Chilewich

3 Window Treatments Your Indoor Plants Will Love

Inner Layer: Solar Shades — 5%, Black / Outer Layer: Waterfall Woven Wood Shades — Artisan Weaves Cove, Beige

Indoor plants are a great way to add interest to your interiors. Traditionally, they require little maintenance, but there are a few things to keep your eye on. When it comes to sunlight, some plants thrive in indirect sunlight, while others need full sunny-day rays. Here are a few window treatment ideas to help you control the natural light that enters your home — your plants will thank you.

Solar Shades

Inner Layer: Solar Shades — SunbrellaⓇ Solar Collection 5% Solistico, Oatmeal / Outer Layer: Ripple Fold Drapery — SunbrellaⓇ Ventana CollectionⓇ Vitela, Heather Beige

Because Solar Shades come in a variety of transparencies (1, 3, 5, 7 and 10%), they’re the perfect window treatments to get the perfect amount of sunlight for your plants. With Solar Shades, the higher the openness percentage, the more transparent the material is — the lower the percentage, the more opaque the material is. So if you find your plants only need a little bit of sunlight, consider a 1% transparency. Do they need a little more sunlight? Then 10% is the way to go. Just remember: The lower the percentage, the tighter the weave. The tighter the weave, the less sunlight gets through.

Roller Shades in Light Filtering Materials

Venetian Roller Shade — Seaside, White

Similar to Solar Shades, our Venetian Roller Shades and Light Filtering Roller Shades will open up your home to gorgeous natural light. There are no percentages here, so we recommend ordering some free swatches, holding them up to your window and seeing which options provide the right amount for you and your plants. With a variety of beautiful materials to choose from, you’re sure to find something your plants will love.

Sheer Fabrics

Ripple Fold Drapery — Basket Sheer, Winter

Unbelievably soft with lovely texture, sheer fabrics will filter natural light into your home, saving your plants from harsh direct sunlight. Both Roman Shades and Drapery can be made with sheer fabrics, so there’s no shortage of styles to choose from. Browse our collection of beautiful sheer materials and visit our photo gallery for inspiration.

What to Consider When Choosing Window Treatments for Rooms with Plants

When choosing custom window treatments for rooms with plants, there are just a few things to consider:

The Direction Your Room Faces

If your room faces a direction that gets a lot of sunlight, we recommend Solar Shades for your windows. Not only do they allow natural light to filter in for your plants, but they also help protect your space — furniture, artwork, floors — from harmful UV rays.

The Effect You Would Like to Achieve

If you would like to fill your space with soft, comfortable natural light your plants will love, our Design Consultants recommend Light Filtering Roller Shades, as well as Roman Shades and Drapery in sheer materials. You may also want to consider a layered approach with shades and drapery — our Design Consultants are happy to help you with everything.

To learn more about controlling the natural light in your home, request a complimentary design consultation today.

The Beauty of Motorized Window Treatments

By Jenna George

Imagine your bedroom drapes sweeping open to wake you with sunshine in the morning. Picture raising and lowering shades with the push of a button. Envision office shades automatically lowering when the sun’s glare is the brightest.

All of these are now possible with our Motorization Made Simple™ collection. With state-of-the-art motors, whisper quiet operation, and The Shade Store’s 100% satisfaction guarantee, there’s no better time to make your home a little smarter and your life a little easier.

Why Motorize?

There are many instances where motorized window treatments just make sense. If you have shades or drapes that you open and close every morning and evening, motors can take care of that automatically and save you a few minutes each day.

Motorization allows you to program settings to control multiple window treatments in several rooms. If you have a large wall of windows, wide windows, or tall hard-to-reach windows, motorized treatments simplify their operation. In bathrooms and bedrooms, you can close your shades for privacy before entering the room, all with the simple click of a button on a hand-held remote, or even your smartphone. Best of all, motorization allows you to streamline not only the operation of your window treatments, but their appearance as well. The absence of cords and chains offers a clean, sleek aesthetic.

How to Control Your Window Treatments

There are several options available when it comes to controlling your motorized window treatments, each with its own set of unique benefits depending on your lifestyle.

Remote Control

The Shade Store’s 15-channel handheld remote is a touch-sensitive, slim wall mount that allows you to:

Operate all shades at one time
Set each shade to a different channel or group shades by channel
Add additional channel groupings any time after installation

Smartphone Control

Smart blinds and shades can be controlled using a smartphone or an app, which allows you to control your window treatments straight from your phone.

The Shade Store’s app, coupled with a WiFi bridge allows you to:

Raise and lower window treatments
Set up to 30 shade configurations
Position shades or groups of shades
Control window treatments up to a 60 foot range
Set your shades to raise or lower on a timer
Control your shades while you are away from home

Motorized Window Treatment Options

The Shade Store offers 10 custom motorized window treatment products including shades, blinds, and drapery. With so many styles to choose from, you’ll be sure to find a motorized treatment that seamlessly complements any decor.

Motorized Shades

Our motorized shades offer state-of-the-art control for large windows and sliding glass doors, making them ideal for living rooms, kitchens, and bedrooms.

The Shade Store offers motorization for several shade styles including Roller, Solar, Roman, Cellular, and Pleated Shades.

Motorized Wood Blinds

Motorized blinds are a convenient option for controlling light and privacy in your home, especially in rooms such as an office, bedroom, or bathroom.

The Shade Store’s motorized wood blinds cover the tilt of the blinds only, making it easy for you to control the light and privacy in your home.

Motorized Drapery

Motorization gives you the ultimate control for your drapery, allowing them to effortlessly glide along the track with just the push of a button.

The Shade Store offers motorization for Ripple Fold Drapery and our pleated styles, Tailored Pleat, Pinch Pleat, Inverted Pleat, and Goblet Drapery. Drapery motorization can accommodate tracks up to 25’ long, making it an ideal solution for large windows or glass doors!

How to Install Motorized Blinds and Drapes

The Shade Store offers nationwide measure and install services. Let our team of experts take care of everything. Start with a free professional measurement to guarantee the perfect fit.

Motorized Blinds and Shades FAQs

How do our motors communicate?

Motors communicate via radio frequency remote controls.

How quiet are the motors?

In order of quietest to loudest: Plug-In – 45 decibels (similar to a refrigerator hum) Battery – 52 decibels (similar to a table fan) The lower the decibel number the quieter the motor.

Can I operate different products on the same remote?

Yes. Any motor can be operated by any remote within the same motor brand. Different products that have the same motor can be programmed on site by the installer or the customer.

How much are motorized window treatments?

Since The Shade Store specializes in custom products, the total cost of motorized window treatments depends on a number of factors including the style of window treatment, the type of motor, and the size of the window.

How are motorized window treatments powered?

We have two types of motors: Battery and plug-in. Each option offers several benefits. Here are a few things to consider when choosing your motor option:

A battery motor can be recharged using a standard outlet, and charges in 6-8 hours. Since the battery serves as the power source, window treatments with a battery motor do not need to be located near an outlet. In addition, a battery motor will continue to function even if a power outage occurs.

Plug-in motors never need to be recharged, and are quieter than battery-powered window treatments. However, it is important to consider that since the motor needs to be plugged in, the window treatments must be located near an outlet to operate.

How long do batteries last in motorized window treatments?

The size of the window treatment and the frequency of use will determine how long the battery will last. On average, motorized window treatments that raised and lowered once a day will last over a year before needing to be recharged.

Practical and Beautiful Kitchen Window Treatments

By Jenna George

kitchen window treatments

Window treatments in the kitchen have an especially tough job. They need to be functional, easy to clean, and able to withstand the variety of splatters and odors that come along with cooking.

With that list in mind, plus a few more considerations for kitchen windows, here are some tips and recommendations for shades and blind options in the busiest room in your home.

Protect Your Kitchen

Natural sunlight is lovely, but it also brings damaging UV rays that can fade fabrics, damage wood, and dull your finishes. If your kitchen faces the sunny side of the house, solar shades are an ideal choice as they offer UV and glare reduction. In the photo above, you can see solar shades in the Mini Basketweave material, part of the Chilewich Designer Collection.

Solar shades are well suited to kitchen windows that look out on a beautiful view and homes with low to no privacy concerns. The sheer nature of solar shades will protect your furnishings by blocking UV rays while still preserving your view and keeping your kitchen filled with light.

Add Privacy (With Style)

If privacy is a priority for your kitchen, whether it faces a neighbor’s house or looks out onto the street, then roller shades in a blackout material will meet your needs. Blackout roller shades will block light during the day and prevent anyone from seeing into your windows at night.

Although blackout shades will by nature appear heavier than a light filtering material like a solar shade, we offer a variety of prints and fabrics to give your room the mood you want. From solids to chevrons to florals, you can dress your windows in a bold or subdued style that matches your décor.

Both roller and solar shades are incredibly practical. Choose from two control types: a continuous loop stainless steel chain or cordless, which operates with a gentle push or pull. Their sleek design makes cleaning simple; all they require is a wipe down with a soft cloth.

Work In Some Wood Grain

If you’re hesitant about any type of fabric material in your kitchen, try wood blinds. They are durable, provide privacy and are easy to use, and our 60+ stains and finishes mean that you can match your blinds to any style of woodwork and trim.

Wood blinds do not absorb odors, making them well suited to the kitchen environment. For a window behind the sink, consider our 2” Faux Wood Blinds. These blinds are handcrafted out of foamwood, making them resistant to moisture and mildew.

To find the perfect window treatments for your kitchen, order your free swatches or stop into one of our showrooms and talk to a Design Consultant. To see some kitchen window inspiration, take a look at our Amazing Kitchen Windows Pinterest board.

3 Window Treatment Ideas for Kitchens

By mfleizach

Can’t take the heat? Put solar shades in the kitchen (that’s how that saying goes, right?). We have a few window treatment suggestions that are perfect for one of the busiest, messiest (no judgments) rooms in your home. You may be thinking, “Wait – aren’t all window treatments good for the kitchen?” Well if you’ve ever fried a chicken cutlet near a silk drapery or roman shade, you’d know the answer to that question is a resounding no.

Chilewich Solar Shades

Chilewich solar shade in “Mini Basketweave”

You may recognize Chilewich from their unique textiles and designer placemats. The easy-clean nature of their materials translates perfectly to the window, making them ideal for areas close to sinks and stoves. Splash damage from water or grease? No problem for these wonderful weaves! A simple wipe with a damp cloth is all it takes to clean your shade. These materials also have light filtering benefits, which will reduce incoming heat from the sun.

Visit our solar shade page to see our Chilewich line and more than 60 additional beautiful solar shade looks – all great for your kitchen!

Roller Shades

Roller shades in Grove: part of our prints collection

Similar to solar shades, roller shades are unobtrusive and easy to clean. If you’re design sensibilities skew towards bold and beautiful, you’ll find more audacious prints and patterns here than you will with solar shades. A variety of light filtering and blackout materials are available as well, making it easy to strike the perfect balance between natural light and privacy.

Faux Wood Blinds

Wood blinds in an industrial kitchen

Warp resistant? Check. Mildew resistant? You bet. These are some durable blinds! Perfect for the high-traffic areas of your home, faux wood has a reputation for withstanding anything you can throw at it – including the kitchen sink (please don’t throw your sink). Next time you’re cooking up something yummy in your kitchen, get as messy as you want – these blinds can take it.

There you have it – 3 window treatment solutions perfect for your kitchen. If you have any questions, we’d love to chat with you! Just call, click or visit a showroom!

Material Spotlight: Chilewich For The Shade Store

By E.Glick

Chilewich has partnered with The Shade Store to create an exclusive collection of custom window treatments. The world renowned designs are available in our custom roller shades and vertical systems. The Chilewich collection comes in over 20 material & color combinations.

New York based designer Sandy Chilewich is founder and creative director of Chilewich | Sultan LLC, a company managed with her partner and husband Joe Sultan. For the last three decades and with two distinct businesses, the company has reinterpreted underutilized and overlooked manufacturing practices. During the last 12 years Chilewich has designed innovated textiles for numerous applications. Best known for her placemats and floormats, her materials can now be seen on iPhone cases, bags and other products marked by ingenuity and elegance.

In a quest for other suitable fabrics to incorporate into one of her initial designs, the RayBowl, she stumbled upon woven vinyl and fell in love with what she believed was a completely underutilized textile. It didn’t work for the bowls. However, where others saw just one material among many, she saw an opportunity for a new business. “The durability of this extruded yarn, the intrinsic sheen of the material, its tremendous design versatility, and the fact that it is washable inspired me then and continues to inspire me today,” says the designer.

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