How Do You Know When It’s Time to Replace Your Window Treatments?
BWS Design • October 14, 2016

An obvious defect is one thing — a few broken slats in a blind, a frayed or torn drapery. But what if you’re not sure. Let us help you decide if it may be time to update your current window treatments with a few tips.

A Style Conflict

Maybe you’ve had the same bedroom draperies for several years, but recently, you decided it was time for a change, so you repainted the bedroom, refinished the side tables, got some new modern-looking lamps, and new bedding. Suddenly, those old draperies just don’t look quite right anymore. The color’s wrong. They style is wrong. Maybe a sleek window treatment would work better with your new modern bedroom style.

It’s A Matter of Wasted Energy

Your house isn’t as young as it was, and like most people, you’re looking to save energy any way you can. Some insulated draperies on those north-facing living room windows might not only give the decor a little punch, but will also make the room feel warmer and more comfortable this winter and will save energy too.

High-Tech Appeal and Convenience

The advent of motorized blinds, shades and draperies has made covering walls of windows or super-high windows practical and easy. And the luxury of opening and closing your window treatments from the comfort of the couch or your bed is truly a treat.

They’ve Gone “Above and Beyond” and Look Like It Too

Face it. Everything wears out eventually, and your window treatments are no exception. With all the new styles, patterns, options and special features available in the land of window treatments today, why not give your tired old draperies, curtains or shades the retirement they deserve and give a room — or the whole house — the update it needs. You’ll be amazed at what a difference changing just one element like a window treatment can make in its power to transform the look and feeling of a room.

Your Husband’s Got a New Job — a Night Shift Job

There’s only one way to handle the bedroom of a shift worker — blackout window treatments. It’s a relatively small investment with a really big payoff: the ability to sleep during the day.

You’ve Just Moved and Nothing Fits the Windows or the Style of the House

You saved your good dining room draperies, and your woven wood blinds from the spare bedroom. You’ve tried them all over the house and they’re just don’t fit any of the windows in your new place. It happens to almost every new tenant or homeowner.

Your Personal Style Has Evolved

Hey, life is all about growth and sometimes our style morphs and evolves along with us. What you thought was beautiful five years ago, you may hate today. Start small, but start replacing your window treatments to reflect who you are today.

Just Because

Seriously, you don’t always have to have a valid reason to change your window treatments. Tastes change, things wear out, decor changes, and sometimes you just feel like a change yourself. That’s a perfectly valid reason too.

The beginning of the fall season is full of new things. School has started up again after a long summer hiatus. The leaves are changing color and beginning to fall. You might be starting something new yourself — a yoga class, a new job, a work-at-home career. Change is a good thing, and there’s no reason you need a specific reason to update and redecorate. But if you feel that you really need one and none of the above reasons are good enough, just remember, the holidays are right around the corner and you’ll probably be entertaining. Now that you can justify to yourself without guilt — it’s your pre-holiday gift to yourself.

If you’re in the market for new window treatments, make it a point to check out the superior selection at Just Blinds, proudly serving Central Alabama for 30+ years. Contact us for a free on-site consultation.

Expert Advice by Just Blinds

What Your Window Treatment Says About You: A Personality-Based Guide

April 23, 2025
Your selection of window treatment products and services is not merely about getting a job done. Rather, if you look hard enough, you can find direct correlations between the type of person that you are and the window treatment that you select. We have created this personality-based guide to help you best discover what kind of window treatment truly matches your spirit. The Dependable Type: Wooden Blinds You are the person that all of your friends can count on. You are the type of person who truly sticks to your plans when you make them, and you are the type of person who will choose wooden blinds for your home. Privacy is important to you when selecting your blinds, and that is why you find yourself pulled into the idea of putting up wooden blinds. Besides that, they happen to be highly functional, and that's not something that you are willing to pass up either. The Planner: Blackout Curtains Those who value truly getting the most value out of their blinds or anything else that they install in their homes will think very carefully about their options. For those people, going with blackout curtains makes a lot of sense. They want to gain as much value as possible out of their options, and they know that they can significantly improve their quality of sleep and so much more when they opt for blackout curtains. These also happen to be a great option for those who work night shifts or other odd hours and yet still want to enjoy their sleep. They need blackout curtains to help increase the quality of that sleep and allow themselves to get their day started right. The Tech Enthusiast: Smart Shades They roam among us: The type of people who are quick to adopt any new technology and get to work figuring out how it can improve their lives. These people are great because they are not afraid to take a risk and because they help to move our society forward. They simply want to get more out of each day, and they often do so by adopting and using the latest technologies. These individuals will gravitate towards smart shades for the following attributes: Innovation - Who wants to stick with the boring old ways of shading one's house? Smarter options are now available, and you better believe that the tech enthusiasts among us are willing to latch on to them. Efficiency - These shades are a more efficient option for those who care about that kind of thing. They can be easily activated and set up to open or close automatically (how cool is that?!). Progressive - The "cool" factor is a big deal for people who fall into this category as well. They might not admit to it right off the bat, but they care deeply about what others think about them. As such, they want window shades that have that cool factor attached to them. The Dreamer: Sheer Curtains Finally, we land upon the dreamer. This is the person who views every day for the possibilities that it can bring. They are not scared off by those with a negative attitude. If anything, they believe that they can change those people! Instead, the dreamer wants sheer curtains because they bring in soft light, open spaces, and bring about a feeling of possibility all throughout the house. Sheer curtains are the ideal option for someone who classifies themselves in this way. They will receive plenty of compliments on their curtains, and they will appreciate how open they are to the world.  Which kind of person are you and which window treatment option makes the most sense for your personality? For more inspiration and ideas, reach out and contact us today.

5 Unexpected Places Homeowners Are Installing Outdoor Shades

March 13, 2025
We all know and understand the concept of installing outdoor shades on a patio. It is the classic way to create a cool and comfortable space for yourself and your friends to spend some quality time together outdoors. There is nothing wrong with that, but it is limiting to think that the patio is the only part of one's property where outdoor shades are appropriate. There are some surprising and unexpected places where homeowners have taken to installing outdoor shades recently. We want to take a look at some of these to provide you with ideas for your next home improvement project. 1) Balconies Some homes are built quite close together, and some homeowners naturally feel like they would like to do more to protect their privacy. Although their neighbors might not intentionally be looking through their balconies, it is easy for the human eye to drift. Thus, some city-dwelling homeowners have made the choice to install outdoor shades in this area. On top of keeping prying eyes off of your property, outdoor shades also block the sun rays from your balcony as well creating a more comfortable space to spend some time. 2) Outdoor Kitchens One of the most delightful social experiences that someone can have is to invite over a large group of friends for a meal cooked outside. It gives everyone the opportunity to share stories, laughes, and a bit of food all at the same time. Of course, this is best done in an outdoor kitchen. Your outdoor kitchen is a space where you should feel comfortable and have the ability to entertain a large group of people all at the same time. This means looking at installing outdoor shades to provide an extra layer of protection from the heat of the sun. Thus, this has become another area where homeowners are quickly installing outdoor shades. 3) Poolside Lounges Now we are really talking! Who doesn't love to kick back with their favorite cold beverage and spend some time relaxing next to the pool? That is what you can enjoy more completely when you set up a poolside lounge with outdoor shades. Poolside lounges are meant to be a place where you can spend several hours at a time. However, it can get pretty hot while doing so if you don't put some outdoor shades in place. Get those shades up so you can let all of your worries melt away as you take in the smell of pool water and sunscreen. 4) Garden Areas Do you enjoy a little gardening in your downtime? You might like it even more after setting up outdoor shades that protect you from the excessive heat of the sun. Gardening is labor-intensive work and can take several hours of diligent labor to do it properly. However, you don't want to overextend yourself and end up getting physically overworked. Keeping some of the sun away is an excellent way to ensure that you don't overdo it. Just make sure that you check up on the sunlight needs of the various plants that you intend to put into your garden before installing outdoor shades. 5) Exterior Windows Did you know that it is possible to reduce your energy bills by installing outdoor shades? It's true! If you place outdoor shades on the exterior windows of your home, you can reduce the strain placed on your air conditioning by naturally reducing the overall temperature within your living space. This means less money out of your pocket and more money for working on your next project.  There are many interesting places where homeowners are installing outdoor shades these days. For more creative ideas on what you can do with yours, reach out and contact us now.