Choosing the Right Window Treatments for Your Home

Everyone loves an aesthetic touch to their homes. However, beautifying your home may be an expensive option for some. When talking about aesthetics, individuals usually want to combine value with beauty. For instance, we will be looking at one such part of a house that basically adds color and life into a room; windows. Most people decorate their windows beautifully with curtains, blinds and other such material.

photo courtesy of www.absrestoration.com

Here are a few benefits as well as cons that one will have with owning energy efficient blinds or shades. These advantages and disadvantages include:

Benefits

• They save up on electricity bills.
• They do not compromise on your privacy.
• They keep your home warm and insulated in the cold winters.
• They block off excessive heat from entering into your home.
• They add to the aesthetic value of your home.
• They are durable.

Drawbacks

• Some are an expensive option.
• Customization costs are high.
• Energy efficient shutters may not have many designs to choose from.
• Some of these blinds are hard to clean.

Today, we will be looking at some energy efficient window coverings options that include blinds, shutters and curtains. These materials not only add aesthetic sense to your house but also helps you save up on electricity bills.

Energy Efficient Blinds

1) Honeycomb Shutters

These shutters are also known as cellular shades, these blinds are a great option for individuals who want privacy and also want to save up on their electricity bills. Honeycomb shades are designed in such a way that they are equipped with individual cells beneath their layers. These individual cells trap in the air, hence, regulating the temperature in the room.

When purchasing honeycomb shades as an energy efficient option, generally, double-pleated honeycomb shades are recommended as they prevent energy loss more efficiently than single-pleated. They have a R-value between R2 – R7.8.

Pros

• They provide better insulation due to the fabric cells installed.
• They do not take up a lot of depth.
• They are available in different sizes.
• Due to multiple layers, cellular shades also provide you with privacy.
• They also block off outside noise to a certain extent.

Cons

• It may be difficult to give honeycomb blinds a thorough cleaning due to their layered design.
• You cannot control the light.
• They are not the cheapest option available in the market.

photo courtesy Amazing Window Fashions

2) Plantation Shutters

Wood plantation shutters offer an energy efficient value of between R2.77 to R3.17. This particular form of blinds is fitted tightly in window frame, thus, blocking the transfer of heat from outside and into the room.

These particular shutters are also known to create a barrier between the outside and inside temperature via air movement. You may purchase plantation shutters either in wood or vinyl.

Pros

• You have the option of customizing the shutters according to your requirements or the window length and space that is available.
• Plantation blind shutters are also known to last a long time, hence, making them durable.
• They are easier to clean.

Cons

• There are only a select number of styles that you can choose from.
• They are an expensive option for customization.
• You will have to clean them almost each day.

3) Draperies

When considering draperies as an energy efficient option, it is recommended that you purchase floor-to-ceiling drapes. These drapes fold against the wall preventing cold drafts or the hot summer sun from coming into the room. Generally, there are 3 main broad types of energy efficient blind draperies.

• Blackout lining: These are perfect for summer use as they prevent the sun from coming in and warming up the room.
• Lining and Inter-lining: These are perfect for winters as they keep the cold out.
• Drape Lining: These are perfect for countries where the temperature does not operate om either extremes.

Pros

• They serve as a shield against the rays of the sun in the summers, hence, keeping the room cool and keeping the room warm and insulated during the winters by keeping the cold draft out.
• They help you get a good night’s sleep.
• You have your privacy.
• They minimize outside noise to a certain extent.
• They are available in many different styles.

Cons

• There are other better energy efficient options available, such as, solar panel blinds.
• They get dirty easily.
• They are hard to maintain.
• They are not the cheapest option available.

Wrapping It Up

This article only caters to the broad types of energy efficient blinds and shades that are available in the market. As time passes, as with advances in other fields, the household decor field is also advancing. Apart from these energy efficient options, there are other alternatives also available in the market place. These include:

• Pleated Window Shades
• Mini Shaded Blinds
• Light Filtering Shades
• Solar Panel Shades
• Film Windows

These are just a few examples. There are many other options that are not available in the market. This is a huge business industry that is now booming. You can now access both local and international sellers for quotes, and, hence, ultimately setting a good price for your energy efficient blinds option. Also, you can now compare what the various different sellers present in the market are offering. Thus, this will ensure that you get a good price and value for your money.

As mentioned above, you now also have the chance of customizing your blinds according to your need, which, I believe is a great option for individuals who like to do home decor themselves. However, the cost of customization will be high. But then again, with these energy saving blinds, there is a basically one-time type of cost as they are durable. You will not have to replace them to soon. What are you waiting for? Go tour your house again. Take measurements of the different windows that you have in your house and decorate them to your heart’s content by combining energy efficiency with aesthetics.

Author: Bridgette Olivia – Mother of 2 girls enjoying life by writing our exotic places and fashion consulting.