I don’t know about you, but getting my home decorated how I want without spending a ton of money is on my list of things to do for the New Year….. We have a GREAT Sale right now of 35% off which makes it a great time to look at our insulating products such as the Double Cell Cellular Shades, Odyssey Insulating Blinds, and Blackout Roller Shades. These trap the heat inside in the winter, and keep the cool inside in the summer! These are energy efficient ways to save money as well as esthetically pleasing. With motorized and cordless options they are easy to control as well. We would love to discuss all these affordable and money saving options with you via email or phone if you have any questions!

Shades Shutters Blinds is going through some changes over the next couple weeks. We are getting a new server to be able to better serve our amazing customers through email. As always we are working on the site as well. The feedback of your experience we get from current customers is priceless to us. We know what we are doing right, as well as ways in which we could improve. Plus you get a chance a win a brand new IPad when you review us as well! Our goal is to best serve you in every way we can. Whether that be through walking you through the website, answering questions on the phone or email, or ordering parts…..anything to keep you satisfied! All of us here hope you have a very happy New Year!

History does not know who is the original creator/inventor of these solar shades but they have come to be known about a thousand years ago, when people use to hang a large cloth on their windows and on entrances to maintain privacy and it was usually found in poor peoples’ homes. The simple bamboo and the wooden shades that could be rolled mostly came from south Asia, like in subcontinent and in Japan who instead of doors use to hang sheets on their entrance or in special rooms to separate male and females quarters. The beads hanging were very popular in the last 30 years.

Solar Shades have now become the norm of every household item and they are quickly replacing curtains, because they are easy to handle and are affordable. Solar shades can be called with other names such as roll up shades and roller blinds. These shades are not typically of vinyl or made from cloth material, they are available in bamboo, other wooden woven products, Vinyl Coated Fiberglass, Polyester and the paper screen material.

Even though the usage purpose is to control the intensity and allowance of light in the room, it can be used to stop insects from coming in, or to completely block out the light. Some are semi transparent, transparent and completely opaque. They are available in all sorts of colors, styles and designs and the holder usually come with exquisite and likeable design to make your room more artistic, these solar shades can have a simple edge or have a lacy design, they can even have a logo of your favorite car, animal picture, trees, flowers or a cartoon character.

Solar Shades are now considered a vital part of interior designing and artistic people choose their solar shades according to color of their room. Mostly it is cream white or just ordinary white if the room is plain, but whitish brown, light shades of pink, blue, red, green, violet etc are also considered.

There is a very long list of solar shades, but the most common are Solar, Paper, Privacy and Blackout Screens; Woven wood, insect mesh, Pleated or Cellular Shades and Roman Window Shades. Nowadays people like the Roman Shades.

Black out Shades is most highly preferred by people who are either a light sleeper or who work at night shifts and broad sunlight is a disturbance to them. They are available in any color and design. It is made with thick polyester fiber, acrylic, coating, vinyl and a reflective surface to completely reflect the sunlight back.

Solar Shades are known to be most effective and have a long life and the upside, can be cleaned easily. With reflecting out light they even reflect heat so a greenhouse effect does not occur. UV rays are also reflected back.

Privacy screens are made to be opaque so nothing can be seen by an outsider. It is preferable to apply it in a room which is used mostly at nighttime. Its material consists of cotton, strong fiberglass and the common polyester.

Insect Mesh may not be strong barrier against light but they can stop any insect from entering into a person’s territory.

People loving nature would love to apply wooden woven shades in their homes. The bamboo is liked by many people. They are environment friendly and they can control light at moderate levels.

Solar shades are cost effective, easy to set up and serves the task of keeping a cool shade perfectly and thus are much preferred over other forms of shades.

The Envision Roller Shades by Comfortex feature a number of design elements that make them stand out from other, similar products. When choosing any shades, it is first important to consider their functionality. Most shades have a specific purpose, to block out the sun, and it is important to make sure that you buy the right shades to suit your specific needs. The Envision shades feature the latest in sun-blocking technology, in both light filtering and blackout fabrics. The light filtering fabric is perfect if you want to block out the heat while still allowing a gentle glow of light to get through. Blackout fabric, on the other hand, is perfect for those sweltering days when it is best to block out the sun completely. If your bedroom gets a lot of morning light, you may want to consider blackout fabric, as it will help keep you cool and keep the sun out of your sleepy eyes.

There is more to Comfortex fabric, however, than its blackout and light filtering functions. This company is known for its soft fabric that gives each room a gentle, classy look. Do not let its softness fool you, however, as it is also known for its durability and its ability to block out the heat of the sun. The wide variety of fabric choices allows you to incorporate the Envision shades into the aesthetic look of your room. While there are, of course, subtle color options such as white, beige, black and gray, there are over twenty different collections of fabric patterns. The collections feature a variety of motifs from the antiqued wood of the Polynesian Sands Collection to the gentle fabric folds of the Damascus collections.

The Envision Roller Shades by Comfortex come with a number of optional features that can help you customize the blinds even further. The standard roll comes with a continuous cord loop chain. The fabric in the standard model runs down the back of the roll, on the side closest to the window. If the blind must avoid a protrusion such as a door handle, however, you can order a reverse roll, which runs its fabric down the front. The standard roll can also be customized to include a cassette headrail, that will hide the mechanisms, or a child-friendly cordless design that retracts with a simple pull.

Custom shades in roman styles are now being increasingly preferred in interior decorations. The window treatments are designed using varying materials that range from wood to fabric. The screens when raised using a cord stacks up in consistently spaced panels and give a sleek look when lowered making them different from other types. These provide a smooth touch and are considered perfect for a bedroom or kids room. Further, the linen styles can be customized to include cartoon characters or other adorable images to achieve a unique look to children’s room.

Similarly, there are bamboo custom shades that feature lucid patterns, textures and monochromatic colors. These are extremely durable, eco-friendly and exceptional in value. The screens come in several varieties like woven shades that fold up in a compact position and easily cascade down to the bottom in a distinct way. While pleated panels are all-time favorite items that enable to add flair to an array of furnishings.

Custom sun treatments are another type suitable for both indoor and outdoor areas. These are primarily constructed using superior quality materials and feature anti ultra-violet properties that obstruct about 99% of harmful sun rays. These come in various sizes, designs and shapes to cover an exterior or interior space. Further, the coverings can be customized to match any type of decor or theme. In addition, these can be used as a roof for any external room and can even make great coverings for a barbecue area or summer house. The awnings serve as an ideal means to relax and enjoy the outdoors during any weather condition. Likewise there are sails custom shades apt for exterior settings. These shades provide excellent sun protection and can be arranged in any required configuration to convert an area into a contemporary looking patio or standalone unit.

Additionally, there are solar screens that come with a valance or chain rollers. These are made using high quality fabrics that are breathable and provide 92% ultra violet protection. The awnings aid to protect the furnishings from easily fading away and offer good level of privacy. These can be well maintained and cleaned using any mild soapy solution. Roller custom shades are the other effective window treatments designed using environment friendly or modern fabrics. These are simple to use and considered an affordable solution for home or office windows. On the other hand, few roll up models are created using fire-resistant materials and also make a better alternative than solar screens.

With an array of models available, shopping for custom shades is considered a difficult and tedious task. The foremost factor is to make a thorough research on the varying materials used in the making of the treatments. This will help in choosing premium fabrics that offer lasting results and require less maintenance. The other major factor is to record proper measurements of each window to ensure that the screen rightly fits the space. It would be good to take the measurements using a steel tape as it gives accurate reading. In addition it is necessary to establish if the covering is required for aesthetic or utility purposes.

On the other hand, when opting for ready-made awnings it is important to be very cautious and make a thorough evaluation of every component before making the final choice. Above all, it is vital to buy a model that is convenient to use and include safety mechanisms instead of cords. Since the use of cords could be extremely hazardous to young children or pets. It can thus be regarded that custom shades is an attractive solution that assists to enhance the overall look of any window size.

Comfortex can do up to 114″ wide on the custom printed roller shades. The image quality of the photo is critical to make it look crisp and clear. Comfortex uses a 6 tier color selector for the prints so it is about the best you can get. The color quantity is fantastic assuming the picture is. Comfortex has just started offering custom prints on cellular shade fabric along with the traditional roller shade material.

We currently offer all 30 major league baseball teams in four styles each. We also have a massive selection of university shades and many different styles of those. We can print almost anything with laser quality. Thank you Comfortex and Louisville Slugger for the opportunity to serve you.

Surprisingly enough, the old shades that were made years ago came in a variety of colors and patterns. They also came in blackout style and regular as well. The shades that were considered blackout shades had a coat of paint or material on its backside of the shade so that it would enable a person to virtually and completely block out all of the sunlight. Eventually, when these shades got older and aged, they started to fail and the failure and problems began to show. Since they were mechanical shades, it is easy to understand why they would decompose and break down as they aged or got abused.

There comes a time in a roller shades life when it will just stop working. It will stick in place, refuse to be able to be rolled back up and become so frustrating that it will be time to replace them at the store. Rarely, will you find a company or an individual with the patience or the time to attempt to fix the malfunction in a roller shade. This will allow you to keep your roller shades looking great and pristine. One of the important considerations to make is when buying roller shades that have unusual patterns, colors, or styles, you might consider buying a couple of them at a time. That way you won’t have difficulty replacing them when the older version eventually gives out.

Some of the other problems that befall these shades are the sticking of the fabric. The fabric ends up getting stuck in around the roller assembly and then it gets damaged. There used to be a very trendy version of the old school shade that was known as the blackout shade. It used a coating on fabric on the backside of the roller shade, enabling it to black out any and all lighting coming through the window. These retro shades didn’t end up being very reliable as the fabric that was used on the backing would continually get stuck and cause the shade to malfunction.

All of the potential and realized problems and damage that occurred to the fabrics used for the roller shades proved costly. It began to give this type of window treatment a bad name for a while as people got frustrated with their breakage and would leave them up even in poor repair. With fabric that is worn out, broken rollers, and other problems, shades were becoming a real hassle and most people would try to avoid buying them altogether. Most of the time, it was far easier to replace these rollers with new ones rather than to attempt to repair the existing shade.

Even those type of repairs that are possible for a person to repair, since the cost isn’t very much, it usually ends up being easier to buy a new one and throw away the older unit.
The newer roller shade hardware and the fabric is of a much better quality and they will last longer than an ordinary repair.

As you can surmise, the roller shade is not a perfect science, but they are still popular Even though the roller shade has its own problems, it is still one of the better ways that get you some privacy on your window applications and at the same time, look good doing it. The rolling shade has long been around in home function and fashion and probably will continue to be a  staple in home design for years to come. They will always have a place in the home. They have continued to evolve and come out with better designs throughout the years, but they will never be completely replaced. The nostalgia of the shades will long live on.

As a first, they provide you complete privacy when required. Yes, you can roll them up at your comfort but when you use them as a complete window covering, these shades can provide your rooms with utmost privacy too. By not allowing light to filter, they add to your room’s ambiance and make it conducive for sleeping. Moreover, by trapping heat, they act as the precursor of a comfortable home environment. In fact, many of them are also known to be UV-resistant and keep all the rays on the outside domain of their acreage.

You can avail these stylish window treatments in many fabrics. Some of them are chemically treated at the time of manufacturing and require proper care and maintenance. Others can be machine washed or hung dry as desired. In coastal areas, roll up shades are tested at the time of manufacturing to be more mold-resistant. It is well known how mold or mildew breeds on moisture-laden surfaces and creates a worrisome room environment for the inhabitants. It is here that these shades are engaged in dutiful manufacturer-level tests and are turned out in mold-resistant fashion. They are also resistant to corrosion and a few climatic reverses that might affect their external surface.

Home aesthetics depends a lot on the kind of syncs and contrasts that you use for your home. So, you can go for a bold stroke or a sober, earthy shade of these shades depending upon the kind of textures on the wall and the flooring. For bamboo floored rooms, wooden roll up shades look pretty smart.

The artisans employed for building the pieces are master craftsman and they know each intricacy of their job. They use the right beams and curtain rods as well as the most suitable rings and cords that add to the overall appeal. They know precisely what festooned and puffed up pieces a balloon roll up shade requires and what goes best with a classical but sheer honeycomb shade. In addition, roll up shades manufacturing companies lay great emphasis on the perfect use of raw materials as they have a brand repute to live up to in most of the cases.

Prices can go high-end for the couture racks of roll up shades but start in general at $20 for the Pret-a-Porte pieces. This is a time of rapid customization. Naturally, you can ask the roll up shades companies to manufacture the pieces in accordance with your requirement. For those windows that have a larger acreage than the average ones, the prices will be higher than a normal custom-made piece. You may even have to employ extra panels if the standardized sizes fall short of covering your windows.

You can buy wooden shades in oak, teak, mahogany, pecan and many more varieties. These are best suited for conservatories. If you want a roll up blind for greater privacy, nothing works better than the aluminum micro-perforated vanes and the blackouts. You can raise and bring down the shades with one simple motion. In fact, you can also choose from the motorized shades that can be controlled through a remote. There is no dearth of roll up shades over the traditional or virtual domain. However, people prefer virtual shopping more in today’s times.

You can find a wide rack of roll up shades over the internet premise. Here, you have the extended facility of choosing from the convenience of your home. The choice is made easier with product illustrations and graphical features. As an aside, you can bag many coupon codes and arbitrage discounts offered online to get a sound bargain. As an intelligent buyer, you must prefigure the shipping and handling costs for the roll up shades. In addition, you should only deal with those virtual companies that have a BBB affiliation. Such companies are known to be ethical in their deals and deliver you exactly what they offer you during sale.

Even though you will want to use these for interior decorating purposes, the primary purpose is to block out the sun. These shades can be used in just about any window where you already have the regular shades, assuming the depth of the window is correct. The difference between a regular shade and a solar shade is solar shades block out harmful rays from the sun. They also block out almost 90 percent of heat from the sun. Think about how much money you could save on high electric bills during the summer months if you block out the heat from your home.

Save on Cooling

These shades are constructed with special fabrics that cannot only block lighting in a room, but the fabric still filters air into the room. They do cost more than traditional shades. But, if you can reduce the heat in a room by as much as 25% during hot summer days it might be worth the extra couple of dollars. In the long run, over the course of a summer you should realize significant savings on your cooling bill.

Protect Interior Furnishings

Unlike typical shades, you will enjoy the added benefit of protecting your home furnishings. A solar shade blocks out UV (ultra-violet) rays in each room where it is installed. It may not be any obvious benefit right away, but over time you may begin to notice that other furnishings within a room are not showing as much wear, fading, discoloration or cracking due to destructive UV rays when you are using solar screens or shades. Continued sunlight exposure on carpeting year after year begins to degrade carpeting quality. Wood furniture pieces, paintings and upholstered articles such as sofas and chairs can last a bit longer when not exposed to UV rays.

Maintenance/Privacy

A solar shade is easy to maintain with just a light dusting now and then. A mild solution of warm soapy water made with dish detergent is sufficient for deeper cleaning if necessary. Use this solution with a sponge and always clean in the direction of the fabric. Follow manufacture cleaning recommendations when available and leave shades open for thorough drying.

Another big advantage of solar shades are the privacy that they provide. When using window treatments such as regular shades or drapes for example, you can only see out when they are open. The neat thing about solar shades are even when they are closed you can see outside, but your neighbors cannot see inside. There is no need to fuss all day long closing and adjusting blinds when you can see outdoors whether they are closed or open.

Types of Solar Shades

These are constructed of a variety of materials including polyester, PVC and fiberglass. Sun blocking capabilities will be determined based on the tightness of the weave selected. The smaller the weave size (density) restricts more light from entering a room as well as affecting shading qualities.

When selecting a solar shade you will see varying degrees of openness factors for the weave size ranging at 1 percent up to 30 percent. Shade values are also represented from 50 percent to 80 percent. Choose larger weave sizes with large values for openness if you desire a better view outside the window. However, larger weaves can allow people outdoors to see into a room at night.

You can find great selections of both loose and tight weave solar shades in several varieties of styles and colors. Weave patterns provide texture and color additions great for interior decorating. In addition a solar shade can also be purchased in subtle tones and beautiful natural colors.

The top part of the roller shade is a fabric wrapped cassette. The top of the cassette prevent light from penetrating from the top. It also include a continuous corded bead chain that make raiseing and lowering of the shade very easy fro any angle.

This is the second total blackout material that Comfortex has come out with in the last few months and they are calling it the Slumbershade line. Both have been endorsed my the National Sleep Foundation as an excellent source to block out light. Having the rails actually does more than just block out the light. it also reduces sound and makes the shade extremely energy efficient.