An Overview Of Shutters, Blinds, and Shades | Florida Shutters and Blinds
Do you live in a beautiful sunny area like Tampa Bay, Florida? Are you planning on touching your home up to fit the weather?
Window treatments are important for regulating the Florida sun coming into your home. There are a few different styles of window treatments to choose from, all of which function to regulate natural light as well as privacy features. Read our article highlighting the different styles that we carry here at Florida Shutters and Blinds.
Shutters:
Shutters are the sturdiest form of window treatment available. Many people who live in the Florida Area will choose this type of window treatment in order to have added protection during the storm season.
Shutters are not just installed for their extra strength, in fact they have a history that dates back further than most states in this country.
Plantation Shutters, like the ones that we carry, originated from the Spanish settlers a very long time ago. Although their popularity is worldwide now, due to the increasing trend of more natural lighting, plantation shutters originated in the southern states.
This style gave way to the classic image of fresh baked pie on the window sill in between two swung open shutters, while grandpa's puffing away on a Cobb pipe in his rocking chair on the porch, and grandma is setting up the family lunch for all to enjoy. A simpler time.
Another waning style in shutters is the "traditional" style, which historically was found in the northern states. This style again isn't very much used anymore because the modern day person likes to have more control over not only the natural lighting going through there home, but their privacy as well.
For that very reason, we have what's known as hybrid plantation shutters. This style gives you, the home owner, more freedom when deciding the ambience that you would like to apply to your living space.
To learn more about plantation shutters, such as what a louver is and why it matters, check out our article entitled, "What Are Plantation Shutters and Are They Right For You"
Blinds:
Blinds add a very charming quality to your home if used correctly. We love vertical blinds on the back glass/screen door area.
As a designer, one of our favorite and most subtle aesthetic experiences to create is, on a breezy fall day in Florida(which we all know is just a cooler summer), when the wind flows through the screen door and brushes past the blinds, unveiling the slow melody of the season. Each blind moves seemingly independent, yet they all roll in synchronicity to a rhythm that is so often under appreciated. Ah we love our job!
The one thing that may screw up this moment, and that we are sure has happened to most of us, is good ole man's best friend. Be very carefully buying expensive vertical blinds if your dog has a track record of slamming into them every time a squirrel runs by.
Of course there are more styles of blinds than just the vertical blinds, there are horizontal blinds, and sliding panel blinds, all of which we carry at our company. Horizontal blinds work well for the window in a reading area, or a large office area with many windows. There isn't as much rigidity to blinds as there is in shutters so we recommend them for areas that you plan to let fresh air into.
The sliding panel blind is an absolute for condo living. The night sky needs to be seen in full, including all of the natural and man made lights of the sky and the city. They are called skyline sliding panels for a reason.
Shades:
Shades are actually one of the most versatile of window coverings you can work with. Normally there is an area of your home or office with lots of window space and the decision is between blinds and shades.
Not very long ago, we would have told you that there is a simple distinction between the two, and that is that shades cover the entire window space so that the light is dimmed entirely, where as blinds roll to your control so that rays of light can beam through at your will. Albeit the majority of shades are full window covers, due to the further customization of our shades though, that is not entirely true. There are styles that we carry, such as the pirouette, and silhouette style shades that mimic the lighting of blinds and even shutters.
If you space is receiving light from ever which way, shades may be an optimal decision for you. Also, the fact that most of the shades are horizontal and can be fixed at your desired height, make them a really great consideration when factoring in your pet's habits.
If you are looking for that extra touch of luxury, there are motorization features that can be applied to blinds, shutters, and shades at your wish.
For more information about this feature, and whatever else you need to know about shutters, blinds, and shade installation Call Us Today for a Free Consultation.