Custom Shades Buying Guide

Custom shades

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Are you thinking of getting a custom window shade for your space? Your biggest problem right now might be not knowing where to start and what to choose. Don't worry; this is totally understandable since choosing a custom window shade can be overwhelming.

To help make your decision-making process easier, we researched and compiled everything you need to know about buying custom window shades. Continue reading to know more valuable information.

What are Window Shades?

All window shades are window treatments, but not all window treatments are window shades. Sounds confusing? Let's break it down.

Window treatments refer to window covering or modification that improves the window's aesthetic and the space. An example of window treatment is a window shade.

Window shade refers to fabrics that fold, roll, and stack to cover a window. It works best for those who want to manipulate the light coming into space. At the same time, it also offers privacy by blocking other people from seeing what's inside the building.

Shades are different from window blinds as well. This is because they don’t have slats.

Types of Window Shades

There are different types of window shade options. These include the following:

Bamboo and Woven Wood Shades

Bamboo and woven wood shades are made with environmentally friendly materials. They are excellent options for large windows in living rooms and giving their space a tropical Bali vibe. Most fabrics for this have sheer shades so the rooms can still look airy and light.

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Cellular Shades

Cellular shades offer energy efficiency because they can filter light and warmth, providing an extra layer of insulation to keep the indoor temperature comfortable. Its honeycomb shades style design also gives it a unique look, perfect for bedrooms and living rooms.

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Pleated Shades

Pleated blinds are excellent window covering options for living rooms and bedrooms because of its unique-looking drapery. It's a combination of vertical blinds and cellular blinds, so it can filter the light and make a room look dimmer.

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Roller Shades and Solar Shades

This is an excellent option for rooms in your house that get hot because of UV rays. Solar shades have UV protection features that fight against UVA and UVB rays. This is also an excellent choice for those who want to use blackout fabric swatches for a room darkening effect.

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Roman Shades

Roman shades are elegant and stylish window coverings perfect for living rooms and bedrooms. You can also use it for home offices if you want to spice up the space. You have a wide range of fabric options to customize it according to your preference.

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Zebra Shades

Zebra shades are best known for their light, air, and inviting appeal. Aside from adding elegance to a bedroom and living room, this shade also is functional by offering your privacy while still allowing you to see what's outside properly.

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Benefits of Custom Shades

The main reason window shades are highly sought-after is their long list of benefits. These include the following:

Perfect Size

Not all windows have the same shape and size. Finding a suitable window shade can be daunting for those with larger or irregularly shaped windows. But, that is not a problem with custom shades.

With custom window shades, you can request for it to be a perfect fit for your windows regardless of whether they are unconventionally sized or shaped.

Wide Color Selection

Another huge benefit of opting for custom window shades is the fact that there's a wide selection of fabric and colors to choose from. This makes it easy for you to match it with the existing decors in your home.

At the same time, you can also choose your preferred fabric material. This way, you can control how much shade you would get when it's down. You could also opt for blackout fabrics.

Cost-effective

There are two main reasons why custom window shades are cost-effective.

The first reason is that it adds insulation to the space where they are in. By doing so, you can significantly lower your heating and cooling costs.

The second reason it's cost-effective is that you don't have to waste money buying shades that don't fit your windows perfectly. Since custom window shades are made according to your window's measurement, you get the perfect fit in your first buy.

Less Hassle

Custom Window shades are also very convenient. All you have to do is to measure your window and design on your material of choice. After that, you can install them accordingly. This saves you time and effort from looking for the best option from various providers.

UV Protection

Many people think that they are safe from sun damage by staying indoors. However, as much as windows bring light to rooms, it also brings in harmful rays that can damage your skin and furniture.

The good news is that custom shades like roller shades and solar shades can help mitigate harmful sun rays by effectively blocking them. This is mostly because of the light filtering mechanisms.

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What to Consider When Choosing Custom Window Shades For Your Home

It's important to know the main factors when choosing custom blinds. These factors include:

Window Shape

Most windows are rectangular, circular, or arched. However, irregular window shapes also require a different approach to measuring and manufacturing the shades.

At the same time, you should also pay attention to how the windows open because it can affect the type of coverage required.

Room Decor

Window shades can be quite eye-catching because they cover a significant room area. However, if there's a disconnect with the existing room decors, the overall aesthetic might look messy and unappealing. This is why it's important to choose a custom shade and material that fits your current aesthetic.

For example, if your room has a tropical vibe, the best option is a bamboo shade or faux wood blinds instead of pleated shades.

Function

It will help if you answer the question, "what's your main purpose for installing window shades?" This will help determine your intended function for the window shade.

If it's for aesthetic purposes, you must pick options that work best with the existing theme of the room. For example, suppose the furniture and design of a room are contemporary minimalists. In that case, your best bets are Zebra or pleated shades.

However, if your goal is to reduce sun damage to your skin and furniture, you should pick solar shades.

Budget

Custom window shades are slightly more expensive than mass-produced ones because they're made according to specifications. With this in mind, it's best to allocate a little more in your budget for it.

However, you could potentially get affordable custom window shades by choosing fewer premium materials. But, you might get some trade-offs. Ultimately, the final depends on your needs and preference.

Safety

If you have pets or young children at home, it's highly recommended to opt for cordless, motorized shades. Pets and children might mistake the cord to be a toy and play with them, resulting in accidents or injuries.

Final Tips

You are now well-versed with what are custom window shades, their benefits, and the factors to consider when buying. Here are some additional tips that will make your buying process more convenient:

How to Measure Your Windows

Getting the right window measurement is crucial for getting the perfect window shades. Here are the steps on how to measure windows for outside mount custom shades:

  1. Take the exact measurement of the window's width, molding, and frame.
  2. Add 3 inches on each side to get maximum light control and privacy.
  3. Take the exact measurement of the window's height from the bottom sill to the top molding.
  4. Add 3 inches on the top and bottom as you did in step 3.

If you prefer an inside mount custom shade, don't add an extra 3 inches on all sides. These are also the general steps when installing window blinds.

Installing Your New Custom Window Shades

Your new custom window shade installation depends on what type of mount you will be using. But, these are the general steps on how to install inside mount custom shades:

  1. Mount the brackets on the inside of the window stops.
  2. Ensure that there's enough room at the top of the window jam when the window shade is fully rolled so that the roller can turn freely.
  3. Slide the shade into the brackets.
  4. Test if it rolls seamlessly. If not, remove the shades and re-roll it, then slide them back into the brackets.

Where to Buy Window Shades

You can buy window shades from a reputable retailer near you. Make sure that they specialize in making custom shade and use high-quality materials. Retailers who offer free samples and warranty are good options. You can also look for suppliers online.