Ideas for Interesting Window Treatments

In the interest of full disclosure, I must state that I work for a company that sells window blinds.  That said, it has become apparent to me that one of the big hurdles to purchasing blinds and shades is simply deciding what you want.  Let’s face it there are a lot of choices and since this is a long-term purchasing decision, you don’t want to mess it up.  I for one would be completely overwhelmed by the choices and might just end up buying what I know.  By doing so, I would have missed out on some really cool options.

First, I would like to tell you about panel track blinds, which are also known as sliding panels, or panel tracks.  Unique and contemporary, panel tracks are a great alternative to vertical blinds, they can even be used as a fashionable room divider.  Panel tracks are constructed with wide panels of fabric and other materials, and they slide, open and closed, on an aluminum track. 

Next up are sheer shades, which are also known as sheer blinds.  I think that not many people know about this versatile but elegant window treatments option.  Sheer shades come in two main options: sheer horizontal blinds (for most window sizes) or sheer vertical blinds (for sliding glass doors or large windows). Sheer horizontal blinds feature two sheer fabric facings over soft fabric vanes, whereas sheer vertical blinds feature a light filtering material between hanging fabric or vinyl vanes.  What makes them cool is their versatility.  When the slats are open the sheer fabric offers soft light-filtering and when closed offer privacy and light dimming.   Sheer shades are kind of a hybrid between a blind and a shade, whereas blinds have slats and shades are one continuous piece of material that you roll up or fold up.  However, it should be noted that sheer shades do not roll up. 

The next one on my list is actually well-known: vertical blinds.  But what you may not know is that they are not all just vinyl.  Vertical blinds, or more specifically the vanes that make up the blind, actually come in wide variety of materials including, cellular, solar screen, fabric, faux wood, wood and aluminum.  The reason I mention this is that you don’t necessarily have to purchase a window blind you aren’t familiar or comfortable with to make it interesting.  You can just purchase them in a new material.  And, vertical blinds are not just for patio doors.  They are also a good choice for oversized windows.

Last on my list are roman shades and woven woods.  Both of these are window shades, not blinds (remember that blinds have slats or vanes; think mini or vertical blinds).  What I like about romans and woven woods, which are sometimes called bamboo shades, is the great selection of fabrics and materials, hence their versatility.  If you are interested in a tropical décor, or Asian-inspired interior design, both these shades are the right option for you as they come in materials like bamboo, grasses, wood and other natural materials either woven together or blended into a fabric like linen.  Choose a different material and these shades transform into a classic and luxurious window treatment.  To offer further differentiation, roman shades tend to open and close via folds and woven woods tend to roll up like a roller shade.  Both come in a variety of light-filtering options from room darkening to sheer and are pretty simple to install and operate.

If you are looking for ideas for interesting window treatments, I hope this helped. There are, of course, more blinds out there, like wood blinds but this list was just meant to clue you in on the lesser known options. – David Brooks