If you’re like most people, you don’t really ever think about your window blinds or shades until you need to replace them. But in areas of the East Coast like Massachusetts, seasonal factors can influence your decision, and you will want to take these factors into consideration.
Fall and Winter shades
Because of the colder temperatures in Massachusetts and throughout the east coast, insulating shades can be a good choice. Cellular shades, also called honeycomb shades, provide various degrees of insulation against the outdoor temperatures because of the layer of air created by their unique design. Depending upon how much insulation value you need, choose from single, double and triple cell styles. Also take a look at the various pleat sizes. In general, larger windows look more proportional with larger pleats. Order samples of each type of fabric you are considering, even if it’s the same color. Blackout fabrics in the same color can look much different than light-filtering fabrics in the same color. It’s also a good idea to order all your shades at the same time, especially if they are in the same room, because different fabric orders can have slight variations in color.
Roman shades are also a good choice, and many Massachusetts home owners and designers prefer them. Roman shades provide a soft, traditional look that makes homes look very inviting. They are also a good window shade to choose to protect against winter cold. The design options with roman shades are as endless as the fabric choices available. And child safety options are available on roman shades along with cellular shades and many roller shades on the market.
Spring and Summer shades
Again, cellular shades to the rescue. The shades help block summer heat and sun, too. And with a top down/bottom up option, you don’t have sacrifice letting in some sun after the long, grey winter in Massachusetts.
If you have a great view that you want to preserve, solar shades can be a practical choice. Solar shades block the heat and UV rays effectively while will still permitting a view to the outside. The fabrics for solar shades are given an openness rating, and this determines how much view-through you will have when the shade is lowered. Lighter colored fabrics will reflect more heat than darker ones, so you may want to keep that in mind when choosing your solar shade. As always, order swatches to make sure you will end up with the look you want.
Exterior solar shades are a good shade to add to your current ones. For those windows that just get some seasonal sun, you can install an exterior solar shade and use it only during those times of the year. Many homeowners like this option because they don’t need to redecorate or change anything inside, but they get the versatility of having sun protection when they need it most.