What to Look for in Roller Shades
At Budget Blinds of North Glendale, we have so many options that it can be hard to choose just one. That’s why we offer a free design consultation before you decide to buy, and why we like going through each type of our window coverings in our blog. Today we’re going over what you should look for when you’re considering roller shades.
What are Roller Shades?
Roller shades are one of the more simplistic window coverings we offer. Unlike blinds, roller shades are one continuous piece of fabric. They are durable, practical, and timeless. The material is heat-treated to seal the fabric together and help prevent tearing and fading.
When closed, roller shades hang straight down and are level with the window thanks to the weighted bar at the bottom. When open, they are wound tightly and curl neatly at the top of your window to allow you to fully enjoy the sunlight and your view.
Roller shades are also one of the best choices for homeowners looking to have both privacy and sunlight control. Because you can adjust them to be fully open, closed, or partially open/closed, you have full control over how much light gets into your home. Compare this to shutters, which will always obscure your window, and it’s an easy choice to make if you want this level of versatility.
Which Rooms Are Roller Shades Ideal For?
Roller shades are not for every room, especially for those that you want to add a “wow” factor to. We don’t recommend them for master bedrooms and dining rooms — look into shutters for those rooms for that added flair.
Let’s look at the best rooms for roller shades.
Guest and Childrens’ Bedrooms
Roller shades are a great option for bedrooms as they’re practical and inexpensive, which makes them perfect for guest rooms and children’s rooms. They’re also easy to operate and cordless designs make them safer for children and pets to be around.
On top of that, roller shades from Budget Blinds of North Glendale come in a wide variety of fabrics, colors, and patterns, and we can add in a blackout liner for perfect sleeping conditions.
Offices
Home offices benefit greatly from privacy and light control. They can help block out the outside world (or your home if you have them over your french doors), and will help you maintain productivity throughout the day.
No matter your office size and style, roller shades will fit in perfectly. They’re compact and come in many different colors, so you’re bound to find the right one for you.
Living Rooms
We’ll be honest, most window coverings work in living rooms. If you want a light and airy living room where the focus isn’t on the windows, then roller shades are perfect for you. On top of that, they have different options for opacity, so you can let in as much (or as little) natural light as you want when your roller shades are closed.
How to Choose a Roller Shade Fabric
Now that you know what roller shades are and what rooms they work best in, how do you choose which ones are right for you? Our design experts will walk you through the entire process. You’ll need to consider the color, the construction, and the opacity.
Color
Before you decide on anything else, have a color in mind. Do you want your roller shades to blend in or stand out? Also consider how the color will affect your home as well. Dark and light fabrics will either reflect heat out or keep heat in, so choose wisely! To help, we broke it down for you:
Dark-colored fabrics
Dark colors naturally reduce glare and improve visibility from the inside looking out. They also absorb more solar energy which can lead to a decrease in energy efficiency in the summer (allows more heat in) and an increase in the winter (keeps cold out).
Light-colored fabrics
By contrast, white and light-colored fabrics inherently reflect light to reduce solar heat gain. This means your energy bill will be slightly lower in the summer, but slightly more in the winter as lighter colors are not very efficient at locking heat into your home.
Duotone (or two-sided) fabrics
If you want the best of both worlds, duotone fabrics are the way to go. In the Arizona Valley, we know how important it is to keep the summer heat out and the winter warmth in. So choose a lighter color for the outside-facing side and a darker color for inside!
Construction/Fabric
Three major types of fabric for roller shades: PVC-coated polyester, PVC-coated fiberglass and PVC-free.
Polyester tends to be thicker and heavier, which means the less compact your roller shade will be. Because of this, avoid polyester and stick to fiberglass core fabrics for larger and taller window openings.
PVC-coated fabrics reduce fraying, are easy to care for and clean, have increased stability and resistance to stretching, they also may have a bad odor for the first week or so after installation. If you choose this fabric, don’t worry — the smell does fade after a short amount of time.
PVC-free fabrics are a great alternative for interior spaces that may be more sensitive to odors. Several PVC-free options exist, but the two most common are TPO (thermoplastic olefins) and PVC-free 100 percent polyester. They have all of the pros of the two other options, however TPO fabrics have been known to experience color fading over time and some PVC-free polyesters are difficult to clean.
Opacity
FInally, consider how much light and privacy you want when your roller shades are closed. If you live in a high-rise condo, for example, you may not need a ton of privacy in your living room, so you can opt to choose more transparent roller shades that block the sun, but not the view.
Also consider the orientation of windows. Windows facing the east and west sides will affect your home’s energy efficiency more than north and south-facing windows. The more coverage you have on those east-west sides, the higher your home’s energy efficiency will be.
Ultimately though, the choice is up to you! When you’re ready to make it or want to browse our wide selection of window blinds and treatments, give us a call at (602)688-7669 or visit us online at Budget Blinds of North Glendale to schedule your free design consultation. We’ll be happy to help!
