Silhouette Blinds – How Are They Different From Other Blinds?
24 October 2007 [ad#co-1]Silhouette blinds are characterized by their ability to let some natural light shine through the window even when the blinds are closed. Two of the best known manufacturers of Silhouette blinds are Hunter Douglas and Levolor. Homeowners prefer using Silhouettes as the window coverings for their homes because they combine the best of mini blinds and cellular shades. With Silhouette blinds, your windows will look elegant whether you have the blinds open or closed.
With Silhouette blinds, the soft fabric of the blinds lets the sunlight filter through. You can rotate the slats to whatever angle you wish to have the shade you need for yourself and your furniture. Even though light can come through Silhouette window blinds, anyone outside the window cannot see in through them. Therefore, Silhouettes by Hunter Douglas give you the privacy and the light that you need.
When you raise Silhouette blinds, they are fully enclosed within the head rail. This gives you a wide open window with no blinds in your way. You can lower the Silhouette window blinds to different levels or have them all the way down. There are many choices in fabric color for the slats of the Silhouettes by Hunter Douglas. The window blinds themselves also come in different sizes and if you have a window of an irregular shape, Hunter Douglas can make the Silhouette blind specifically for your window.
When you buy Silhouette blinds from Hunter Douglas, you can choose the type of material you want in your blinds. Choose from Silhouettes by Hunter Douglas in crinkle textured fabric, bold colored sheers or maybe the linen texture will be more to your liking. One interesting feature of Silhouette window blinds is the top down/bottom up feature. You can have these blinds open at the top of the window and down to the bottom if you wish, which is really a different look in window blinds.
There are several different systems you can use for raising or lowering Silhouette blinds. The traditional cord loop is available in Silhouettes by Hunter Douglas, but you can also get these as motorized window blinds. A simple touch of a button will raise or lower the blind, as well as rotate the slats to the exact angle that you want. Silhouette blinds block the UV rays of the sun up to 99% when the vanes are closed and 63% when they are open.
Faux Wood Blinds – Vinyl Blinds As An Alternative To Wood Blinds
Faux wood blinds are the most common form of blinds used as window coverings. This is because they are the perfect alternative to wood blinds and they are cheap. Fauxwood window blinds are made of vinyl material or a combination of vinyl and hardwood. They are called faux wood blinds because they look like wooden blinds. However, they are more durable than real wood and are suitable for all rooms of the home, even those with high levels of humidity. Faux wood blinds are also much easier to clean than wood blinds.
The main reason that faux wood blinds have become so popular is that homeowners like the look of blinds to their windows and the fauxwood blinds are cheap. Faux wood blinds can cost 30% less than wood blinds. They also last a lot longer than blinds made of real wood, which makes them really cost effective. An occasional cleaning and dusting will keep faux wood window blinds in perfect condition. In fact, these window blinds are so durable, you can take them down from the window and wash them in the bathtub.
You can get fauxwood blinds in sizes to fit the smallest or largest window. While you can purchase them in the store in sizes almost the same as that of your window, you can also have them custom made. Custom made faux wood blinds are not expensive either so you can dress your windows in the perfect manner without incurring extra costs. They are available in mini blinds or vertical blinds and you can also get these in motorized versions.
Installing faux wood blinds is a simple affair. You just have to decide where you are going to mount the brackets – inside or outside the facings on your window. Most of the faux wood window blinds come in measurements to fit snugly inside the facings, so if you want them outside you may have to look for cheap faux wood blinds that are an inch or so wider. Once you mount the brackets, then you simply slide in the head rail of the blind and insert the small covering that keeps it from falling out. Then you can attach the wand used to open and close the slats and you’re all set.
Whether or not you install the faux wood blinds inside or outside the facing, you can use valances and drapes with these blinds. If you purchase the fauxwood vertical blinds, then this comes with a covering for the head rail, so you don’t need to have a valance. Most homeowners do use a small valance or topper over both faux wood blinds and real wood blinds, just to suit the décor of the room and to add to its ambiance.
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