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Factors to Consider When Choosing Treatments for a Bedroom

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Your bedroom is your sanctuary after a long day at work. When you’re able to sleep in on Saturday mornings, this is the place that you’ll do it. It’s one of the most intimate rooms of a house and it is the one space that you can let develop into anything that you’d like it to be.

Given that all of these things are true, something that you’ll want to make sure you do is invest time into finding the best window treatment for your room. While you may know what type of styling you like and what types of colors you would ideally have, they may not be the best option for your bedroom.

At Arjay’s Window Fashions in Ventura, there are a variety of materials, styles, and colors that we offer, which makes it easy to find the right fit for each individual room in your home. One of the mistakes that people make all too often is choosing the same window treatment for every room in the home. Here are some things that you’ll want to specifically consider when looking for a treatment, for your bedroom. Unless of course, you still don’t want even the slightest bit of light entering your room, in which case you can stick with those thicker materials.

How You Sleep

Having control of natural lighting is a goal that all window treatments aim to help achieve, but the amount of lighting in your room is much different than the amount of lighting in your kitchen. The main reason behind this is pretty obvious: you sleep in your bedroom. Depending on if you’re an early riser, or if you like to take advantage of the opportunity to sleep in, you’ll be looking for different thickness levels with your window treatments.

If you’re a light sleeper, and you enjoy having a dark space to sleep in, then the last thing that you’re going to want are thin window treatments that can’t keep the sun out. That means that those thinner treatments, like roman shades, won’t be the best fit. They can certainly be the perfect style for rooms like your kitchen or your living room, but if dark is what you want, then you should definitely go with something thicker.

With that being said, take note as to which direction your bedroom window is facing. There’s a chance it might be on a side of the house facing away from the sun in the morning, in which case you can still enjoy thinner window treatments because the sun will never be creeping into your windows given the direction it faces.

Material

We’ve touched on how the material that you choose for your window treatments can make a difference to the overall feel of the room that you’re adding them to. For example, our recent post dove into the ways that you can add drapes to a room when you’re looking to create a soft and gentle feeling in a room. This is definitely something that you’re going to want to consider in your bedroom since it should be a place where you can feel relaxed and calm.

This is one of the scenarios where doubling up on window treatments is a fantastic option! By pairing durable and thick window treatments like wooden blinds, with softer fashions like blinds, can provide you with the best of both worlds.

Maintenance

Again, your bedroom is a place that you want to feel at home and comfortable in, so the last thing that you really want is to walk into a room and immediately notice that the window treatments are dirty or look bad. Consider the amount of work that you’re going to have to do in a space that you will be spending every day in.

Blinds are one of the more common options for bedrooms, but honestly, shutters or drapes make for a fantastic pairing in a bedroom and are some that offer quite a bit of a control and very little maintenance.

The choices that you make with your window treatments are ultimately going to come down to what makes sense to you and your home. Where we can help is working with you to figure out which priorities you have that need to be met, and then giving you the options that will best suit them.

One of the things that you can always count on from Arjay’s is for us to come through with custom blinds or high-quality window treatments that will ensure your home looks great. If you’re interested in learning more about the window treatments that we offer or you’d like to schedule a consultation with a member of our team. We love being able to add some of those finishing touches to the interior of your home, call us today and we’ll get started.

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Windows That Might Require Custom Blinds

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There are so many homes now that have windows in places that add a unique touch to a home. These windows can come in different shapes, sizes, and be installed in some unusual places, and while they definitely do add a unique touch to a home, they can make it so incredibly difficult to find window coverings that work. Arjay’s Window Fashions know that while you may have found a home you love, and these windows are definitely a part of it, you still want to have some control over the sunlight that comes in and the privacy that window coverings can provide, and that’s why we offer custom blinds.

Our blog post today is going to go over some of the places that we have installed custom blinds. For some people, they may know exactly which window in their home is going to need custom blinds, but for others, the spaces that you might feel need blinds the most might feel like impossible options.

Large Windows

Most homes now have windows that are up higher. One of the first windows that come to mind are those that are placed often in living room spaces, such as living rooms, often above the fireplace. These windows are strategically placed to give off the feeling that the ceilings are higher and the room is larger than it actually is. Both of these are tremendous benefits, but they can also cause some frustration with unwanted sunlight. While these windows may be large and so high that you can’t even begin to imagine what the pull string would look like, they are in fact things you can do in regards to window coverings.

Custom blinds to fit the window are an option, and we can take care of them. We’ll work out the size of the window that you have and determine what type of material is going to be the best option for the size and height of the window, for ultimate functionality. After that, we will talk about options in regards to mechanical windows. This is a great option when windows are pretty high, and a draw string might be a little unrealistic. As a team, we will work with you to determine which of these options will be the best for you and the window in your home.

Narrow Windows

Another example of windows that might need custom blinds are the narrow windows throughout your home. These are the windows that can add height to a room as well, but they’re usually smaller than the average size that mini blinds are made in, but too small for narrow window fashions like plantation shutters. If you are not interested in having drapes as the only option for these types of windows, then you can rest easy knowing that we also make custom blinds for windows of this size.

With these windows, there’s usually not much else to consider other than the width and height that might be slightly different than your standard window. We can always visit the other options in regards of materials, colors and mechanical functionality, if that is something that you would like to have in your home.

Kitchen Windows

Whether it’s a window over the sink or a few different windows that you have behind the eating area, the last thing that you want is to worry about drapes dragging on the floor or any water clinging to them if they’re over the sink. One of the best options that you can have are custom blinds. These windows are usually wider than others so they can be a little difficult to fit, unless you have a reliable team that is knowledgeable with creating custom blinds that fit your windows perfectly.

This is another area where we’ll be able to provide you with plenty of options so that you feel comfortable and happy with the way your windows look in the end.

If you are ready to have windows that you fall in love with and leave your home looking incredible, you can count on Arjay’s Window Fashions to have them. Custom blinds are one of our specialties and we promise to work diligently with you so that you are fully aware of all your options and end up with window fashions that you perfectly fit into the aesthetics and design of your home.

Make sure to keep up with our blog space so that you can learn about different opportunities that you have for custom window fashions and details that you might need to consider while choosing the blinds for your home. We promise to provide you with all of the things that you need to consider so that there aren’t any surprises and so that you feel taken care of throughout the process. Call to schedule a consultation with a member of our team today.

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Types of Damage Window Treatments Can Get

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Through the rough patches of natural weather, to the different accidents that can happen just by a chance of bad luck, it’s not uncommon that we have to think about replacing the exterior parts of our house. For instance, the fast hit of a golf ball can easily lead to some window replacements, the same way that a huge hail storm can require repairs for your roof and deck. While these are the more commonly required repairs, there is a chance that your window treatments could require full replacements as well. Here are a few of the signs of damage that you may notice and how they happen.

Warping

This particular type of damage happens most commonly to vinyl mini blinds. It’s not because the treatment itself is weak or flimsy, but the material itself can be effected by the sun if they go beyond the standard time for replacing. When the sun hits mini blinds day after day, especially on the days where temperatures get extremely high, the blinds react by having their molecules spread out, which leaves them warped. This isn’t a huge issue when it first starts happening, but over time you’ll see that there the slats slowly become more and more warped. Eventually, they don’t leave you with any control over the amount of light that comes into your house but they also lose all of the efficiency that they provide to your home.

There isn’t much that you can do to improve this situation, simply because the slats themselves cannot be replaced unless they are entirely restrung and restructured, which would take quite a bit of time and the understanding of the construction of your blinds. If your blinds are warped, then it’s time to replace them with new ones entirely.

Discoloration

Unfortunately, discoloration can happen to just about every type of window treatment. This is nearly impossible to avoid because it happens when the sun comes through the window. The only real way to avoid this is through window treatments that minimize the rays of the sun coming through, or by having some form of coverage from the sun, outside of the window. When the sun hits the window treatments, it fades the color and can quickly age the material that the treatment is made out of.

This is another tough one to fix. Depending on the material, it can be impossible. In regards to drapes or mini blinds, there’s no real way to fix them from discoloration or fading, and it’s better to invest in a replacement. If you have plantation shutters, whether they be wood or painted, you can improve the look with a good staining or painting job, though, depending on how faded they are, you might want to look into other window treatments to see what they offer.

Cracks

There is one specific type of window treatment that we’re talking about with cracks, and it’s film. There is no doubt that film is a fantastic option when you want to enjoy the view from your window without putting too much of a treatment up. When installed correctly, you shouldn’t have to worry about bubbles forming or any cracks just from the installation, however, as the film passes on through years there is a chance of it bubbling from the heat or cracking. This shouldn’t happen unless the film has been on for a while, or if there has been a purposeful action done to scratch the film.

This isn’t something that will create a huge issue, considering the film is used to block the rays of the sun from coming in, and not as much related to insulation. However, this is an issue that is going to need to full replacement if you’re going to eliminate it. Because the film is so tightly secured to your window, there’s no real way to patch it otherwise that isn’t going to be more noticeable than the crack itself.

If you need to replace the damaged window treatments in your home, you can count on Arjay’s Window Fashions to have the perfect fit. Call our office today and let us help you with scheduling an appointment so that we can sit down with you and go over a few of your options and any new window treatments that might also be a good fit. We serve the surrounding Ventura area with these high-quality window treatments, so make sure to call today and get your appointment secured.

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Tips for Cleaning Your Blinds

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If you haven’t completed your spring cleaning yet, you aren’t the only one. There are still some of us out there that are putting it off until we absolutely have to get it done. While the list is probably plenty for you to handle, there’s a chance that you’ve caught glances of your window treatments and realized that they could really use a good cleaning. If you can’t remember the last time that they were cleaned, then it’s definitely time to prioritize them this spring. Below are a few of the tips that we’ve found helpful if you have no idea where to start.

Cleaning Slats

There are a few different window treatments that you might have with slats. These are often the ones that become a little daunting with the dust that they collect. The slats really give you the perfect glimpse of how much dust is on them as the sun shines through, and they also make it look incredibly terrifying when you consider what type of work you’ll have to do to remove all of that dust. Luckily there are a few things that you can do to make the process a little bit easier on yourself.

One Direction

This is an incredible tip that you can make the most of that will provide you with a little easier of a cleanup. Whether you use a duster, a paper towel or a rag, sweeping in one direction will make it so that all of your slats are cleaned off. The primary benefit of this is that you don’t see any dust clusters that are randomly left throughout the blinds or shutters.

This also allows for you to collect dust in one place. If you’re cleaning shutters, then you can use the end of the panel as a place to collect the dust that you’ve just wiped over. If you have blinds that you’re cleaning you can easily wipe them off and collect them onto whichever cleaning tool that you’re using. This leads us to our next point.

A Splash of Water

Dust can be a frustrating substance to clean up, mostly because it’s pretty difficult to get to stick to anything, which makes it float around and feel like all the cleaning you’re doing is pointless. After you watch this, you inevitably feel like it’s going to settle and wind up right back where it started. What can make this whole process easier is dampening the towel or duster that you use can get the dust on your window treatment to stick to the cloth, rather than kick back up. Once you’ve collected all of the dust, it’s really easy to shake it into the trash bag or throw it into the washer, and then you’re left with a clean rag and clean window treatments.

Be Gentle

Your blinds might provide you with quite a bit of protection from the sun, and an added efficiency to your home, but the truth is that they’re still fragile and require care. When you are rough as you clean your window treatments, you open up the chance of damaging them. This can lead to needing to replace them, which is much more expensive than simply cleaning them.

Pull Down Coverings

If you don’t have window coverings with slats, chances are that they are pull down coverings that are going to be a little more sensitive to cleaning techniques. With those, the best way to clean off dust is going to be dampening a duster and softly collecting the dust as you make your way down the blinds. The same way that you focus from one side to the other with your blinds, you’re going to want to start from the top and make your way down the blinds. This helps you evenly clean the dust off your blinds, but also makes it easy to collect all of the dust at the bottom of the blinds.

Arjays Window Furnishings provides you with the wide selection that you need to find the perfect fit for your home. Make sure to stay caught up with our blog post so that you can learn more tips and tricks for taking care of your window coverings.

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Go Minimalist with White Window Treatments

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In the past, white window treatments may have been considered “dull” and “basic,” but they have recently seen a new resurgence in popularity. Contrary to what you may have thought about white blinds in the past, we encourage you to reconsider what they can do for your home. Though minimalism first became popular in the ‘60s and ‘70s, recently, it has made a comeback that can be reflected in the uptick in white blinds’ popularity. The minimalist style of home decorating makes your space look clean, open, and welcoming, reducing clutter in favor of simplicity, and is particularly advantageous in small spaces you want to make look larger. If you are interested in transforming your space into the minimalist style, white blinds are a great way to instantly change the appearance and ambiance of a room. Here are some different recommendations for white blinds for your minimalist home.

White Roman Shades

Originally created in ancient Rome, Roman shades provide a classic look to any room, but they often come different colors and patterns. White Roman shades are perfect for adding a clean, simple style to any room. One of the biggest advantages of choosing Roman shades is that they are very simple to clean; just use a damp cloth or vacuum attachment to gently remove any debris. This is ideal for white curtains which can sometimes look more obviously dirty when dust accumulates. Because they are so easy to clean, Roman shades are the perfect white window treatment for you.

White Honeycomb Shades

One concern you may have about using white window treatments is that they would let in more sunlight, increasing your energy consumption. Honeycomb shades are the best window treatment for energy efficiency, even if they are white. With the small air pockets inside this type of shade, insulation is easy, so you don’t have to worry about elevating energy bills with these white shades. One of the goals of the minimalist philosophy is to reduce unnecessary distractions from everyday life. With white honeycomb shades, you don’t need to direct your attention to energy efficiency; your blinds do it for you!

White Plantation Shutters

Plantation shutters first became popular in the Southern US pre-civil war; however, they have been around since ancient times, with good reason. These beautiful shutters afford you plenty of privacy when you need them, yet still allow you to bring sunlight in using slats. White plantation shutters are a popular window treatment so if you are looking to install white window treatments that still hold a tradition look, plantation shutters are a great option.

White Vertical Blinds

Vertical blinds are a great option for white window treatments. First of all, they are exceptionally easy to clean, and are much less likely to collect dust than their horizontal counterparts. Additionally, vertical blinds are great for larger windows and glass sliding doors, making them a good option for your patio entrance. Finally, vertical blinds are relatively inexpensive, so if you are looking for a cost-effective minimalist window treatment, these are ideal.

Are you interested in installing custom blinds in your home? Whether you want white blinds or another color, we can help you create the window treatments of your dreams. Contact Arjay’s to learn more about our custom blind installation services.