What is the Best Window Covering For a Child’s Room that Also Provides Safety
bwsit • October 25, 2017
In today’s market, many window treatment options exist that fit a wide range of personal styles. However, when deciding upon a window covering in your child’s room, the abundance of options is confusing. However, this is a minor concern considering some of the options still available are actually harmful to children. Based upon the Federal Register , the most at risk are children between 7 months to 9 years old.
Statistics on serious injury or death from cords noted in Parents magazine clearly highlights that safety is a more important concern than style or even price. Shockingly, according to the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), the statistics of children who strangled in window cords was underreported by 50%. They also noted in the cases reported, 85% of the time parents were home. These are terrifying statistics; however, safe options that protect your child from harm are available.
The first step suggests eliminating older products recalled or identified as hazards to children. Window blinds sold prior to November 2000 are most likely to have inner cords. However, many blinds still come standard with easily accessible cords that pose a threat. The CPSC identified the leading cord hazards listed below:
- Older products with continuous loop or chain of vertical blinds and draperies.
- Multiple cords terminating in a single tassel (typically horizontal blinds).
- Loop formed by a knot tied in the lift cords (horizontal and vertical blinds)
- Inner loop of horizontal blinds
Of course, by removing these hazards, a need arises to replace the window covering with something more child-friendly.
So how do you decide which window treatment is best for your child? Below are options that offer the most protection in keeping your child safe from harm. All of these options offer a cordless feature so be sure to ask a professional before buying. These options also offer simplistic cleaning to sustain their beauty.
Plantation Shutters
- Offers a more modern elegance not seen in traditional shutters.
- Constructed with a wide louvered shutter that is easily opened and closed.
- Consumers can customize the shutter width to best suit their personal preference.
- Able to open just the wide louvered shutter or fully open the panel to access the entire window – great for window cleaning.
- Construction of plantation shutters offer energy efficiencies for your home.
- Shutters are cordless and easily adjust to achieve desired light, airflow, and privacy.
- Material provides an added layer of protection against heat or cooling losses.
Woven Wood Shades
- Offered in various wood options.
- Uses a handle/pulley type of operation to open and close the shade.
- Lays flat when fully closed and stylish even, overlapping folds when open.
- Bamboo options offer anti-fungus, natural material which is ideal for a child’s room.
Vertical Blinds
- Uses a wand type of operation.
- Typically an affordable option that is still child-friendly.
- Available in various material options such as fabric and vinyl.
- Wide selection of shading from light to dark for customization.
- Flexible options for smaller to much larger windows and even sliders.
Roller Shades
- Coordinates well with other window treatments such as a valance or drapery treatment.
- Versatile, custom options on styles, textured material, and colors.
- Offers varying filters of light from soft to room darkening.
- Uses a hollow tube with a coiled spring inside to raise and lower the shade.
- Another affordable option that fits most budgets.
Cellular Shades
- Most fabric colors come in neutral earth tones.
- Option of insulation aids in lowering utility bills.
- Brackets allow for easy installation.
- Can use a vacuum for easy clean up.
Thankfully, many elegant options are available that focus on protecting your family while still retaining a stylish appeal. Because the options are endless, a professional is a wonderful option that can help you find the style and option that best fits the needs of your family. Please contact us , if you’d like to learn more.
SOURCES:
Expert Advice by Just Blinds
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.
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.