Window Treatment Design Tips and Ideas ~ Exciting Windows!

One of the easiest and most effective ways parents can protect children from window-related hazards is to eliminate a child’s access to windows by keeping cribs, chairs and sofas away from windows and dangling cords. This also will make life easier since parents won’t be constantly fixing mussed-up blinds! But this is just the first step, children are naturally curious and surprisingly inventive, so childproofing dangerous window coverings is a must for a safe family home.

There are several ways parents can childproof unsafe window coverings (most made before 1995) without running out to purchase new products. If uncertain about the year window coverings were manufactured, a quick check will identify existing child safety features and help determine if simple safety repairs are needed:

• Do the pull cords connect at the end to create a loop? If so, is the plastic end “tassel” one solid piece, or will it break apart easily, breaking the cord loop? (If it separates into two pieces, it probably is a safety tassel)
• Can the inner cord (between the blind slats) be pulled out?
• Does the continuous loop (on some vertical and horizontal blinds) dangle freely?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, you should consider making a few childproofing modifications to your window coverings. Below we’ve listed the most common child safety issues and sources for free safety repair kits. One solution or a combination of solutions may apply, depending upon the window covering’s style, use and how accessible it is to young children

Exciting Windows! can provide these devices, or call The Window Covering Safety Council at 1-800-506-4636 to request free safety devices.

Read more at: KidSmartLiving.com

With the increasing popularity of arch windows, most of the major window fashions manufacturers now offer an array of blinds, shades and shutters made to fit custom arched window, completely round window or sunburst windows.

Look at arch window coverings from a top brand such as Hunter Douglas or Solace Shades to find a wide range of cellular and pleated shades in both light filtering and blackout materials and colors galore. Motorized operation is a great option if you have a very tall sunburst window.

Premium wood shutters are the most versatile option for spoecialty shaped windows. The louvers allow you to retain your view, control the suns rays and glare and provide great privacy and darkness when needed. Look at Kirtz shutters or excitingwindows.net.

Many times people will leave an arched top window bare; since it is high up above the room’s main window, privacy may not be a problem. And since they have relatively little glass area, direct sunlight is only a problem with south or east facing windows for the most part.

The decision to leave arch windows naked and natural or to cover them is inevitably related to the orientation of the windows, how much privacy is needed in the room and whether the theme and design elements of the room better fit bare or treated arch windows.

But for convenience and practicality, installing some type of window treatment on your arched top windows still makes sense. Shades will protect home furnishings and décor from fading and keep your home cooler on those hot days!

If you are not sure how to handle these difficult windows, call the experts at Exciting Windows!

The Right Window Treatments
Truly ARE Key To Successful Room Design!

1. Make your window a focal point

Every room needs a focal point for design. If you have an exceptional painting or sculpture, that may do the trick. If not, remember, your custom window treatment is the one design feature created specifically for you.

A print or color treatment can set the tone for the entire room achieving just the effect you want for your home. If you want a focal point in your room, a creatively designed window treatment is the answer. Windows are truly a design opportunity for setting your room’s mood and style!

2. Make your window a background

You’ll add beauty and grace to your home by creating a soft background in your window treatment design. Choosing simple lines, soft swags and muted or neutral colors help make a gentle, yet finished-looking decorative statement, a lovely background for a comfortably beautiful room.

Decorator blinds and shades are now available in such a wide array of styles, you may want to consider them as a background option, too. There are too many to mention here, but ask me for some suggestions… you’ll be amazed at the flexibility, functionality and beauty these new options provide.

Whether you choose to make your windows a focal point, or a subtle yet dramatic background, remember that each window in your home serves its functional purpose.  Explore the possibilities throughout our website www.excitingwindows.net, then give us a call to begin your project.

Although not traditionally considered by home buyers, architects or builders, the planning and budgeting for window treatments prior to the building phase is fast becoming one of the most important trends in residential construction today. There are many practical reasons for this shift, not the least of which is ensuring there is a sufficient budget for the home buyer to choose window treatments that adequately complement a dream home.

Available choices in treatments today are much more varied than ever before. The home buyer must choose from selections that include traditional draperies, simple blinds or shades, increasingly popular plantation shutters, or window film that reduces glare, fading and heat gain. Along with these options, the savvy homeowner is likely to ask that these treatments be motorized and possibly interact with a home automation system.

The desire to motorize window treatments is one of the most important details to plan during the construction phase. An experienced and certified window treatment dealer will be able to assist the home buyer in making the appropriate product choices, while also providing the electrician with wiring schematics that will ensure the desired outcome. Wiring a home after construction often makes the option of motorized window treatments highly cost-prohibitive.

As the expense of heating and cooling our homes continues to escalate, the wise consumer will seek out a window treatment professional for advice about products that will provide the greatest level of performance and deliver the desired decorative effect. Here in New Hampshire, we are primarily concerned with maintaining warmth in the home during the winter months. Most window treatments will provide some insulation value, but superior products can actually triple the “R” value of the window being covered.

Architects and home designers seem to be continuing their best efforts to bring the outdoors inside through the use of larger windows, often designed in unusual shapes. These larger windows may require extra framing to accommodate the weight of the treatment chosen for that window. This framing could include blocking up to several feet away from the window in order to support decorative drapery rods. If a steel header is used above the window, wood blocking should be added to at least a 1 ½” thickness over the face of the header to support a range of treatment options.

As you can see, considerations about window treatments can be just as complicated and important during the design phase of a home as decisions about kitchen layout or plumbing fixtures. Take the time to seek out a qualified window treatment expert to help you early in the pre-construction phase of your new home. You may find this to be some of the most valuable time you spend.

Ed Hopkins is the Principal of Exciting Windows! by Verticals Etc. He and his staff have been trained and certified by over twelve different manufacturers of quality window treatments. See the possibilities for window treatments today by visiting the largest showroom in New Hampshire at 122 Lafayette Road in North Hampton, or online at www.excitingwindows.net. Ed can be reached at 603-964-7282.