Window Shades

[MrsBlue]

<span style="color: #3333FF">Right now we have these in the bedroom:



Except the ones we have are less opaque and seem thinner. They gap at the sides and leave open spots at the window. I can't stand them.

I have no idea what I want to replace them with. I don't want blinds but I want something that will let in light when I want and keep out the neighbors when I want.

There was a discussion a while back about duettes, I believe they're called, but I don't know if those are in my budget range. </span>

[tsophra]

Re: Window Shades

I had one of the treads on that..the key is to go to a showroom an pick out what yu like..den get it on on-line


like Kia said to me when i started my quest with a wishlist juss like fe yu..Hunter Douglas [img]/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/grin.gif[/img]


p.s. I do have the duettes bottom/up top/down..there great..but me have anadda kind dat me like more fe de privacy and light aspect..can't memba wha dem called now..me we check

if yu interested me wi give yu de name of the on line store I used..

[kia027]

Re: Window Shades

start here for ideas

http://www.hunterdouglas.com

http://www.levelor.com

and browse better home & gardens for window treatment ideas

[WitchyOoman]

Re: Window Shades

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: MrsBlue</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Right now we have these in the bedroom:

</div></div>
First -- Why yuh bed inna yuh kitchen, ma'am?

Yuh nuh haff separate room fi'sleep in?

Yuh do best to expand yuh house by wan tiny room fi'yuh bed. Dat shudda be prajeck numba wan. [img]/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/70459-idea.gif[/img]


By the way -- those are called Roman blinds. ('cause they were known to be in use back in ancient Rome)


Next ...

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: MrsBlue</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Except the ones we have are less opaque and seem thinner. They gap at the sides and leave open spots at the window. I can't stand them.</div></div>
Then they weren't cut to fit right, in the first place. Properly fitted Roman blinds (that were never damaged) do not gap like you're describing.


<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: MrsBlue</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I have no idea what I want to replace them with. I don't want blinds but I want something that will let in light when I want and keep out the neighbors when I want. </div></div>
The whole reason why the Roman blind design is still commonplace is becasue (properly done) they work very well to do exactly the job you describe: to let lots of sunlight in when desired, and to shut out strong sunlight when that's preferred.


Let me see what I can find to point out as possible ideas for you.

Reconsider Roman blinds that are cut to fit just right, though; They do the best job for the least amount of money.

Back soon...

[WitchyOoman]

Re: Window Shades


whooooops!

Didn't mean to <span style="color: #3333FF">deblue</span> you MrsBlue. Sorry. [img]/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/blush.gif[/img]

Quick! Put it back on. <span style="color: #3333FF">Here's yer blue back! </span>[img]/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/eek2.gif[/img]

[WitchyOoman]

Re: Window Shades

I have wooden slat (horizontal) blinds/shutters, the blinds part is controlled by perpendicular/upright wood pieces, that let in virtually as much or as little light as you want; the shutters fold open or closed (pairs of hinged double-panes). They are completely moveable with a simple slide of your hand and/or folded oupn or unfolded closed. They look good -- not the latest "hottt" trendy look but also not an old has-been look either -- and have for 67 years now.

They were original to the house, built in 1941.

Originally, they were thoroughout the entire house, but over the decades, the original owner (Mr George Morecraft) let his second wife remove them from many of the rooms here.

Mr Witchy kept all of those that were still intact when he bought the house in 1976.

They're still in the master bedroom's bathroom, the dining room, and were in the big bay window in the living room 'till they were demolished by a one-ton panel van that drove thru our house in an accident during a party the night of the Sunday of labor Day weekend's SUnday in 2006.

The jerk who caused the accident wasn't insured, and, of course, owned nothing and was - and still is - unemployed... and we couldn't afford a carpenter to rebuild new ones. Our windows are not modern standard sizes. None of them are. Each damn window in the house measures differently -- even within the same room! [img]/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/eek2.gif[/img]


Anyway - these wooden slat blind shutters are wonderful.

You can use them alone, or with any fabric window treatment over and/or above them. You can easily and inexpensively change their look quite dramatically with such simple things as a long graceful swag of fabric draped over a rod in the wall above them, or sheers over them, or a few faux flowers stuck along the sides, or christmas lights draped from them, etc.



The only caveat is that you must paint them occasionally. So, whenever you re-paint, they, too, must be painstakingly hand-painted.

[WitchyOoman]

Re: Window Shades


Mine look a little like these interior Plantation shutters , only these are two panels that center open, whereas mine are a double-fold hinged pair of panels that center open like a bi-fold louver door.


















Also - mine aren't full coverage window sized like the above.

Mine are like this (double-hung), below, only just the bottom halves, leaving a bit of the large, tall, oversized windows that I have open to the sunlight, yet no one can see in coz it's too high, and too narrow for smaddy to even look down thru even if they were on a ladder or in the air.

[WitchyOoman]

Re: Window Shades


Oooooooooooooooooh!! [img]/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/70371-jump.gif[/img][img]/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/70371-jump.gif[/img]


<span style='font-size: 11pt'>I really [img]/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/70377-loveeyes.gif[/img] these ---&gt; </span>




I think I just found what I want to put up in my living room at the bay window!! [img]/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/70371-jump.gif[/img]


I've got a 9-foot ceiling, and the windows are about 4 feet or 4.5 feet tall (sill is about 4 feet from the floor), and they're barely (<u>if</u> that) a foot lower than the ceiling.

I could easily put the curved louvers up top with the stnadard shutters below... [img]/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/70402-thinking.gif[/img]

The windows actually measure 21 5/8 inches across ([img]/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/rolleyes.gif[/img]) at the sides of the bay and the center window is 34 3/4 inches wide ([img]/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/rolleyes.gif[/img]).

Why the ____ would you cut windows that size into..... never mind. [img]/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/mad.gif[/img]


Here's a pic of my window, several years back:




Yeah... That was a few years back, now.....
The old crababble tree and the tulip tree (both left) are now gone. [img]/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/frown.gif[/img] [img]/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/70394-bawlout.gif[/img]
Now, only the giant ole fig magnolia (right) is left.
Although I've since planted a rose of sharon to the left of the driveway and three designer lilac trees (non-standard 'lilac' blossom colors) to the right, in a line, proceeding straight out towards the street from the old fig maggie. [img]/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/smile.gif[/img]

[MrsBlue]

Re: Window Shades

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Witch</div><div class="ubbcode-body">
First -- Why yuh bed inna yuh kitchen, ma'am?

Yuh nuh haff separate room fi'sleep in?

Yuh do best to expand yuh house by wan tiny room fi'yuh bed. Dat shudda be prajeck numba wan. [img]/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/70459-idea.gif[/img] </div></div> [img]/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/704555_dwl.gif[/img]


<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Witch</div><div class="ubbcode-body">
Then they weren't cut to fit right, in the first place. Properly fitted Roman blinds (that were never damaged) do not gap like you're describing. </div></div><span style="color: #3333FF">I wondered if maybe they're too small for the window, but I also think they're just cheap. The fabric seems too thin and flimsy.</span>


<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Witch</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Reconsider Roman blinds that are cut to fit just right, though; They do the best job for the least amount of money.
</div></div><span style="color: #3333FF">I would consider them for another room, possibly the living room. We have a large window, I think it's called a casement (the ones that don't open?) with two smaller windows on either side. They might look okay there but I don't like the look of them in the bedroom.</span>

[MrsBlue]

Re: Window Shades

<span style="color: #3333FF">I looked at the Hunter Douglas site, Kia. There are so many choices. [img]/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/frown.gif[/img] I have to take time and go through the different types of shades and window coverings.

I don't like the look of wood shutters, I don't know why. And the idea of having to repaint them... [img]/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/eek.gif[/img] I think I want something softer, not just in the bedroom but throughout the house. </span>

[kia027]

Re: Window Shades

you know blue if the gap is at the sides and you want the flexibility of letting in the extra light as needed is a curtain rod with curtains.. You can do side panels only to cover the side gaps, or more curtains to just create the level of darkness you need.

[tsophra]

Re: Window Shades

dats why yu hffi gu to a show room..once yu know what yu like yu can shop aroundme na lie de young lady at Pintchik must have spent a good 2-3 hrs explaining everyting to me...including other companies dat mek products similiar to HD for less money..I was able to compare and decide me really prefer HD's material..me su glad she was not working on commission...

[WitchyOoman]

Re: Window Shades

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: MrsBlue</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Witch</div><div class="ubbcode-body">
Then they weren't cut to fit right, in the first place. Properly fitted Roman blinds (that were never damaged) do not gap like you're describing. </div></div><span style="color: #3333FF">I wondered if maybe they're too small for the window, but I also think they're just cheap. The fabric seems too thin and flimsy.</span>

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Witch</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Reconsider Roman blinds that are cut to fit just right, though; They do the best job for the least amount of money.
</div></div><span style="color: #3333FF">I would consider them for another room, possibly the living room. We have a large window, I think it's called a casement (the ones that don't open?) with two smaller windows on either side. They might look okay there but I don't like the look of them in the bedroom.</span>
</div></div>
Yes, cheap flimsy fabric and construction could be the rpoblem, as easily as too-small a fit.

Don't let that turn you off, though. Properly done Roman blinds are great!
(and hard to beat, pricewise... even the "good" ones)


Well... if you don' tlike them, then pitch them.

I was going to suggest you odify the ceapies you've already got by putting a rod up over the window and taking fabric long nuff to drape it nicely over the rod at top and let it hang down the sides (where the blinds gape) and arrange it to puff to cover the gapes with your hands. Just be sure to choose a fabric with nuff body to stay put and nuff drape to drape nicely.

But, if you don't like them anyway... and if you don't care about cost... then just pitch 'em out. Get what you like.




wondering why you asked the question, though, if you already knew what you did and didn't want in there? [img]/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/confused.gif[/img]

unless you knew what you didn't want, but didn't know what you did want or would like..... [img]/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/70402-thinking.gif[/img]

Was that <span style='font-size: 11pt'>^</span> it?

[WitchyOoman]

Re: Window Shades


BTW - a casement window is one (usally louvered) which opens sideways, with a crank handle that you turn around and around.

[WitchyOoman]

Re: Window Shades

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: MrsBlue</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><span style="color: #3333FF">
I don't like the look of wood shutters, I don't know why. And the idea of having to repaint them... [img]/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/eek.gif[/img] I think I want something softer, not just in the bedroom but throughout the house. </span> </div></div>

Ah. Well then - if you aren't parital to wood, shutters won't do for you.

I'm partial to wood.

And yes - one must paint (or at least, re-stain) them from time to time, which is why I made certain to warn you about that... [img]/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/smile.gif[/img]


Sorry I can't seem to help you. I tried.