Moving into your first place can be a daunting task. Between forgetting your new address and putting out your trash cans on the wrong day, there is certainly a lot to remember.
One task that shouldn’t be neglected in the whirlwind of home repairs is assessing your window treatments. While you may have survived in the past by duct taping an old blanket over your exposed windows, with a tiny bit of foresight and help from blinds and shades experts, you’ll have neat, new window treatments up in now time.
Watch out for these 5 mistakes you can make when buying new window treatments.
1. Wrong Measurements
The first step in getting the correct window treatments is to measure your windows correctly. It’s not as simple as extending a measuring tape haphazardly across your window frame: view our detailed measuring guide [link] for specifics on the best way to measure. Here’s a quick rundown of some important measuring tips.
For now, keep these tricks in mind: always use a steel measuring tape, since it will provide more accurate measurements than a cloth measuring tape. Determine whether you want an inside mount or an outside mount for your new window treatments – this will affect the measurements you provide. Measure each window three times, across the top, middle, and bottom of the window frame and use the smallest measurement as the number.
Additionally, don’t assume that each window in your new home is the same size. Even if they look identical, small differences in size – even only a few centimeters – will affect the appearance and operation of your new blinds or shades.
Blinds.com has the best measuring instructions available online – consult their Measuring Guide for further assistance.
2. Wrong Window Treatment Material
Another common yet costly mistake with window treatments is choosing the wrong style and material for the room. Many popular window treatments are made from natural wood, and provide a beautiful, natural style.
However, natural wood is prone to warping, cracking, and breaking if exposed to moisture in the air. Wood is a porous material, which means it absorbs water from the air. Natural wood blinds or shutters should never be installed in kitchens or bathrooms. In addition to breaking or warping, you run the risk of your window treatments absorbing scents and smells. Trust us – you don’t want that!
Thankfully, if you have your heart set on wood blinds, faux wood is a popular alternative. They mimic the appearance of genuine wood blinds but are made from durable PVC material which makes them easy to clean, easy to operate, and most importantly, resistant to absorption and warping.
3. Leaving them Bare
In the hustle and bustle of moving into a new place, purchasing blinds or shades might be on the bottom end of your to-do list. While window treatments are admittedly not as crucial as having running water or a roof without holes, there are sometimes significant consequences to leaving your windows bare.
Blinds and shades provide crucial privacy, which means you’ll never have to see your neighbors and, conversely, they never have to see you. Many blinds and shades have insulating properties, which keeps cool air inside during the summer and cold air outside during the winter. Your blinds and shades can actually save on energy bills, so consider them an investment in your style and energy costs.
4. Inside Mount vs. Outside Mount
Before you begin shopping or measuring for your new blinds or shades, you must decide if they will be inside mount or outside mount. Inside mount simply means your blinds or shades will be installed on the inside of the window frame. Outside mount means you will install above or outside of the window frame.
Inside mount gives a much tighter appearance, while outside mount can make your windows appear larger. Keep in mind that window depth is the driving factor when deciding on inside or outside mount, so be sure to check into your product description for the minimum depth required for inside mount blinds.
5. Curb Appeal
Last but not least, it’s easy to get caught up on how your new blinds or shades will look from inside. Many people forget that your window treatments can be seen from the outside! When viewing your house or apartment from the curb, pay attention to any street-facing windows. If you are choosing different blinds or shades throughout the house, consider how they will look when viewed from outside. Mismatched window treatments or clashing colors can detract from your home’s curb appeal, so keep consistency in mind when deciding on blinds and shades.
