How to Winterize Your Living Room In Style
BWS Design • October 9, 2018

The way we use our homes changes from season to season. In the summer, you want the lightest possible decor. Plenty of room to move around in, breezy curtains, and furniture that’s comfortable in warmer temperatures. You’re more likely to leave your windows open, lounge on deck chairs in the back garden, and use indoors as more of a staging point for warm-weather activities. However, as the seasons turn and the days get colder, so too does how we use the home. We stay inside, turn on the heat, and curl up with hot cocoa instead of lounging on the deck. Even the way we decorate changes as we draw the curtains against the cold and blankets start appearing draped over the backs of chairs and couches, not to mention actual holiday decor.

Most people go through this transition without noticing. They get colder, the holidays approach, and their behavior changes, but why not optimize the yearly reconfiguration? With a deft hand and a stylish vision, you can winterize your living areas and make them seasonally beautiful at the same time.

Custom Thermal Curtains
The curtains you want up in the summer and winter are very different. Films and bright, cheerful patterns are great when your goal is to let in the sunshine but windows take on an entirely different nature in the winter. Even insulated windows can get cold and the best solution to keeping your home warm is heavy thermally insulating draperies. While you can find off-the-shelf thermal curtains, if you want the winter window treatments for all your public rooms to match or complement each other, try ordering a set of custom drapes instead. You can choose a cheery holiday red theme, dark blues for a more somber tone, or pick a pattern that looks elegant in your home design.

Thick Carpets on Smooth Floors
What your floors are made of makes a big difference both in how cold they are to walk on and how much cold they can transfer into the home. Stone and tile floors may be nice and cool in the summer but they can become uncomfortably cold in the winter. Wood and linoleum are more resistant to cold but nothing keeps your home cozy soft, thick carpets. While you may not want them down all year long, the winter is the perfect time to put down some beautiful patterned rugs in any room with hard floors. Long rugs can be used for hallways and walk spaces, larger ones for open areas or even rearranging to be underneath your regular furniture. The best part is that, by working with your custom drapes team, you can find rugs that look superb when paired with your thermal curtains.

Matching Throw Blankets
Throw blankets or “throws” are those soft blankets that look nice draped over the back of a couch and can be snuggled under on a cool evening. They can be knitted, quilted, crocheted, or simply a double-layer of something soft and warm. They often feature fringe or accent colors and are best when used to compliment the design of the room. A dark gray blanket, for instance, might set off the blue-gray tinges of a subtly designed living room while a cheery red with tassel-fringe would look fantastic in a living area decked out for a family Christmas. These blankets are nice when you’re alone but are especially welcoming to napping children, blanket sharing, and older relatives when family comes to visit for the holidays.

Everyone makes changes to their living space in the winter, from putting up heavier drapes to decorating for the annual family holiday. Why not do it all in one stylish fell swoop with matching curtains, warm rugs, and comfortable throw blankets that pull the entire interior design of your room together? For more great winter style tips or to consult on making your decor dream a reality, contact us today!

Expert Advice by Just Blinds

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.
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.