The Blind Blog

Cleaning the kitchen can sometimes be as easy as running the dishwasher, but to create a tidy, organized environment, there are some steps you need to take. 

1. Get rid of old ingredients 
Unless ingredients are creating a stink in the back of your fridge, chances are you barely notice old items that you don't need anymore. Things such as old flour that you'll never use because your child was diagnosed with a gluten allergy, baking chocolate that you won't eat because you're on a diet, and the beef in the back of your freezer that's probably too old to eat by now you should toss. Go through all of your cabinets, your fridge, and your freezer, and get rid of anything that you don't think you'll ever need. 

2. Cut out extra tools
Kitchen tools can build up quickly, from the kitschy egg-shaped timer you got as a wedding present to the plastic flatware you've had since college. You don't need to necessarily get rid of these - if you have the storage space and think you could use some things for entertaining in the future, stow them away in a labeled box in your basement or attic. But cut out the things you have two of and accessories that have the same function: You don't need two of the same size butcher knife. 

3. Replace old accessories 
Make your kitchen look cleaner by replacing old dingy items, such as cracked tile or old discount window treatments. For an especially clean look, get cordless shades for your new, tidy space. If you keep your pans on display, get rid of the ones that are too scratched to use and substitute them with shiny copper pans. 

The interior of your home is important, but the warmer months provide you with the perfect opportunity to adorn its exterior. Planting colorful window boxes is a great way to invigorate your home on a dime, albeit temporarily. Here are some tips for how.

Pick the right flowers
Real Simple recommends choosing flowers that do best with the amount of sunlight that the window box in question would receive. If the front of your home gets a lot of direct sunlight, consider planting Dusty Millers or Verbenas, and if the opposite is true, grow Dark Hearts and Kiwi Ferns.

Take proper care
Out-of-ground soil holds less moisture and nutrients than soil still in the ground, according to Martha Stewart. Use a water-soluble plant food to help supplement some of the disparity, and be sure to water regularly. 

Further adornment
While passersby are admiring your lively flower box, give them an attractive background that doubles as a visual barrier. Cellular shades in light colors make gorgeous backdrops for vibrant flora while helping you to maintain your privacy. 

As an often neglected part of your home, the level of design that your bathroom sports can be the telling point of how well your home is decorated. Standard powder room styles are easy to pull off - just add matching tiles, towels and a mirror. To create a unique bathroom, you don't have to buy expensive appliances like a shower that doubles as a sauna. Just choose a quirky feature and decorate around it. Read more to get some ideas on how to make your restroom stand out. 

Wall decor
Bathroom walls are usually plain, and hanging an artistic poster doesn't make much difference. HGTV recommends using items from thrift stores and flea markets to adorn your commode. A small dresser's drawers, when removed, can be secured to a wall to create shelves, and add even more visual appeal when the inside bottoms of the drawers are decorated with paint or photographs. The same technique can be used with antique mirrors - hanging a few above your sink serves a purpose while also contributing to the decor.

Color
Bright colored bathrooms risk being reminiscent of a teen's restroom, but with grown-up tiling and accessories (and without the furry bathmat), hot pink walls can be an inexpensive way of adding interest to the room. Offset the blazing blush with hardwood floors and tiles that complement. Another way to add color is to truly go all out - like with a royal blue. Carry the hue through towels, paint and the shower curtain: It takes commitment, but the bold look pays off.

Accessories
Noticeable accessories are a great way to make your bathroom stand out - like sophisticated looking roman shades, chandeliers or a floating sink. The best way to design a powder room away from the norm is to strive to do what others are not. 

Roman shades, the sleek, flat window treatments that fold instead of roll, can be just the thing to bring any room together. Available in tons of colors, this discount window treatment can be perfect to complete the decor of the bathroom, kitchen, dining room or any place in your home.

Colors
In a new list, HGTV details the many uses of this versatile type of shade. The texture of the window treatment, which is much smoother and often looks more chic than many other, traditional styles, can be used to create a contemporary feel with a regal undertone in many rooms. Getting these shades in tones like purple and royal blue will help to give the light just the right tone to make your sunroom or patio feel like a modern paradise. With free samples available, you'll be sure to find the right style for you and your home.

The look
These shades are a great way to add a look of luxury to your home, notes Better Homes and Gardens. Thanks to their clean fabric lines, Romans look great both hanging down and folded up, which also means that they work in just about any room - especially one where you want a cleaner, more simplistic look than more cumbersome styles such as drapes. Compared to many treatments that provide the same level of class and luxury to your decor, these treatments are also often less expensive. The automatic folding of the blinds also makes installing and maintaining them a breeze. 

No matter what room you're trying to complete, there will definitely be a color and style of Roman shades that will help make your home decorating dream a reality.

Every fashion week, a few colors crop up among all the big name designer collections. This spring, that elite group of hues included nectarine, poppy red and bright yellow. You'll see these colors all over clothing stores, but you can also apply the fresh pigment to your home. Here are some ways of incorporating the fiery colors in your interior design.

Nectarine
What rhymes with orange? Luckily, decorating with the color is easier than rhyming with it. Citrus may clash with a lot of other hues, but, paired with the right accents, it can invigorate a room. Better Homes and Gardens recently put together a collection of the best looking rooms that feature orange. In the spread, a lively take on the classic dining room pairs chairs with bright nectarine cushions in natural materials, white walls and yellow flowers in shades of varying oranges. The lesson here is to let the color stand on its own and keep the other fixtures in the room quiet. White walls keep the room looking clean, and the wooden table and floors add texture without competing with the orange. Bright yellow buds bring some variety to the space and lend some interest. Rather than flowers, you can use your window treatments as an accent - one that you don't have to water. Cellular shades in golden leaf would have the same effect in this room as a subtle bridge between the nectarine and the white.

Poppy red
Rather than featuring this daring color on large fixtures, focus it on the accent. The pigment itself is brought to the forefront of the room on its own in small doses. HGTV pictures a kitchen with white and black fixtures, forest green backsplash tiles and poppy-colored chandeliers and chairs. The pieces that you choose to be red should either be small, or should only have the shade on one part. This sort of restraint keeps the room from being overpowered by color, and the use of red in more than one place takes the eye across the room, rather than arresting your attention. The accent in the room shouldn't be an equally bright color, but one that blends into the neutral colors seamlessly while still adding depth. When using such an exciting color, details should be kept to a minimum elsewhere. This is achieved with white roman shades, clean-looking tiles, solid colors and sparing use of nonessential decor. Throw a bit of poppy red into an already black-and-white room by painting the legs of tables or hanging a stand-out piece of art that uses the pigment. 

Lemon zest
Although yellow packs a punch equal to that of nectarine and poppy red, the hue can easily be used from ceiling to floor. Red and orange can make people feel passionate and overexcited, but lemon zest evokes a pleasant feeling of cheerfulness. Throw restraint out the window when decorating with this shade. Paint your walls the bright yellow pigment of your choosing, and choose a few other lemon-colored pieces like throw pillows, cellular shades and floral arrangements. Decorate the rest of the room in shades of grey and beige and an accent color like robin's egg blue or fern green. The advantage of yellow is that it's not as jarring as red or orange, and can be matched with a wider range of hues. In order to retain the full impact of the color and keep your room from looking busy, stick to one accent color and try to keep the other colors consistent (only shades of grey or beige).

It probably seems like only yesterday that you agonized over choosing the perfect color for your walls. Now that you've taken the time to paint, you can relax and put the rollers and tarp out of mind. But in just a short time, your walls may begin to loose their luster. Here's why.

Sunlight
If the space on the wall behind a wall fixture is darker than the rest of the room, then chances are your paint has fallen victim to UV rays. Just as sunlight can damage your skin, it can also fade the pigment in a room that gets a lot of sun. Because areas of the wall that aren't exposed to sunlight will remain the original color, this can create noticeable differences in the shade of your paint. There's no way to remedy it, aside from repainting, so save time by getting proper window treatments. For rooms with a lot of saturated color to lose, get roller shades in a dark color and keep them down whenever the room is not in use. 

Moisture 
Humidity and other forms of moisture can erode the paint itself, so take note of the climate you live in. It might be wise to invest in a dehumidifier if you notice your room gets damp easily. If you manage to spill water on your walls (or are cleaning up something else that got onto the wall) dry it up as soon as you're able.

Temperature
Some paints aren't made to withstand extreme temperatures, like those under 50 degrees or over 80. Hopefully your house isn't subject to such conditions, but if you're looking for a home improvement project, consider insulating. Not only will it keep your rooms at a moderate temperature, it will also help keep your paint saturated. 

Whether you have just moved into a new home or you've been living in the same place for years, you might want to think twice about the discount window treatments you have in your humble abode. Are they helping you effectively manage how much natural light comes into your living spaces? If not, it might be time to start thinking about new wood blinds and curtains for your rooms.

Drapes, blinds and shades come in various colors and styles, many of which can boost the appeal of your home. However, it's critical to note the effectiveness of your window treatments over time. If they aren't helping you block out ultraviolet rays, you may be allowing the sun to negatively impact your furnishings and flooring. Over time, natural light can cause discoloration and damage in everything from vinyl tiles to leather sofas.

Preventing unwanted color changes in furniture
Leather is perhaps one of the easiest materials to be damaged by the sun. Fibre New claims that leather furnishings that are left in direct sunlight can begin to show discoloration in as little as six months. Additionally, permitting ultraviolet rays to constantly hit leather surfaces may encourage cracking in the material.

That being said, there are a few tactics that can be utilized to keep leather chairs and couches from becoming victims of the sun. The easiest option is to keep it out of direct sunlight, and a leather conditioner should be used at least once a year to keep the material in working order. These tips can provide similar results for homeowners looking to prevent discoloration in other furniture as well.

Keeping flooring intact
Flooring can also be discolored by the sun over time. Floor Biz states that vinyl, for instance, can look burned when allowed to fester under direct sunlight for extended periods of time. However, this can be prevented by having a professional apply special treatment to the flooring to provide protection from harmful ultraviolet rays.

In general, discount window treatments are the most effective way to keep the sun from creating unsightly alterations to furniture and flooring. Opaque custom window shades can be used to block out natural light when the sun is high and strong in the middle of the day. In the end, this can be one of the easiest tactics for maintaining furnishings over time.

It can be frustrating if you're failing to get a good night's rest because you can't convince your children to go to sleep. However, this is a dilemma that many parents deal with, especially when their kids are at a young age. The Better Sleep Council states that preschoolers need about 10 hours of sleep each night, but this doesn't always happen, and there are many reasons why. 

An uncomfortable bedroom without light-blocking discount window treatments may be to blame for your little one's restless evenings. That being said, it's never too late to create an interior that caters to your child's needs. Here are some tips you can take into account to make your son or daughter's bedroom a sleep haven that he or she will want to use.

1. Bring in the right window treatments
Discount window treatments that block out light can make it easier for your child to get some shut-eye. Similarly, this tactic can work for adults who have trouble sleeping as well. Cordless shades are an efficient option for individuals who want to completely keep out natural light, which may be distracting while attempting to rest. Try this alternative in your child's bedroom - you may be surprised at how quickly his or her sleeping issues are resolved!

2. Know what makes a bedroom comfortable
There are many factors that can make or break the comfort level of a bedroom. Ideally, the Mayo Clinic states that these spaces should have light-blocking window treatments and cool temperatures, which are suitable for sleeping. Needless to say, the room should also be dark and quiet - if possible - to make it a practical space to get rest. To go the extra mile, make sure your child has soft, comfortable blankets and pillows to use and get cozy.

3. Turn off electronics
Like adults, kids are easily distracted by electronics, meaning it's important to put them away before bedtime, according to KidsHealth.org. If your child is over-stimulated leading up to the evening hours, it may be more difficult for he or she to wind down and get some sleep. Your little one may not be happy about you taking away a video game prior to bedtime, but it's necessary to revamp your nighttime routine and make sleeping a bigger part of the equation.

By taking these tips into account, you can ensure your child is happy, healthy and full of energy.

Do you want your living spaces to have a clean, fresh look but you aren't into the idea of incorporating modern furnishings into your home? Just because you want an updated appearance with minimalism in mind doesn't mean you have to opt for contemporary decor. Classic styles can also provide the same sense of cleanliness and clutter-free living. Here are some tips on how to achieve a classic interior with the proper discount window treatments, furnishings and accent decorations.

1. Look for patterns
As you shop for everything from custom window shades to sofas, SheKnows.com states that it's crucial to keep patterns in mind. Hounds-tooth to paisley can fit marvelously into a classic setting, adding intrigue to an overall interior.

2. Use international influences
As you look for furnishings and accent pieces to bring into your home, you may want to seek inspiration from other countries, according to House Beautiful magazine. For example, an 18th century French sofa or 19th century Italian side table may be just what you're interested in and you don't know it! A combination of pieces from various countries can add character to your space.

3. Incorporate storage furniture
To make sure you have a clean appearance in your classic style room, you'll want to give your family places where they can keep their belongings out of sight. This might mean buying a few cabinets or bench seating with area underneath to keep everything from magazines to remote controls organized. In the end, you'll have less clean-up to worry about and be able to enjoy your interior design.

Whether you're interested in creating a classic room now or once the seasons change, these three tips can help you achieve your design goals and find satisfaction along the way.

If you recently adopted a puppy, you now have another responsibility. While dogs can provide unwavering companionship, they also require a certain amount of attention. Similar to children, puppies need to be kept away from household items that can pose a threat to their health. For example, some discount window treatments can become entangled in dogs and be hazardous to long-term wellness. That being said, it's not difficult to dog-proof a home and create a safe environment for the new pet. Here are some tips to ensure you never have to worry about your furry family member getting into trouble.

Invest in cordless shades
If you're concerned about your blinds posing a threat to your pet, you may want to invest in cordless shades. These window treatments don't have cords than can potentially entangle animals and create a choking hazard. Cordless shades can also be relatively helpful to parents who want to increase safety around the house for their kids.

Keep chemicals locked away
Everything from cosmetics to cleaning supplies can be hazardous to your new pet, especially if ingested. SheKnows.com recommends storing them away in cabinets with locks to prevent the items from becoming an issue.

Hide away wires 
The American Humane Society recommends keeping wires tied up and out of the reach of animals. Dogs and cats both love chewing on wires which can pose a threat, and it can become a bigger danger when the electronics are left plugged in.

Whether you're familiar with dog ownership or this is your first time owning a pet, these tips can help you keep your furnishings intact while maintaining the health of your animal. In the end, you'll have more peace of mind knowing you're doing your part to keep your pet safe.