The Finishing Touch

Window Treatment Trends of 2009 - Black and White

The use of black and white in your design scheme will create great drama and contrast. The stark contrast of black and white is sophisticated and modern, even in the most traditional patterns. Right now, amid the bright colors of summer, I’m loving black and white in an almost rebellion-against-summer way. Without having to spend a fortune on a modern white couch, choose draperies instead.

Black and white will be a hot trend in home decorating for the fall and winter months. By adding a splash of black to your existing décor, you’ll effectively change the focal point of the room and add new dimensions and depth.

If you don’t fancy yourself a professional Interior Designer, choosing black and white décor is a safe bet. Get style without a lot of know-how.

 

Color: Chantilly Onyx

 

Color: Deco Black

 

Color: Delicate Onyx

 

Color: Lotus Black

 

Color: Rustic Black

Color: Sarah Ivory

 

Color: Streak Blackbelt

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Inspiration for Decorating Your Home with the Color Purple

The color purple is regarded as chic and elegant. Known as the color of royalty, purple is often found in formal dining and sitting areas. It connotes luxury, wealth, and sophistication. You’ll rarely find hints of purple; people drawn to this color for home design often use it in abundance and make the color itself a focal point of a room. Purple can be a wonderful complement to a variety of colors, even those close to it on the color spectrum. It doesn’t often create dissonance, and will promote a sense of harmony in a space. Purple is a popular color used in small rooms, because it really opens up the room and makes it look and feel larger.

It’s one of the most in-style colors of 2009, especially for window blinds and shades. Purple curtains and fabric valances are also fashionable:

 

French Door Blinds

French doors can pose a problem for homeowners. They cause us to ask that age-old question: “Should I hang blinds or leave the windows uncovered?” While they are beautiful, they let lots of sunlight in. Those harsh afternoon rays can raise the temperature in your home up to 10 degrees, forcing your air conditioning unit to work overtime. They will also fade and damage your furniture, especially in the Summer.

Practicing What We Preach

Blinds.com is located in Houston, Texas.For those of you familiar with the soggiest, most humid city in the northern hemisphere (yes, I’m prone to exaggeration), we get a lot of sun. A LOT of sun. And we have a lot of windows around here. One guess what the best way to insulate and prevent energy loss in an office building…

The 2010 Blinds.com Drapery Line Refresh is Here!

The brand new patterns and colors for the 2010 collection of the Thomas Kinkade Drapery Line from Blinds.com are finally here! 80 new fabrics launched today, and many of the old fabrics remain (don’t worry!). The designers chose carefully to select the most gorgeous, in style fabrics; the new collection truly marries fashion with interior design.

Yellow and Black, Not Just for the Bees

Do you doze off out of boredom at the repetitious color schemes in your home? If you'd rather not look like every other beige home on the block, why not try something a little out of the ordinary in one of your rooms? Yellow, is 2009's hottest color. Accentuate your favorite shade of yellow with black accents. Might seem a little out of the ordinary to go for black home accessories, especially since we are in the full swing of Spring, but you'd be amazed by the brightness of black. Don't believe me? Check it:

Who Said Plates Had to Be White? Tracy Porter Tablescapes

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:

In Honor of St. Patrick's Day... Green Blinds and Shades!

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:

The Right Way to Use a Drapery Valance

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.

Window Treatments for Manly Men

I don’t mean to generalize here but sometimes you men need help choosing the right window treatments. You don’t mind letting the lady in your life carefully choose each blind and shade. It’s also not uncommon for you bachelors to fashion some kind of homemade drapery out of an old sheet. I understand; you’re busy, you’re not sure what looks good, and you don’t want to spend the money. But if you really want to impress your lady, or not scare away the next one who happens to see your place, pick something that matches YOUR personality. Trust me, she’ll love it too.

Color and add-ons make a big difference. When in doubt, go with something in a dark wood. Mahogany and walnut woods are generally on the darker side of the spectrum. They’re sophisticated and classic without drawing too much attention. Choose something cordless, which are more sleek than corded blinds. Choose some accents, like cloth tapes or edge binding (depending on the product you choose) in black or brown. If you want to add a little color, you might choose Hunter green cloth tapes or blue. The valance is also important; choosing an outside mounted valance with an inside mounted blind provides depth to the room.

Now this is what I'm talking about...

You also might choose a simple solar shade like this one. It's great for media rooms, computer rooms and offices because it protects your high-tech gear from the sun, and it prevents glare. Functional AND good-looking... just like you.

One of our customers submitted this photo to us. He even told us that his girlfriend was totally impressed with the blinds in the game room.Woven woods are rustic and cool, and compliment any type of room.

Aluminum blinds are all about function, function, function. They're extremely durable, resistant to little kids and pets (they're tempered aluminum, can't get much sturdier than that), and they're no fuss. They're really easy to install, and they get the job done.

Last but definitely not least, the holy grail of window treatments, are shutters. This customer not only installed them in his windows, but in his skylights as well, a very non-traditional look. You can see the kind of effect wood shutters have on a room. Instant upgrade!

 

Tell me your thoughts - what type of window treatments are perfect for modern men?

Happy decorating,