Winter Is Over. Let the Sunshine In!

Winter is a time for hibernation, for both animals and humans alike. We tend to hunker down in the winter, wrapped up in blankets, sipping on coffee or hot chocolate in front of the fireplace.We often close off the wintry wonderland with blinds, shades, shutters, or drapes to forget the chilly winds and blustery snow. Well, winter is over, and it's time to let the sun in through those windows. As you open your windows up, take notice of your window treatments and their appearance and functionality. Spring's the perfect time to make some changes if needed.

Window treatments for a sunroom

If you're lucky enough to have a sunroom, you may be wondering about what sunroom window ideas are best to let the sun in when you want and keep it out when needed. A sunroom is wrapped in windows to provide as much natural light as possible, but sometimes all that light is just too much.

Shutters may be the perfect addition to your sunroom, letting you easily make light adjustments, thanks to their movable louvers. You can control the amount of sun enveloping you with plantation shutters on your sliding glass door or French doors to your sunroom as well.

Perhaps cafe shutters are more what you're looking for with regard to light control. With a half-height design, these shutters provide privacy and light control on the bottom half of your windows while allowing full light and open views on the top.

Bamboo shades can provide filtered, soft, natural light to your sunroom. You may also want to consider adding valances to your windows for a pop of color or bold styling in your sunroom.

Using your sunroom year-round

Multiple windows in a sunroom make it hard to utilize the room year-round due to heating issues. Sitting in your home surrounded by large sunroom windows may feel drafty or chilly.

You can add cellular shades to your windows to provide you with insulation to cut energy costs and make the room more inviting in both the summer and winter months. Cellular shades block out the hot summer sun and help retain the warmth of your home on cold days. As a bonus, you can flaunt your style with a variety of fabrics available for any room.

Light control in living rooms

Your living room functions as a place for the family to gather to chat, play games, and watch television together. When the sun is beaming in, you may want options for light control to prevent reflections from ruining your view of the screen.

Drapes with light-filtering or room-darkening liners can provide you with the light control you need to reduce the glare and provide everyone with the best seat in the house for movie viewing, even during the day.

Another option for light control in your living room is blackout window shades. Roman shades, roller shades, cellular shades, and more are available in blackout designs to control the amount of light allowed into your living room. Blackout options can also help protect your furniture from UV rays and lower your energy costs.

Let there be light

For those who want their sunroom, living room, or family rooms filled with sunshine, several window treatments let the light in while providing you with privacy.

Window film is one option that blocks UV rays and offers a sense of privacy. It’s available in hundreds of decorative and distinctive options. You could also add motorized drape panels to accent the window film and provide light control when desired.

Blinds are another option when open by tilting the slats to create privacy while brightening the room. You can find blinds in wood, aluminum, vinyl, faux wood, and composite, as well as vertical and motorized options.

Of course, you could always use drape panels, with or without the blinds, to accent your windows and leave them tied back or open to let the sunshine fill the room.

Large window treatments

Large windows have unique requirements for window treatments, often needing custom-made sizes. Dual-panel shutters, vertical panel track blinds, floor-to-ceiling shutter panels, two-on-one headrail blinds, floor-to-ceiling vertical blinds, and window film are options to dress oversized windows.

You can also add cornices or valances to provide depth and color while giving you options for light control. Large windows may warrant adding motorized features to allow you to open and close them easily.

Express yourself

As you draw attention to your windows with spring home decor, perhaps you want to express yourself by adding a tableaux grille. Decorative grilles add dramatic artistic effects in many shapes and sizes.You can display them as wall art, add them as inserts to cabinets or decorate a window with ornate patterns ranging from simple to modern. A tableaux grille is a creative way to alter the entire look of your home.

Time to update

Winter is over, and you're starting to open the house back up to the blooms of spring. It's time to think about the treatments that frame your view of the outside world. Do your window treatments need to be updated?

Are they doing their job when it comes to light control, providing privacy, or insulating your windows against the sun or cold? Do your window treatments reflect your style or your home decor? If the answer to any of these questions is no, then it's time to consider new window treatments.

Budget Blinds offers blinds, shades, shutters, drapes, and more to dress up your windows as well as your home. A member of our expert design team will work with you to create the ideal home interior you've always dreamed of for one room or your entire house.

We offer options for uniquely sized and shaped windows. Budget Blinds can help you save money by reducing energy costs with energy-efficient treatments. We offer style and service that fits any homeowner's budget.

Contact your local Budget Blinds design expert for a free in-home consultation when you're ready to update your window treatments.