If you're trying to decide on blinds and shades for your home, you may have come across the option of faux wood blinds. While they look like real wood, they can actually be made from a combination of different ingredients, some of which don't include wood at all. So what are the benefits of using faux wood blinds in your home as opposed to real wood blinds?

First of all, faux wood blinds are just as attractive as wooden blinds, lending your home a warm, natural vibe that will meld with any design scheme. It's a great neutral material that can help ground a room that's full of light colors or bold decorations.

Faux wood blinds are also resistant to warping, cracking or fading, unlike real wood that can be susceptible to damage from the elements. In rooms with excessive sunshine or humidity, like a sunny bathroom, these blinds won't lose attractiveness over time. They're also very easy to clean, as they can handle getting wet without becoming compromised.

Finally, faux wood blinds are often less expensive than real wood alternatives, and who wouldn't want that? Today's varieties are often made of recycled ingredients as well, making them more eco-friendly than their wooden counterparts.

Football season is approaching, and if you're more than excited to settle down in front of the TV to cheer on your favorite team, you might be interested in showing off your team spirit through your interior decor. But unless you're a 20-something dude who's cool with bar-room style, you're probably looking for something that's a bit subtler than larger-than-life team logos and bold primary colors. Here are a few ideas for how to give your team a shout-out without making guests question your tastes.

1. Don't hold back in kids' rooms. If your son or daughter is a sports fanatic, it's okay to let that shine through, but there are still attractive ways to do it. While having a theme is a great way to make a child's bedroom look cohesive, you don't want it to overwhelm the space. In addition to a few posters or pieces of sports memorabilia, try sticking to using the team's colors on just the fabric in the room. For example, bedding could be red, white and blue if your son loves the Patriots, or a fabric headboard like this one from MarthaStewart.com in purple and black would be perfect for a girl who likes the Ravens.

2. Use your own color interpretations. Most team colors tend to be fairly simple. They usually involve some combination of colors from the rainbow, silver or gold or black and white. But you know there are plenty of shades in between, which is why you shouldn't feel limited by primary picks. Feel free to use maroon and canary window treatments to cover your faux blinds instead of loud red and yellow, or pick forest or pastel green instead of straight-up green.

3. Realize that prints can be your friends. You don't have to choose throw pillows, curtains and blankets with football patterns or team logos that you bought from the NFL store to show your pride. Any type of print, whether it's stripe, floral, zig zag, paisley or polka dot, can be reminiscent of your favorite team as long as the colors match. It suggests allegiance without proclaiming an obsession.

4. Mix in other elements. If you chose to use your team's colors in your decor, that doesn't mean the entire space has to be full of the same two or three hues. Not only is that overwhelming and monotonous, but it's not a sign of tasteful design. Use neutral colors (add in wood blinds perhaps) or metallics to anchor brighter colors, and don't be afraid to bring in other shades as accents that don't necessarily match the scheme. As long as they're complementary, they'll still work.

Gearing up to buy a set of faux wood blinds or any other type of window treatment for one of your rooms? Nice choice! Now you'll just need to figure out where you want the blinds to be mounted and how big you'll need them to be. If you want a fitted look, an inside mount might be your best option. Here's how to get an accurate measurement.

Before you get to work with that measuring tape, keep in mind that you need to be as precise as possible. Keep your measurements to the nearest eighth of an inch - don't round up. Also, be sure that when you're recording the numbers, you note which is length and which is width. It's easy to get them mixed up!

Now, measure the width by taking measurements at the top, middle and bottom of the window frame - not all windows are perfectly square. Record the smallest measurement. Now, do the same with the height, measuring from the left, right and center. Record the tallest measurement. These figures are what you'll need to provide for custom window coverings.

It is also important to measure the depth or your window recess to ensure that the mounting brackets of the blind or shade you are considering can be mounted properly within you window recess. You'll find the specific depth requirements for each of our products on their respective product pages. 

How To Troubleshooting Wood Blinds

This how to explains how to fix your venetian wood or faux wood blinds when the lift mechanism is stuck. 

1. Face the front of the blind toward you. Look for the pull cord mechanism located on the right side of the blind.

  2. The back of the pull cord mechanism should be in the center of the hole.

  3. Once it is centered, check the cord mechanism from the top of the headrail. Make sure the cord mechanism is secured tight to the headrail.

  4. Check to see if the small hardware piece (circled below) is locked in place. It should be at the bottom of the cord mechanism.

5. This is the correct position it should be in.

If you need further assistance, please email us with any questions or concerns at customersupport@paylessdecor.com.

Sincerely,

The Payless Décor Team