Blog | Blind Advantage

The World of Blinds & The Art of Window Dressing

August 26, 2013November 22, 2013 Blind Advantage

Custom window coverings have come so far in the last 10 years. With all the high quality brands that we carry such as Hunter Douglas, Levolor, Shade-o-matic and more the options are endless. The basic roller shade is no more! Roller shades are now available with fun tapes, tassels and even Swarovski crystal elements. Can you imagine a beautiful white roller shade with Swarovski chain trim running across the bottom of the shade? Then top it all off with a unique star fish or baroque shaped Swarovski crystal dangling and sparkling as a pulley at the bottom of the shade.

Do you have unique style? Indulge in the exquisite textures and metallic finishes available with the Hunter Douglas Alustra collection. Alustra offers unique, distinctive details and custom combinations. This truly is a signature collection for those who seek out the best in design.

Not just an ordinary vertical blind anymore. With all the new options such as the Luminette Privacy Sheer from Hunter Douglas, the standard vertical has been elevated to a whole new level. The Luminette has the function and practicality of the original vertical but has soft vanes set between translucent sheers; bestow the privacy of soft draperies.

Make sure that you have no worry about your children or pets getting tangled up, or that you whether or not you will get that clean seamless look that the cordless blinds and shades can offer. Literally with the ease of a finger; raise and lower your blinds and shades without having any cords or chains hanging down.

Look at the Silhouette or Pirouette by Hunter Douglas to enjoy your view while still getting UV protection, light control & privacy. Open and close the vanes to allow you to have two different looks. Raise the shades completely into a sleek head rail and leave your windows totally open.

With all the products from blinds, shades and shutters enjoy the art of dressing your windows while still reaping the benefits of UV protection, energy savings and design.

Blind Advantage is the place to come with our large selection of decorative styles. You can expect innovative designs, both in terms of style and functionality. Visit our showroom or call today for your consultation.

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Neat & Nautical – Custom Bedding & Custom Drapery

July 22, 2013November 22, 2013 Blind Advantage

Ahoy Matey! Looking to bring a little piece of the beach into your decor? Let down your anchor and set your sail..

Here’s a look that we put together for our customer who resides by the Lake. She wanted us to create a simple Nautical look that has a pop of colour, which remains Nautical yet Transitional. Using our fabric swatches, we created a custom bedding and custom drapery option to suit her needs and bring the beach indoors.

The Drapery is going to be subtle and functional but will still make a statement with the casual tuck pleat. Custom drapery will soften the edges of the window, add insulation, texture and dimension. Our customer made the right choice in choosing custom drapery for her window.

Featured Fabric: Alendel – Coco Collection, Colour: Maritime Blue.

The Coverlet which is in a fabulous washable material will be lined in the same fabric making this coverlet reversible. With attention to detail being of top priority, the talented seamstresses that we work with are sure to make this bedding available for use for years to come.

Featured Fabric: Joanne Fabrics – Portland Collection, Pattern: Mark, Colour: 68J5881.

The neutral colour of the fabric for the Bedskirt breaks up the blue and completes this nautical look. The bedskirt will have a custom drop of 14″ and will sit at the right spot.

Featured Fabric: Joanne Fabrics – Portland Collection, Pattern: Eric, Colour: 91J5881.

To keep this look transitional and not overly nautical we chose an accent fabric that introduced yellow. Yellow is that PERFECT cheerful colour that will intensify this look! We plan on using the same fabric as the banding to make a couple of decorative shams.

*Featured Fabric: DuraLee Fullerston Collection – Pattern: 32353, Colour: 542 Blue/Yellow.

For nautical accents we will use a few decorative pillows from the Eastern Accents – Studio 773 Line, Ship – like the ones featured in this picture to complete this seaside sanctuary. Eastern Accents’ attention to detail and quality is top notch.. everything that we’ve ever ordered from Eastern Accents has been gorgeous and made with love.

We love putting together scenarios and fabric combinations for our customers. From creating storyboards to pulling a few fabric swatches together there is no job too big or too small for us at Blind Advantage. Custom bedding and custom drapery may be just what you need to get the look you are going for. Working alongside an amazing workroom we can create custom bedding and custom drapery options using the fabrics of your choice.

If you prefer to look at pre-made yet still custom bedding options perhaps the Eastern Accents line would interest you. Stop into our showroom to view the fabrics and options.

Get a glimpse at Eastern Accents online by visiting their website at http://www.easternaccents.com/.

We will work with you to make sure that you are happy with the end result and that we find the most suitable products for your needs., your style and most importantly you!

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Thread Count, Egyptian Cotton & Eastern Accents Tessa Collection

March 1, 2013November 22, 2013 Blind Advantage

Hi friends!

I thought I should blog about something that we at Blind Advantage find extremely informative. Also, I’d like to say that I, myself, as a consumer feel that this is something you would want to know. Learning about thread count and Egyptian Cotton qualities have helped me make more informed choices. We advise our customers to forget about the ‘almighty thread count’ and focus more on the quality of the fabric. Never rely on a high thread count to determine the quality of your sheet set. Just because you are informed on how many threads are woven into a square inch of fabric – that does not indicate the quality at all! Thread count alone is not enough information to determine the quality.

So what factors are involved in determining the quality of a sheet set? Well, for starters the type of the fabric, secondly the country where the fabric originates from and thirdly the reputation of the manufacturer. There are definitely more things to consider but those would be our top 3. When purchasing Egyptian Cotton make sure that the label says 100% Egyptian Cotton or you can be mislead. The Standards allow for Egyptian Cotton to be advertised in a way that as long as a minimum of 10% Egyptian Cotton is in the product then it can be considered Egyptian Cotton! This was a shock to us as well, until we became an Authorized Eastern Accents Dealer. Our lovely sales representative brought these topics to our attention.. which was one of many the deciding factors in welcoming Eastern Accents into our showroom.

Which brings me to our next topic!…

Eastern Accents: de’ Medici – Tessa Collection Sheet Set.

We chose to blog about the Tessa Collection because we feel that this is a Luxurious and Affordable Collection that exceeds peoples expectations. Other than the amazing price point we also feel that the value is second to none. The linen used in this sheet set is Woven in Italy using 100% of the finest Egyptian Cotton. Inspiration came from grand hotel bedding as well as the sophistication of European Design. With over 16 three row satin-stitched decorative threads colours to chose from, you are sure to find at least one that will complement your decor.

This sheet set includes, 1 flat sheet, 1 fitted sheet and 2 pillow cases. Coordinating products available: Duvet Cover, Bedskirt, Tailored Shams, Tailored Grand Shams.

So now that you know a little more about thread count and Egyptian cotton, go ahead and rest your pretty little head. Get great nights sleep in an Eastern Accents Tessa Sheet set. Stop into our showroom today, you won’t be disappointed!

Sweet Dreams!

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Heat and Light Control with Pirouette Blinds

January 14, 2013July 22, 2013 Blind Advantage

Many windows that could benefit from pirouette blinds. — Photo credit to: http://www.flickr.com/photos/creative_stock/

Pirouette blinds are a style of blind we currently offer from Hunter Douglas. The particular characteristics of these window coverings lend them to being able to control light in very useful ways. This control allows you to have the best environment possible inside your home right when you want it.

The vanes on these blinds are soft and horizontal. They are mounted to a single sheer sheet of fabric, this lends to an appearance of the vanes floating on the window without all the vertical structure of most blinds. You can control the light you allow in by adjusting how far up the vanes are tilted while still allowing privacy due to the fabric they are mounted to.

To maximize the amount of light allowed in you simply pull the shades all the way up using Hunter Douglas’ UltraGlide head rail. To get the softest and sleekest look, even the head rail can be covered in the same fabric as the blind is made of. It will appear to be a floating piece of fabric on your window that is capable of all kinds of light allowance options. Quite a step up from the curtains your mother use to sew by hand and hang on a rod!

To summarize; you have the option of either closing the vanes completely for maximum privacy, opening the vanes to various degrees to allow differing amounts of light in while maintaining privacy, to completely opening the window for an unobstructed view. They really are a ‘do everything’ option from Hunter Douglas Canada!

To get your set of Pirouette blinds you can contact us today or come into the store!

How to Choose Window Blinds for Each Room in Your House

January 7, 2013August 13, 2013 Blind Advantage

A blindingly close blind! — Photo credit to: http://www.flickr.com/photos/daniel_i_scully/

As you know, each room in your house has different functions. How the room functions dictates the blind you should choose for it. I’ll go room by room offering advice on which blind is right for each room so you can choose the best one for your home!

Entertaining/Media Room

The most commonly used coverings are those that have the ability to blackout all light. This allows for maximum enjoyment of digital projectors and televisions as it eliminates all ambient lighting when needed. Who doesn’t like having that immersed feeling that you get in the theatre? You can have that in your home with blackout blinds. For a truly unique experience, try a set of blinds that are motorized to add that last level of cool to your media room.

Kitchen

Kitchen windows by a sink need to be easy to clean as these can be splashy and dirty areas in a home. Aluminum or faux wood blinds are a good choice as they are smooth for ease of cleaning and can be painted any colour to match the decor.

Bathroom

It all comes down to window placement and privacy concerns here. A window in a shower or anywhere that could receive direct water pressure should be made of vinyl. The good quality window coverings we sell should not ever have any issues with general ambient moisture. To get the maximum amount of privacy you should purchase something with no route holes or gaps.

Living Room/Lounge

These rooms typically require some privacy with a desire to still allow in light during the day. A sheer fabric over a more opaque window covering can work here. The sheer fabric can also add a touch of elegance to a room by covering a more utilitarian and less attractive window covering.