Custom Search

Saturday, January 23, 2010

Window blind




A window blind
is a window covering composed of long strips of fabric or rigid material. Examples include shutters, Venetian blinds, roller shades and curtain-like track blinds. In Britain awnings are also considered blinds. A blind limits observation and thus “blinds” the observer to the view. The main types are slat blinds which can be opened in two ways and solid blinds.
Slat blinds have long strips called slats. These can be rotated to open the blind while it is still

covering the window. In track blinds the slats hang vertically from one end. In Venetian blinds and mini blinds the slats are suspended horizontally on cords. A slat blind can also be opened so it is no longer covering the window.
Solid blinds can only be raised or lowered and are often called shades. In some such as Holland blinds and woven-wood blinds there are small spaces between the slats. In others such as pleated shades there are no spaces because the slats are sewn inside fabric.
Window blinds reduce the heat from sunlight. Ancient Egyptian pharaohs had blinds made of reeds. The most inexpensive blinds in the 1800’s were home-made roller shades, made of cloth.
Window blinds can be manually drawn or automated through motorization, controlled from a wall switch or keypad, remote control, or a personal computer, thus eliminating the hazard of dangling cords.



Varieties


Slat
Venetian blind detail, showing how slats are connected.
The most common window blinds are slat blinds, which consist of many horizontal slats, usually of metal or vinyl, connected with string in a way that they can be rotated to allow light to pass between the slats, rotated up to about 170 degrees to hide the light, or pulled up so that the entire window is clear. Vertical blinds consist of slats of stiffened fabric, plastic, or metal hanging by one end from a track; like the horizontal versions, the slats can be rotated 90 degrees to allow light to pass through or to fold up on one side of a door or window. Vertical blinds are very good at controlling how much natural or exterior light comes into a room, due to the ability of the slats to close tightly.




Venetian
A Venetian blind has horizontal slats, one slat above another. They are suspended by strips of cloth called tapes or by cords which are able to tip them each at the same time up to 180 degrees. Their setting can be changed from overlapping with one side facing inward through not overlapping at all to overlapping with the other side facing inward. There are also lift cords passing through holes in each slat. When these cords are pulled, the bottom of the blind moves upward causing slats to rest on each other as the blind is raised. Venetian blinds are basic slatted blinds made of metal or plastic; wooden slats are sometimes used but these are usually referred to as wood blinds or bamboo blinds. Venetian blinds were introduced around 1770, possibly in Venice, Italy. Slat width can be between 16-120 mm - a common width is 50 mm.




Others
Other variety of window blinds include mini blinds (venetian blinds with very narrow slats 1"(usually 25 mm wide), micro blinds 1/2"(usually 12 mm wide), louvers, jalousies, brise soleil, Holland blinds, pleated blinds, honeycomb blinds (similar to pleated shades except that there are two or more layers joined at the pleats to form compartments that trap air, providing insulation), Roman shades, and roller shades.

Friday, January 22, 2010

Blinds Window Coverings - A Closer Look




Blinds window coverings are among the components that add up to the idea of protecting the window frames as well as the structure of the house itself. The window coverings furthermore contribute to the effort of enveloping your family's health as they act as the filter of the dust and other unwanted elements that may get into the windows and pose harm to your loved ones.
Blinds window coverings are sold by many companies and among of the available kinds are the vertical blinds window coverings, roman shades, horizontal blinds window coverings, roller shades, cellular shades or honeycomb, and the bamboo products too. Whichever type of blinds window covering that you fall in love with, you could be assured that you'll spot something that would surely fit your taste, needs, and style.



It also follows that you do the proper care and maintenance of the blinds window coverings. The care and maintenance for those highly depend on the type or material composition of the blinds window coverings that you have there.



Some of them may be highly sensitive to the cleaners that contain alcohol. Other kinds of which may be highly contented with the use of clean rags. Never ever neglect or ignore the proper handling of these blinds window coverings so that they would serve their purpose for a long period of time.



Another thing is that you also have to look into the guaranteed workmanship of the blinds window coverings. If there is a warranty phase as endowed to the blinds window covering products, then you could be assured that any defect may be a reason for you to return them.



Companies that give out warranty periods for their products give you the confidence that you could at any rate trust them. If you are fortunate enough, you could spot blinds window coverings manufacturing firms which provide a lifetime warranty. As much as possible, you have to look for these firms.



When you place your orders of blinds window coverings, just ensure that it would come on time right on your doorstep. If you would like to save hundreds of dollars when you purchase blinds window coverings, you should only transact with companies that are trustworthy and reliable at all cost.

Thursday, January 21, 2010

Fabric Window Blinds - Dress Your Windows in the Latest Style to Impress Your Guests







Are you looking for a new way to dress up your windows

without replacing your curtains? Consider all the advantages that fabric window blinds have to offer:




Fabric window blinds

can soften up any room of your home. In a room that has all hard and cold materials, fabric window blinds can make the room feel more cozy while maintaining the atmosphere of formality. Try adding fabric window blinds to your great room that has wood floors and leather furniture to give the room a softer feel.




Fabric window blinds
can add new texture to a room. In a room that has all the same fabric materials, you can choose fabric window blinds of a contrasting texture. For example, in a room that has dark, soft microfiber furniture as the dominant fabric type, try adding fabric window blinds made of coarse linen or a transparent lace material.




Fabric window blinds can
add new color to a room of your home. Windows are the perfect place to introduce splashes of color into a room for increased visual interest. And there are many colors to choose from when it comes to fabric window blinds, actually any color you can think of that fabric can be.




Fabric window blinds
are versatile. Fabric window blinds can be used with any style of decor, from modern and contemporary to rustic and country to traditional and Victorian. Because of the multitude of different fabric coverings available, there is no problem encompassing each of these decorating styles.

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Skylight Window Blinds - Control When The Light Comes I

Do you have skylights in your home that helps to light your home with natural light? Skylights are a wonderful type of window to have in your home, but there are times that you would like to keep some of the light out. That is where skylight window blinds come in.


Skylight window blinds are custom window blinds that are made specifically for covering a skylight. Since there is no standard size or shape for a skylight, custom window blinds that are made on a case by case basis are very popular for covering this type of window.



So you may be wondering, how do you raise or lower a skylight window blind? Many of these custom window blinds for skylights are remote control. After they are installed, to raise or lower the blind, all you have to do is push a button. It is as simple as that. Of course, for skylights that are within reach, manually operated skylight blinds are available as well.



Skylight window blinds come in different materials for different purposes. Some of these custom window blinds made of thick blackout material are used to darken a room, the most obvious reason for installing any type of blind. But there are other purposes as well. Some skylight window blinds are actually made of energy efficient material to save money on heating and cooling costs. Energy efficiency skylight window blinds help a room stay warm in the cold months of winter by blocking heat from leaving the home, and they help a room stay cooler in the hot summer months by keeping it cooler.

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Window



A window
is an opening in an otherwise solid and opaque surface that allows the passage of light and, if not closed or sealed, air and sound. Windows are usually glazed or covered in some other transparent or translucent material. Windows are held in place by frames, which prevent them from collapsing.



Etymology
The word Window originates from the Old Norse vindauga, from vindr "wind" and auga "eye." "Vindauga" is still used in Icelandic, as well as some Norwegian dialects to mean exactly the same thing: window. It is first recorded in the early 13th century, and originally referred to an unglazed hole in a roof. Window replaced the Old English eagþyrl, which literally means "eye-hole," and eagduru, "eye-door". Most Germanic languages however adopted the Latin word fenestra to describe a window with glass, such as Swedish fönster, or German Fenster. Notable exceptions to this, apart from English, are Danish and Norwegian, with the English word window closely resembling the words vindue and vindu respectively. This is probably due to the Scandinavian influence on the English language by means of loanwords during the Viking Age. In English the word fenester was used as a parallel until the mid-1700s and fenestration is still used to describe the arrangement of windows within a facade.