Types of Window Treatments
Aluminum Blinds Also called mini blinds, macro blinds, or micro blinds.
These blinds are especially complementary to modern rooms, although their clean
good looks can go anywhere. They offer a great deal of light control options
because the vanes can be tilted and the entire blind can be raised or lowered.
Cellular Shade Also called honeycomb shades. These fabric shades have a
front and back fabric that is pleated. Cellular Shades have several pleat sizes
and cellular construction styles. The two fabrics are connected to form air
pockets or cells. Because of the air pockets, these shades have great
insulation ratings. Although cellular shades look like pleated shades, there
are no visible holes or strings and are available in very wide and long single
fabric panels.
Vertical Blinds Vertical blinds can be made from PVC, Hardwood, Aluminum or
fabric and is very a popular window covering choice. They can be used alone,
with a top treatment, or as the foundation for a more elaborate look. The
vanes provide good insulation from both light and temperature extremes and
allow you to direct light from side to side.
Wood Blinds Horizontal wood blinds are made from natural North American
hardwoods and select wood species Wood Blinds are very good natural insulators.
We recommend that you avoid using genuine wood blinds in humid conditions and
instead, suggest faux wood or composite blinds for bathrooms, kitchens, and
other humid areas. Blinds made of composite materials will not fade, crack,
chip, peel, or warp in humid or areas of high moisture.
Window Shadings Window Shadings offer the advantages of draperies, shades
and blinds all in one product. They are constructed by placing soft fabric
vanes suspended between two panels of sheer fabric panels. You can tilt the
fabric vanes to allow as much are as little light in the room. Window Shadings
are available in different vane sizes and a wide range of colors, opacities,
and fabrics and control options.
Shutters Shutters are timeless and offer both a traditional or
contemporary look to your room. Shutters are available in Hardwood, Wood
Composite, or PolySatin Vinyl materials to meet any environmental conditions.
Shutters offer complete control of the light and have natural insulating
characteristics. Shutters are available in several panel configurations and
sliding door options in a wide range of stained and painted colors and
finishes.
Accessories/Fabrics/Features
Blackout Blackout rated fabric blocks up to 99% of outside light.
Blackout is the best choice for bedrooms, children’s rooms and media rooms.
This feature has different names based on manufacturer: opaque, eclipse, room
darkening, cocoon, etc...
Double Cellular Shade Also called Double Honeycomb shade. These fabric shades
have a front and back fabric that is pleated. The front and back fabrics are
connected with two rows of air pockets, or cells, between them. These shades
have the best insulation ratings of any shade.
De-Light Feature Normally, the ladder on a horizontal blind is routed through
the slats, leaving small holes that allow light to show through. The Hunter
Douglas De-Light feature off-sets the rout holes to prevent light leakage.
De-Light is an excellent feature for a bedroom, or for any place where you need
total light control. Other manufacturers call this feature “No Holes” or
“Routless.”
Decorative Tapes Available as an option on wood, faux wood, and macro 2” slat
aluminum blinds in place of standard braided ladders (cords that extend down
the length of the blind and hold the slats together). These wider tapes help
hide rout holes allowing for more privacy and less light penetration.
Decorative Tapes are available in solid colors and decorative patterns, as well
as a number of different widths.
Controls Controls refer to the mechanisms that allow you to raise,
lower, and tilt the blinds. Controls are usually cords or wands. All 1 inch
aluminum blinds come with wand control for the tilt, since the headrail size
does not allow for a cord. There are optional systems available that make
raising and lowering a heavy blind easier such as:
Continuous Cord Loop This is a cord loop and clutch system primarily used for
raising and lowering large window coverings. It can be sued on smaller size
opening as well.
Cord Tilt Control An alternative to traditional wand tilt, The Cord Tilt
control operates on a cord pulley system allowing up to 180 degrees rotation of
the slats. Tilt cords are recommended for heavier blinds and come standard on
any 2”wood or faux wood blind.
Bottom-Up/Top Down A Bottom-up shade combined with a standard top-down shade
for maximum versatility. Uses two sets of lift cords to open either from the
top down or from the bottom up, or both at the same time. This shade is very
good for protecting your privacy while still allowing natural light into the
room.
Day/Night or Duo-Light This shade offers the ability to combine two different
opacities of fabric into the same shade. This uses two sets of lift cords to
open either fabric from the top down or the bottom up.
Specialty Shapes Refers to a shade or blind that is made in a special shape
like an arch, angle, circle, quarter circle or is designed to cover a
specialized window application such as a skylight, bay window, bow window, or
oversized sliding glass door.
Cordless This lift system was designed with child safety in mind. It
allows you to raise and lower the shade or blind from the bottom rail with very
little effort, eliminating the need for cords to raise and lower the blind or
shade. Blinds will still have a cord to tilt the blind slats open and/or closed.
Lift Systems This is a general term used to describe control or lift
options for shades and blinds that are not standard to the shade or blind.
Stack: The area in which the slats of a blind “stack” when opened.
With vertical blinds, choosing a left stack or a right stack
will determine which way the blind opens. If you order a left stack, the slats
will “stack” on the left side of the window when fully opened. Other stacks
include split drawn in which the blinds open from the middle, half stacking on
the left and half to right, and center draw, in which the blinds open from both
sides and stack in the middle.
With horizontal blinds, “stack height” refers to the space
at the top of the window that is taken up by the slats when they are fully
raised. The smaller the stack height, the greater the view you will have to
the outside.
Slats A term referring to the vertical horizontal wood, vinyl or
aluminum pieces which tilt open and closed creating variations of light.
Tilt The control, usually a cord or a wand, that tilts the slats
of a horizontal or vertical blind open and closed.
Two or more blinds on one headrail This option is available on wood and faux wood blinds, cellular, pleated, roman shades and window shadings. It provides the flexibility of raising one blind while keeping the other lowered on an extra wide windows application such as picture windows or two windows that are side by side.
Valance A valance is a decorative wood, vinyl or aluminum piece of
material which hides the head rail and mounting hardware on horizontal and
vertical blinds. Valances can also be used as a decorative finish to any shade,
blind, shading, or shutter.
Valance Returns Returns are the two “side” pieces of a valance that connect
the front (main) part of the valance to the wall. Valance returns are only
used on outside mounts.
Vanes The PVC, aluminum, wood or fabric slats of a vertical blind
are commonly called vanes.
Inside Mount (IB) Inside Mount is the term used to describe the mounting
(installation) of a shade or blind inside a window opening or within an opening
with three or four sides completely surrounding the shade or blind.
Outside Mount (OB) Outside Mount is the term used to describe the mounting
(installation) of a shade or blind on the outside surface surrounding the
window opening. The surface can be a flat wall surface, ceiling, window trim or
molding.
Width This describes the horizontal measurement of your window
opening.
Height This describes the vertical measurement of your window
opening.
Benefits of Window Treatments
Heating and Cooling Costs: Energy-efficient window treatments will translate into
year-round savings on heating and cooling costs. The more heat loss and heat
gain they prevent, the more money will be saved in keeping rooms warm in winter
and cool in summer. Simple numeric values ratings (R-value) attributed to
product and fabric type will help you gauge the efficiency of your window
fashion. The higher the R-Value, the greater the insulation value the product
offers.
Ultraviolet Protection Ultraviolet light is the light that will damage and damage
most any interior home furnishings. In time it fades wood floors, furniture,
upholstery, draperies, carpeting and artwork. Prolonged exposure to sunlight
causes natural, un-dyed fabrics to turn yellow, weakening their fibers and
making them look old and work prematurely. The right window covering can be
very effective in blocking ultraviolet rays. Such effectiveness is measured in
terms of a “% UV blockage” or UV rating. The higher the rating, the greater
the UV protection that product offers.
Sound Absorption Sound absorption ratings measure the amount of reflected
sound absorbed by the window covering. If noise is a concern, choose a window
covering that soaks up sound, as indicated by a high sound absorption rating.
Privacy & Light Control Privacy/Light control levels vary for each window treatment option. Depending on your needs, there are various levels of privacy and light control available to best suit your needs.
Child Safety All window treatments offer inherent child safe features
regarding standard lift cords. All window treatment manufacturers offer
alternative lift systems that enhance the child safe operation of the window
treatment. These lift systems are specifically design as to not allow a small
child or pet to get entangled in controls of the window treatment. The most
effective child safe lift systems include; cordless lift systems, Continuous
Cord Loop lift systems, PowerRise, UltraGlide and TruRise from Hunter Douglas.