A high-quality window treatment is likely one of the first purchases that you’ll make for your home. Window treatments are essential for light control, insulation, and home decor. However, making the right choice for your house isn’t always easy. Here are 6 common mistakes people make when buying window treatments:
Mistake 1: Not Researching Different Types of Window Treatments
From blinds and shades to curtains and shutters, there are a wide variety of window treatments available for homeowners. Before selecting and purchasing your window treatment, you want to make sure that you’ve been able to thoroughly research and evaluate each option for your home.
Blinds, for instance, often have cords that let you control the light that enters your home. They can be an array of sizes and types. Curtains, meanwhile, are pieces of fabric that cover your windows and can be tied back with a piece of fabric or cord. They often come in patterns, colors, and designs. You can also buy curtains that cover only the top of your window.
Shades are another well-known choice for homeowners. Shades are large pieces of typically soft material that pull up or down over a window. Shutters, however, are designed to fit your windows. Plantation shutters, in particular, have horizontal slats (or louvers) that allow you to filter sunlight in and out of your home using a tilt rod.
Mistake 2: Not Considering the Rooms of the Home
Before purchasing a window treatment, it’s important to understand how a window treatment will impact the look, feel, and even safety of the rooms in your home. Humid rooms or rooms with varying temperatures, like bathrooms and kitchens, are best paired with a window treatment that can handle these changes. All bedrooms look best alongside a cozy window treatment, but a child’s bedroom is particularly well-suited to plantation shutters. The cords and dangling materials that are typical of blinds, curtains, and other, similar materials can all be extremely hazardous to young children. Plantation shutters have only a tilt rod, making this window treatment a much more family-friendly option. There are even some plantation shutter designs that hide the tilt rod altogether.
Window treatments also play a noticeable role in the style of your rooms. Permanent window treatments made out of solid materials, like hardwood, will make your home more aesthetically pleasing and elegant.
Mistake 3: Choosing a Window Treatment That Is Not Custom-Made
It can be tempting to measure your own windows and quickly choose a window treatment, but taking the time to have your windows professionally measured for a custom window treatment is a real investment for your home. Inaccurate measurements or poorly-fitted window treatments negatively affect the look of your home. They can also affect the functionality of your windows.
Mistake 4: Not Thinking Outside-of-the-Box
Your window treatments can be creative! You don’t necessarily have to give up curtains in favor of shutters, for instance. Instead, you can pair the two together for a dramatic room statement. You could also install a valance over cafe shutters or add sheer curtains to plantation shutters to really play with the light entering the room.
Mistake 5: Forgetting About Maintenance Needs
If it’s difficult to maintain your window treatment, then you might want to choose a more low-key window covering. Blinds, for example, are notoriously difficult to clean. Curtains need to be cleaned regularly and eventually tear or wear-down. Shades, too, can rip and be in need of repair.
The material of your window treatment can play a major role in the maintenance needs of the covering. Hardwood materials are typically more durable and more easily cleaned than plastic, vinyl, or fabric materials.
Some installation techniques can also complicate your window treatment choices. For this reason, at Shenandoah Shutters, we don’t use a tension system. Not having to worry about adjusting the tension makes maintaining your window treatment a breeze.
Mistake 6: Not Thinking About the Future
You may have no plans to ever sell your home, but if you do, plantation shutters are one of the only window treatments to actually increase the resale value of your home. Hardwood plantation shutters, in particular, are extremely sought after home buyers. These plantation shutters boost your curb appeal, too, so your home is seen as impressive right from the start. The result is a greater return on your investment years down the road.
The longevity of your window treatment is another important factor to consider. Some window treatments last longer than others. Shades and blinds last less than a decade, while curtains usually last just a few years. Plantation shutters frequently last decades.
Window Treatments Are an Investment for Your Home
Your window treatment sets the tone of your house. When buying a window covering, it’s important to research all of your options. You want to consider both the current and future impact that the window treatment will have on your home.
Scheduling an Appointment with Shenandoah Shutters
Shenandoah Shutters has been manufacturing handcrafted, custom made, hardwood plantation shutters since 1990. Our plantation shutters are made by our skilled woodworking employees right in our Richmond, Virginia woodshop.
Plantation shutters are elegant, stylish, and timeless. These window treatments are longtime favorites in all of our service areas, including cities and counties in Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C. With plantation shutters, the control you have over the light that enters your home is simply unmatched by any other window treatment. You’ll be able to set the ideal ambiance for each and every room of your home.
Our plantation shutters come in a variety of styles, including our patented, Softedge design. You can also choose from custom colors, creams, and stains for the perfect look. We use only fine American woods for our plantation shutters and hand finish each shutter with a gorgeous silken lacquer.
Are you ready to upgrade your existing window treatment to plantation shutters? Contact Shenandoah Shutters today for more information or to schedule an appointment for your windows.
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