Learn about Blinds, Shades and More!

ShadesA window blind is a type of window covering. There are many different kinds of window blinds, using different systems and materials. A typical window blind is made with slats of fabric, wood, plastic or metal that adjust by rotating from an open position to a closed position by allowing slats to overlap. There are also window blinds that use a single piece of material instead of slats.

BlindsWood blinds have a sense of prestige and luxury primarily based on price. Two inch faux wood blinds, such as Everwood 2" blinds are the next big thing. So what differences do these have other than the obvious materials in which they are made with? How do you know what to choose for your home? Real wood differs from faux by material, cost and functions.


More on shades...

Shade is the blocking of sunlight (in particular direct sunshine) by any object, and also the shadow created by that object. Shade also consists of the colors grey, black, white, etc. It may refer to blocking of sunlight by a roof, a tree, an umbrella, a window shade or blind, curtains, or other objects.

Shade is an important issue in temperate and tropical zones for providing cooling and shelter from the sun.

Plants

Green plants produce shade by absorbing sunlight to invest as energy in photosynthesis to produce sugar. They also actively transpire, producing an additional cooling effect.

In gardening terms, there are various types of shade:

  • Full sun - more than five hours of direct sun per day.
  • Part shade - two to five hours of direct sun, or all-day dappled sun (sunlight shining through open trees).
  • Full shade - less than two hours of direct sun per day.


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Room Darkening Blinds Serve More Than One Purpose ... We all know that you will have to be really tall to open and close blinds that you have covering skylights, but this is why there are motorized blinds available for all these areas or only for those that are out of your reach...


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Bamboo Window Shade-Attractive Part Of "Green" Initiatives ... Many people think of a bamboo window shade as the matchstick roller shades that could be bought cheaply in years past...

Fabric Roller Shades Aren't Your Grandma's Window Shades ... Whatever kind of fabric roller shades you choose, you can have them custom-made to fit any window, from any kind of fabric... There are some great ready-made fabric roller shades, like Hunter Douglas Remembrance fabric roller shades that are made with raw silk fabric and are quite luxurious, with a translucent, light filtering ability... The Hunter Douglas Designer Roller Shade Kauai Collection of fabric roller shades uses 90% cellulosic fiber and 10% polyester which resemble woven wood and grass cloth...

Roll Up Window Shades For Energy Efficiency ... The most popular outdoor roll up window shades are made from PVC coated all-weather polyethylene fabric and come with warranties that are typically 3 years...

Mecho Shades-The Original Solar Shading System ... As an innovator in energy efficiency for window treatments, Mecho shades provide a significant reduction in the heat that comes through your windows, when you use the recommended densities for the windows that you are treating... No other window shades can give you the view outside like the Mecho shades that are made from their revolutionary EuroVeil or ThermoVeil shadecloth... It is this quality that makes Mecho shades so popular, especially in tropical areas where the shadecloth might be used to shade lanais over outdoor pools that need the protection from strong sun rays...