Customers frequently called my business asking for “levolors”. After sighing to myself, I’d gently ask them to be more specific. “Is there a particular type
If you’re considering new construction or a major renovation to your home, it’s not too soon to start thinking about window treatments. You might consider
I wish I had invented or, rather, brought Paper Shades to market. Consider… You just bought or signed the lease on a new home and
So, you are having some custom window treatments installed soon and you were wondering what kind of work you could expect from your installers? Good
Success with side-by-side window treatments Photo A Photo B If you have 2 or more horizontal, louvered blinds within a single window opening, you will
Installers have to hustle. Load the truck, unload the truck, open the boxes. Sometimes, the old coverings must be taken down. New product and hardware
Mentor or Menace? One of the first colleagues I met in the window treatment industry was a guy who generously shared advice, though not all
Room darkeners (popularly known as “blackout” shades or blinds) are a great and necessary feature for many folks. Some are more effective than others, however.
A Smooth Blind Installation Shipping Label Packing Slip This is, unfortunately, an all-too-frequent but avoidable situation for customers. When you order your custom treatments through
What is a ‘standard window’? Homeowners frequently use this phrase and I suspect that they mean that their windows are not over-sized or otherwise unusual.
This question comes up frequently and just about anyone who has taken an order for custom products has fielded it. Some consultants will confidently assure
Trying to steal the pro’s measurements The first time this happened to me, I was a little surprised even though I had been forewarned by
The Honey Pot Customer: “I am really in a hurry. Can you come by today?” Me: “I’m already booked up today – maybe tomorrow?” Customer:
Balking at a leaving a deposit When you are buying custom window treatments or any custom product, expect to put down a deposit. This money
Requesting a whole house measure and ordering only one blind. This trick is a spin off of number 5. Ok, so you just need 1
Calling for an estimate but switching to a repair request at the appointment . In this situation, a customer calls the pro in for what
We’ve all heard about sneaky salespeople right, but customers? Yes, they are out there in the wild. I entered the custom window treatment field from
I lost count, long ago, how many times a customer said this: “You just have to measure one – they’re all the same size”. Now,
Remote control operated, motorized shades are increasing in popularity day by day. Sometimes, however, customers don’t get exactly what they had imagined. With a bit
“Hummenah, hummenah, hummenah” Many years back, I consulted with a couple who were nearly finished converting their home to a mother-daughter. The daughter and her
Early in my career, I met with a young couple, let’s call them Lili & Joe. They had just purchased a coop in a hi-rise
Simply stated – don’t do it! During our initial contact I would ask prospective customers if their windows were ready to be measured? Are they
Valances Wood and faux wood blinds come equipped with valances – at no extra charge! This is because the headrails and brackets for these blinds
This feature was requested many times by customers in a conversation much like this: Customer: “I want those blinds where you can see out but
During my many years selling window treatments, I learned to avoid the term ‘black-out’. Black-out suggests complete darkness and no product by itself can achieve
Interior shutters are a great addition for windows. Inside mounts can be tricky, though. If you have double-hung tilt-in windows they are trickier still. In
You might have seen TV commercials for motorized shades. You know, the proud owner presses the button on the remote and the shades magically lift
Do you need them? Well, you probably need some covering for privacy but blinds and shades will not hold up very well. The moisture will
Lets say your windows are being measured and the pro wants to know if you’re happy with the dimensions of your existing window treatments. How
In an all too common scenario for an installer, the customer inspects the installed blinds and complains about a discrepancy with what was ordered. The
Horizontal Blinds – Window covering with louver/slats/vanes running left-to-right or parallel to the horizon. Also known as Venetian blinds. Sub-categories includes Wood, Faux Wood, Vinyl, Aluminum(mini, micro).
Vertical Blinds – Window covering with louver/slats/vanes running top-to-bottom or perpendicular to the horizon.
Shadings – These are hybrid roller shades with internal, tilting fabric louvers. Originally released as the Hunter Douglas Silhouette but now available from many brands.
Banded Shades – Also known as Zebra shades. They are rollers with alternating strips of varying opacity which can overlap for full privacy.
Vertical Sheers – A hybrid of a traditional vertical blind and sheer drapery.
Roller Shades – A traditional product familiar to many as a cheap vinyl covering from a home center or hardware store but custom rollers are available in a dizzying array of fabrics.
Solar Shades – A sub-category of roller shade featuring ‘screen’ like fabric of varying transparency expressed as a percentage ‘openness factor’.
Pleated Shades – A simple, traditional fabric shade formed by creasing fabric in increments from 3/4″ – 2″. The predecessor of the cellular shade.
Cellular (Cell) Shades – Also known as honeycomb and accordion shade. Based on pleated shades but have two or more layers creating a thermal barrier which is an effective insulator. Popular with a ‘top-down/bottom-up’ feature which provides direct light while maintaining partial privacy.
Vertical Cellular – A cell shade with cells (pleat lines) running top to bottom. Ideal alternative to vertical blinds for sliding patio doors.
Roman Shades – A decorative traditional fabric shade available in several styles.
Austrian Shades – A traditional fabric shade typically made with sheer fabrics. Privacy comes through the ‘gathering’ effect. They are not particularly practical but are valued for the decorative street view they provide.
Woven Wood – A rustic sub-category of Roman shade available in natural wood and grass woven materials.
Louver Drape – Another sliding door option, these are generally woven wood shades with a drape-like appearance drawing side-to-side.
Panel Track – Also known as a sliding panel. Typically used for sliding patio doors, these feature 2 or more fabric, solar or woven wood panels which stack in parallel, one over another. Great companion to matching roller, solar or woven shades. A clean, modern look but partially obstructs the view outside.
