
If you knew there was an easy, inexpensive way to shrink
your carbon footprint, would you do it? That’s what Springs Window Fashions,
makers of Bali and Graber blinds and shades, is
helping customers do with window treatments. Tom Rodgers heads up the Green Team at SWF. Kind of sounds like the
Superfriends of green living, doesn’t it? But that’s really what they call
themselves; they’re a team of managers workings towards real solutions for everything
from cleaner, more efficient manufacturing to helping their outside sales
representatives use less fuel. SWF’s Green
by Nature campaign focuses on continual examination and upgrades to
eco-manufacturing practices, surpassing government standards of eco-building
every year, and providing affordable, eco-friendly products to consumers.
After reading about all of the great things SWF is doing to
help the environment, I had to find out the intimate details from the man
himself, Tom Rodgers. I hope you’ll find what he had to say as remarkable as I
did.
Continue reading "Q & A: Tom Rodgers, Green Team Leader at Springs Window Fashions" »
Get this: Solar Shades increased in popularity nearly 63%
from 2007 to 2008. Why is this small category experiencing rapid growth? Because
they do a fantastic job of blocking solar heat – energy savings, woohoo! The room will literally cool down the instant you
hang the shade. They are one of the best and most popular options for reducing
glare on your flat screen television and computer monitor (which is why Starbucks uses them), and they protect your furniture, carpet, and paint from fading in the sun. They’re one of
the only modern/contemporary products that accomplishes all of these things…
without breaking the bank.
Continue reading "Trending Towards Solar Shades in 2009, Sunglasses for your Windows" »
Awhile back, I signed up for Twitter. Whales, and
birds, and RT and DM, it pretty much meant nothing to me. Plus, when the work
is piling up on your desk and it’s already 6:00, squeezing your thoughts into
140 characters or less can seem a bit, um, frivolous. After trying to import
some Twitter contacts from my address book and finding nobody using it, I
abandoned the effort.
Continue reading "Twitter, Meet Blinds.com. " »
If wild, distinctive dinnerware is too much for your taste,
Tracy Porter probably won’t be for you. Even if that sounds like you, take a look at Tracy Porter’s tabletop accessories anyway. You’ll be converted
instantly. A designer of all things, including jewelry, clothing, bags, shoes, she
has fashioned multiple unique lines of serving platters, cake and pastry stands, bowls,
canisters, pitchers, and teapots. Matching dinner plates are available with
some collections. Her color palate ranges from collection to collection. The
life-like flowers, the creamy pastels paired with fiery, bright colors, and the
attention to detail are inspiring. You’d be able to host a Spring lunch in your
backyard or a formal dinner party for six; either way, your table would require
little else than patterns like these:
Continue reading "Who Said Plates Had to Be White? Tracy Porter Tablescapes" »
I know it’s Monday, but I’m feeling festive. Whether you’ll
be drinking green beer or decorating shamrock cookies with your kids on St.
Patrick’s Day, it’s a great day to spend some time catching up with friends and family. It’s
also a great day to start thinking about your Spring décor. It’s almost April,
and before you know it, the sun will be beating down on you and your furniture.
Make sure to cover your windows and reduce your need for air conditioning. Green
blinds are a perfect way to honor St. Patty, but they’re also very in style in
2009. By utilizing a wide range of colors on your windows, you’ll be right in
line with the window treatment trends of 2009. Don’t be afraid of a little
color. Express your creativity this year, and branch out.
I'm a sucker for green; it's been my favorite color since I knew what
color was. Maybe that's why I enjoy these window treatment so much.
Green is the color of rebirth, it's the color of nature, and it's a restful, restorative color. Use it with abundance in your home to make you feel energized and safe. Below are some beautiful examples to model your home after:
Continue reading "In Honor of St. Patrick's Day... Green Blinds and Shades!" »
This is a week of Q&A, it seems like! Your questions have been pouring in, and I'm going to answer as many of them as possible. Many of you asked about home gyms, so on to the problem solving!
Q: We have an exercise room with a shower
and sauna and a large window. We want a
shade for privacy but want natural light to come through. What type of shade do you recommend?
-Melissa
Continue reading "Tricky Design Problem: Blinds and Shades for a Home Gym" »
Q: I need to block the sun from my larger trapezoidal
windows approximately 87" h x 18" h, long side-short side, with a 72 ' width. What can I use and where can I get them? They
are in the top of a chalet wall so are also up high.
Thank you,
Jackie M.
Continue reading "Tricky Design Problem: Odd Shaped or Trapezoid Windows" »
Valances are a wonderful way to dress up a window without a
full-on fabric overload. They’re great in so many situations. If you have small
windows, a simple accent, like a valance, is a great way to keep your windows
feeling open but not bare. If you have a lot of windows side by side and
touching, you can install one long valance over the top of all of them. Savvy Blinds.com customer Katie B. shared her bathroom décor with me a few days
ago. Check out her great use of a grommet valance.
Continue reading "The Right Way to Use a Drapery Valance" »