Window treatments save money, complete decor

With energy efficient glass now doing the job of keeping out the cold, windows can finally do what they were meant to do - let in the light.

“They (homeowners) want to let as much light in as they can,” said Deborah Majchrzak, who designs, sews and installs custom curtains from her home in Kawkawlin.

Majchrzak said homeowners have gone from heavy, elaborate drapes to simple panels that frame the window sans tiebacks and valances. And with the emphasis off ornate fabrics, it’s all eyes on glitzy drapery rings and curtain rods made from stainless steel, bronze and other metals.

“It’s more of a sleek or tailored look,” said Majchrzak, who has been in the window treatment business for about 15 years. “They’re not tied back. They don’t have all of the big valances like they used to.”

The stationary panels accomplish two things, Majchrzak said: Their vertical lines can make a window look longer by bringing the eye up to the top of a room, and their simplicity can bring a comfortable coziness into a décor.  

“It softens the room a little so that it’s not so hard looking or industrial looking,” she said.

And these days, behind every good curtain is a good blind.

Tim Apple, co-owner with his brother Dan Apple of Tri City Blinds in Freeland, said one of the newest trends is blinds that can be opened and closed or tilted up or down without having to get off the couch.

Motorized blinds, which aren’t entirely inspired by laziness, have been around for awhile. But new designs that can be operated by remote control are making them a must-have for homes with arched windows, skylights and other unique and hard-to-reach spaces, Apple said.

“Motorization is really coming on strong,” Apple said. “It’s becoming more and more popular. A lot of the bigger houses have windows that you just can’t reach.”

The blinds can be operated with a remote control or can be hard-wired into a wall switch. Some styles can be set up to track the sun by external light or by the hour of the day and time of year, and smart shades can be programmed to raise or lower in response to changing daylight conditions.

Tri City Blinds and other companies that specialize in custom window treatments take the guesswork out of buying blinds with a free in-house consultation to get the right measurements. Most will also bring samples to help give homeowners design ideas.

And when finished, most companies will have a professional installer hang them.

“People love that,” Apple said, because if it’s done wrong it’s not the homeowner’s fault — or expense.

Tri City Blinds has been around for 20 years and blinds are manufactured on site, with most custom orders taking two to three weeks to complete.

Blinds can be made from fabric, wood, aluminum and PVC - a vinyl polymer that is cheap and durable, but one type of blind that continues to outshine the rest is made with honeycomb cells.

In a honeycomb blind, air is trapped between two layers, which creates a barrier that keeps cold air out in the winter and the sun and heat out in the summer.

“They’re very energy efficient for those times when the air conditioner never shuts off and bills keep getting higher,” Apple said.

Over a period of several years, Apple said, the blinds will pay for themselves in energy savings.

Majchrzak said window coverings are often not included in the budget when someone is building or purchasing a new house, or they are on the bottom of the list. But they should be considered part of the cost, she said.

“That completes everything.”

Custom-made window treatments are more expensive than those that can be purchased off the shelves in department stores, but Majchrzak said they should be looked at as an investment. When you consider that they will last for several years and will be viewed regularly, their cost is just pennies per day, she said.