Ask the Blind and Drapery Expert

May 2012 Article

Adding Value to Your Home with Shutters

In the home decorating marketplace, they have been known as Plantation or California Shutters, they have been used in homes throughout North America for decades and now, with a desire to add style and value to our homes, shutters are making a comeback. With classic looks, precision controls and outstanding durability, shutters are the definitive choice for window coverings. They can be an easy and affordable way to add drama and elegance to any room in your home.

There are several things that should be considered when selecting shutters for your home. They come in a variety of materials, colours, vane sizes and hinging options. You can purchase shutters with or without frames, you can choose the tilt bar positioning and the placement of the stationary divider rail on longer shutter panels. Once all these decisions are made, you will have a custom window covering created with your specific needs in mind.

Shutters offer superior safety features, optimal energy efficiency, UV protection and noise reduction. Shutters are a perfect choice for the bedroom, with no operating cords they are one of the safest window coverings for a child’s room. If you like to sleep with your windows open and are bothered by blinds moving in the breeze, the magnet closure system will hold each shutter panel in place no matter how strong the breeze and the different framing options offer superior light blockage. In bathrooms, over kitchen sinks and in areas of high humidity, poly-satin vinyl shutters are ideal. They are a snap to wipe off, can withstand splashes from the kids playing in the tub and are extremely durable and UV resistant.

Shutters are very versatile and can help solve most design issues. Have no idea of what to put on that large patio door, a bi fold shutter will do the trick. How about that pesky arch window over your front door? A custom made operable shutter arch in either real wood or poly-satin vinyl could be the answer. The same goes for those sloped windows often found in rooms with cathedral ceilings. Shutters are a great problem solver.

When considering a purchase of shutters for your home just remember that not all shutters are created equally. Think of shutters as window furniture, if you choose shutters that are made from superior materials, they will last a lifetime. Shutters are not an impulse buy so do a little homework before you sign on the dotted line. A good quality shutter should stand the test of time so always check the warranty that is provided by the manufacturer of the shutters. A manufacturer such as Hunter Douglas provides a guarantee that their Palm Beach Poly-Satin Vinyl shutters will not warp, crack, fade, chip, peel or discolour as long as you own them. When a manufacturer creates a superior product they can back it up with an excellent warranty. Whether you choose shutters made from wood or vinyl, the quality of the product and the service from the company providing them is, in my opinion, the most important factor when making a long term purchase. When a manufacturer creates a superior product they can back it up with an excellent warranty. Whether you choose shutters made from wood or vinyl, the quality of the product and the service from the company providing them is, in my opinion, the most important factor when making a long term purchase.

Trends come and go, it doesn’t matter if your décor is traditional or contemporary, shutters offer a classic beauty that will complement any room for years to come. To view our complete line of shutters or any other window covering options, stop by our one and only showroom on 16th Ave NE (right across the street from Peter’s Drive Inn) or call Karen for more information.

April 2012 Article

Updating Your Outdoor Furniture

This month I am going to venture outdoors to give you an update of what’s new and exciting in the world of outdoor fabrics and give you some ideas on how to give new life to the faded & weary outdoor cushions that we have. These cushions have served us well with years of faithful duty on the furniture on our patios and in our backyards but the time has come to bring a little pizzazz to our out of doors.

I was walking through a local Garden Centre on the weekend and was amazed at the selection of beautiful patio furniture. Tables & chairs, recliners, sofas and loveseats along with benches and loungers all featuring cushions covered in fabrics highlighting various shades of…beige. Hum-why beige? I pondered. Almost every new fabric sample book we have displayed in our show room features bright, vibrant colours in stripes, solids and patterns. How could outdoor furniture be so bland? Summers here are too short here to spend it in a sea of beige-I want colour and excitement to punctuate the end of another winter. I went back to the show room and started investigating and here’s what I found.

I came across 2 stellar sample books filled with beautiful fabrics specifically made for outdoor use featuring stripes, solids and designs in every colour under the rainbow including beige. I was quite taken by a new line from Maxwell Fabrics. The book features exclusive patterns and solids in their UV Pro Outdoor Fabrics, a durable woven fabric perfect for outside use. The photos that accompanied this book displayed the versatility of these fabrics so perfectly I chose them to be included this article. The other sample book from Joanne Fabrics features the well known Sunbrella Indoor/Outdoor fabrics with designs created exclusively by Cobi Ladner, past editor of Canadian House & Home Magazine. Her vibrant colours and soft textures will help you create a gorgeous backdrop for your outdoor life. Any of the fabrics from either company would be great for livening up anyone’s out of doors.

Not only are all these fabrics beautiful, they are fabricated specifically for outdoor wear & tear. Made of 100% solution dyed acrylic fibres, they will withstand years of normal exposure to sun, rain and chlorine. The colours are throughout the fibres and fabric and won’t fade or wash away-think of a carrot, whereas with ordinary fabrics dyes are added to the surface penetrating the outer layers only which wash or fade away over time-think of a radish. As for care and cleaning, mild soap and water is usually all that is needed but for stubborn stains bleach can be used and simply left to air dry. These fabrics are anti microbial and mildew resistant so they can be used poolside with no worries.

During my investigating I also found an excellent substitute for the traditional foam used in cushions called Instant Dry Cushioning. The structure resembles a package of Ramen soup noodles and this unique design allows water to flow right through it. The high density fibres do not absorb water and air circulates freely speeding up the drying process thus preventing growth of any mold or mildew. What a perfect complement to the beautiful Maxwell or Joanne Outdoor Fabrics.

Like any custom drapery or blind purchase, think of this as an investment not an impulse purchase. These gorgeous fabrics and Instant Dry Cushioning come with extended warranties and have been engineered to give you years of enjoyment relaxing on the patio or by the pool. Some of these fabrics are so nice you may want to bring the outdoors, indoors. Many of these fabrics are Greenguard Certified and safe for use as window seats or dining room chairs to name a few.

Come to our one and only showroom at 222-16th Ave NE (across the street from Peter’s Drive Inn) to check this or any other of your home decorating needs.

Whether your question is on Auto, Home, Life, Business, or Group Insurance or other insurance products, we have the answers. AWI has provided a full range of insurance products in Calgary for over 20 years. Our team leaders average almost 30 years experience in Auto, Home, Business, Life and Group insurance.

This week’s tips will focus on Life Insurance and related products of critical illness and income replacement. It’s a type of insurance that many put off buying; or simply think that buying it with their mortgage will do. (But have you seen the investigative reports on TV?)

April 2012 Article

Updating Your Outdoor Furniture

Come to our one and only showroom at 222-16th Ave NE (across the street from Peter’s Drive Inn) to check this or any other of your home decorating needs.

March 2012 Article

Keeping You in the Dark with Blinds and Draperies

One of the most common questions that I am asked in our showroom on 16th Ave is what type of window coverings can I buy that will keep more sunlight out of my home? There are many different reasons for wanting a room darkening blind or drapery with bedrooms, nurseries, computer and media rooms being the usual suspects. With that said, there are just as many styles of room darkening window treatments as there are reasons for wanting to keep a room dark, so the task of selecting the right window covering can seem a bit daunting at first. Not all room darkening blinds are created equal so do some research before you sign on the dotted line.

Things to consider:

1. How much light do you need to block out? Blinds and drapes have varying levels of black out. Listen for words like blackout versus light dimming. The amount of sunlight blocked out by a blind can vary greatly. Light dimming could mean that a blind will cut out 70% of the daylight while a blackout blinds can cut out 95%. Certain blinds and drapery will never be blackout due to their style of construction, method of closure and the materials they are made from.

2. How will a blind fit inside my window frame? Some blinds fit inside a window frame much tighter than others which could mean the difference between mounting a blind inside or outside of your window frame. Gaps between an inside mounted blind and the sides of your window frame can vary from ¼” to nearly ¾” per side, depending of the style of the blind. Blinds that roll up generally have wider gaps than blinds that stack up at the top of the window. Some manufacturers offer channel tracks and trim kits to be used in conjunction with the blind to eliminate these gaps.

3. What types of lifting systems are available with certain style of blinds? Blackout window coverings are in huge demand for both nurseries and children’s rooms and so are child safe lifting systems. New homes are being built with beautiful media rooms and wouldn’t a blackout blind or drapery track with a motorized head rail and remote control operation be just thing to finish off a state of the art room?

4. Are there additional options to add on to any of the blackout blinds? These days we are all about flexibility and some blinds offer options that allow you more flexibility when dealing with light and privacy. A roller blind is a very affordable, reliable blackout blind but it is either up or down. If the blind is down you have no light, no view but total privacy. If you raise the blind up for some light you loose all your privacy. If you want to have your cake and eat it too, then a topdown/bottom up blackout honeycomb might be more suited to your lifestyle. The top down feature allows you to lower a middle head rail so that light can come through the top area of the window but you maintain your privacy from the middle rail down to the bottom window sill.

5. What is better for blackout blinds or drapes? For the answer to this and any other questions that you have about window coverings, please feel free to call Karen at 403-277-4988. Better yet, stop in to our showroom and have one of our knowledgeable staff help you with any window covering needs.

Don’t be fooled by the imitators.

We are the original and only Sheila’s Drapery, serving Calgary since 1978!!

January 2012 Article

Powering Up Your Window Coverings

With technology becoming an integral part in almost every aspect of our daily lives, it would only be natural to want to integrate technology into the world of window coverings. Today’s homes have architectural features that make it difficult to operate blinds or drapery without the help of some sort of power option and a remote control. Rooms with cathedral ceilings featuring windows 12 or 14 feet off the ground, a stairwell window that is impossible to reach from any level or a large bank of windows that would take just take too long to open or close each one by hand or perhaps you simply do not wanting to see all those lift cords hanging down the sides of your blinds. Any of these challenges could become a home owner’s nightmare but with today’s technology there are solutions at hand.

The 3 basic ways to add power to most blinds or drapery tracks are battery operated systems, hard wired motorization or home automation.

Battery Operated System

This is the simplest way to add power to a blind. The blind’s motor is powered by a battery wand which is generally attached behind the blind’s head rail. Since no extra wiring is required, a battery operated blind is a great solution for windows in existing homes. The blind is operated by either a remote control or a wall switch using line of sight (infrared) and/or out of sight (radio frequency) technology. Battery operated systems are the most affordable mode of powering up blinds but there are limitations in sizes and then there are those pesky batteries to change every so often.

Hard Wired Motorization

Just as it sounds, the power is supplied to the motors in your blinds via wires that are routed from your home’s electrical system to a wall switch and then from the wall switch to the blinds. The blinds can be operated either by the wall switch or a remote control. Though this system will cost you more money, there are several advantages to hard wired motorization, sizes can be larger, there are no batteries to change and the blinds will operate on a more consistent basis than the battery operated systems.

Home Automation

This is fast becoming one of the biggest trends in motorized blinds. Hard wiring your blinds allows you to seamlessly integrate your window coverings with your home automation system. Imagine coming home and using one remote to turn on your music, light the gas fireplace, adjust your home lighting and then close your blinds for some night time privacy. Program the system to operate a single blind or a room full of window coverings all at once. Life couldn’t get much easier.

If blinds aren’t your thing, you can still go high tech with the newest in motorized drapery rods. With the push of a button on the remote control your drapery will glide effortlessly to either the open or closed position. The newest line of quiet motors will make your drapes move silently, like magic. Style and elegance combined with the latest in technology.

For more info on powering up your window covering please feel free to stop by our showroom to see the latest in window covering technology. Sheila’s Drapery is one of the only Certified Hunter Douglas

Motorization Dealers in the city. Check us out at 222-16th Ave NE, right across the street from Peter’s Drive Inn or call Karen at 403-277-4988 for information on this or any other decorating subject.

October 2011 Articles

Coordinating window coverings in your home

Frequently I am asked what to do when trying to find window

coverings for a variety of windows and doors in a home. In this day of the open concept floor plans many a homeowner finds it a daunting task to select window coverings suitable for different types and sizes of windows in a large open space. I was working with a lady today who has a floor plan where the windows in the dining room, great room, nook & kitchen area were all visible when walking towards the back of the house. Some windows were large, some smaller, one over the kitchen sink and a pesky sliding glass door going out to the patio.

The first thing that we discussed was that a consistency of colour, regardless of the type of blind, would help to create a flow throughout the home. She wanted something washable over the kitchen sink and then something soft and luminous in the dining room and great room. This meant a different type of blind in the 2 different areas tied together by a consistent colour. The coordination could go one step further by

selecting a drapery fabric to add a pop of colour in both rooms but creating entirely different window treatments in each area. Sleek drapery panels on decorator rods over the dining and great room windows and some style of valance over the kitchen sink window. She was still unsure of what to do with the patio door so I gave her the following suggestions.

Wood blinds cover all the windows including over the kitchen sink and on the patio door a 4 panel wood shutter. She would have the same colour and horizontal slat look throughout but have a product on the patio door that opens inward rather than lifting up.

Honeycomb blinds would also fit bill because they come in several horizontal applications and as a sliding patio door blind as well. Over the kitchen sink a roller blind or screen in a coordinating colour could be substituted.

Since my customer wanted something softer and luminous in her entertaining areas I suggested she look at a Hunter Douglas program called Counterparts The Whole House Solution. Hunter Douglas has taken the work out of trying to combine different shades and blinds within a home by creating a quick and easy coordination program. This concise selection of coordinating colours and textures using 5 of their best blinds makes it easy for any homeowner to find the perfect solution for their vertical and horizontal window needs. My customer picked from a textured grouping of these blinds in a cream colour and then went on to select one of our new drapery fabrics to add some drapery panels to the dining room and great room windows for a dramatic effect. Problem solved.

The best thing is that until Dec 16th we have Manufacturer Rebates on all 5 products in the Whole Home Solution program. An example of one textured colour combination using all 5 styles of blinds is on display in our showroom. These large samples allow you to visualize how this program could work into your home on your windows.

Feel free to send me your window covering challenges and the solution could be the topic of my next column or better yet, stop by our showroom to view the latest in blinds and draperies and discuss your window covering needs in person.

September 2011 Article

Childproofing Window Coverings

As babies grow, so does their curiosity. Basic household items, including window coverings, can turn into potential hazards. Making window fashions safer for homes with young children is a top priority for all blind manufacturers. One of the simplest ways to childproof your blinds is to invest in one of the many innovative lifting systems offered by different blind makers. The 2 main types of childproof lifting systems are

Cordless and Single Cord Operations.

Blinds with a Cordless Operation do not have exposed inner cords that could pose a danger to young

children. These blinds can be as simple as a Spring Tension Roller Blind or a Wand Controlled Vertical Blind. Honeycomb blinds or Horizontal Blinds can be made so that they are raised and lowered with a touch of your fingers rather than cords. If simple is not your style, childproof blinds can also have a more sophisticated look. Wood or vinyl shutters are cordless by design and they add extraordinary beauty to any room. If you are thinking about a softer look then think about adding a motorization feature to one of the many blinds in the marketplace.

Motorization options include hard wiring into your existing electrical system or battery operation. This eliminates the lift cords and allows the blind to operate with the touch of a button.

Single Cord Operated blinds eliminate multiple lift cords coming out of the head rail of a blind. Hunter Douglas has patented an innovative single cord system called Ultraglide which features a retractable

pull-cord that maintains a constant length whether the shade is being raised or lowered.

If new blinds are not in currently in your budget, there are a few things that you can do to make your blinds safer. You can retrofit your existing blinds with breakaway tassels. These safety tassels are designed to break apart under pressure should a child or pet become entangled in horizontal blind cords. If you have blinds with continuous cord loops, anchor them to the wall or window sill with a cord tensioner. This holds the looped cords taut to reduce the risk of a child becoming entangled in the cord. Install cord cleats for

standard cord lock shades and blinds. Excess lift cord can be wrapped around it for better safety and a neater appearance at the window.

For more information about childproofing your window coverings call Karen Saunders at 403-277-4988 or stop by the showroom to see all the latest in blinds and drapes.

August 2011 Article

Keeping Cool with Window Coverings

With summer finally upon us, home owners are looking for economical and creative solutions for keeping their homes cool and becoming more energy efficient.

On average, up to 40% of a home’s unwanted heat comes in through the windows. With the right type of window coverings, you can dramatically improve the energy efficiency of your home. Invest in blinds with a high R-value. The higher the R-value, the more insulation a window covering provides. A product that is great at keeping the heat inside your home in the winter works just as well in summer preventing solar heat gain inside your home.

One of the best options on the market is the Honeycomb or Cellular shade. The 3 dimensional design allows a layer of air to be trapped between the window and your room creating a thermal blanket. R-values generally range from 3.0 to 4.8 for most honeycomb blinds in the marketplace, however, in 2006 Hunter Douglas introduced the next generation in honeycombs by creating the Duette Architella Honeycomb Shade. The patented construction features a honeycomb within a honeycomb. The unique design feature is the inner layers of fabric which create 3 distinct air pockets within the shade and by trapping more air the R-value is increased. Properly installed Duette Architella honeycomb shades can reduce heat flow at the window by 50% or more.

To view all the latest and greatest in window coverings, stop by Sheila’s Drapery, Calgary’s Original Hunter Douglas Gallery Store or call Karen at 403-277-4988. Be sure to check out our new website at www.sheilasdrapery.com complete with a photo gallery and a sales and event calendar

Don’t be fooled by imitators, we are the original and only Sheila’s Drapery, doing business in Calgary since 1978!

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