shade is pulled up by a cord and folded behind the section above it. This keeps your window free while still giving off a refined appearance. Also, roman shades are known to be excellent for insulation because there is no breach in the fabric, and the material is either multi-layered or extremely thick.

Metal blinds
Metal window blinds are enjoyed for their flexibility in purpose and use. Metal blinds can be lowered for privacy and complete light control at the hottest time of day. Aluminum blinds can also rotate to 90 degrees, allowing filtered lighting and comfortable airflow. Finally, blinds can be collected above or to the sides or center of your window for maximum lighting and ventilation.

Office buildings will often take advantage of the professional style and feeling of aluminum blinds. They are also popular for the sleek appearance and near maintenance-free availability. Metal blinds are coated with dust repellent finish, reducing annoying and unhealthy dust build-up, and anti-glare, alleviating computer screen glare and eyestrain.

Metal mini blinds
Metal mini blinds are 1″ slats that are growing in popularity, as well. At ½ “, micro metal blinds are even smaller than the mini blinds. If you have a small room or a shallow window bed, both mini and micro blinds are extremely useful and practical. These miniature models are often preferred because they do not detract from the rest of the room, only taking up a minimal amount of space but working efficiently nonetheless.

Natural wood blinds
One of the most popular choices in horizontal or vertical blinds is the natural wood blinds option. Available in a variety of finishes, natural wood blinds bring the peace and beauty of nature indoors, along with a certain sophistication unique to wood. Currently, warp-resistant wood blinds are eliminating the once ever-present problem of moisture warping. Topcoat sealant and UV protective layers also ensure that your natural wood blinds will last a long time.

Bamboo window blinds
Bamboo blinds are among the most up and coming styles in window treatments. These environmentally friendly blinds are gaining popularity because they are durable, beautiful, and better for the environment. Bamboo blinds are as hard as maple and 50% more durable than the blinds made from red oak. Grass is easily replenished within two to four years, unlike wood, which can take decades to return to full maturity. And, because these shades and blinds are made from grass not wood, slats are thinner and lighter than standard blinds. Perhaps the most favored aspect of bamboo wood blinds, though, is the fact that they contain natural color and wood imperfections, adding beauty and mystique to your home.

Thickness of slats
1 inch wood blinds or 2 inch wood blinds are the standard sizing options for discount wood blinds. Custom wood blinds are available to fit your specific needs regarding height, width, and even depth.