The Final Key To Curb Appeal: Blinds
BWS Design • November 5, 2019

Whether you’re looking at selling your house, renting it out, or just wanting to spruce up a little, it’s easy to find suggestions on improving your curb appeal. However, most of those ideas are tired and played out. For example, you know you need to mow your lawn! You know that having a pretty mailbox will get attention. Yes, those leaves piling up in the gutters can go. But what about beyond that? When you’ve straightened and mowed and spruced and cleaned the gutters and you still need that one last thing?

If this sounds like your situation, perhaps it’s time to reconsider your blinds!

When you’re thinking about curb appeal, it doesn’t make very much sense to start inside your house. But even a passerby can see your windows, and a set of dirty blinds will certainly be judged. Over the past decade, plenty of advances have been made in window technology, and there’s all sorts of new options both inside and outside. A subtle combination like drapes and bamboo do their job of blocking sun (and prying eyes) when they’re closed. But during the day, the slats can easily be opened and the drapes drawn to let light stream in, impressing anyone that drives by and glances.

If you’re looking to sell or rent out your house, new blinds are a must-have. For a reasonable price, you can guarantee a great first impression for any potential tenants or buyers. A sloppy window setup can doom your chances before they even step inside, but establishing a clean, neat presence will go a long way. Every positive aspect of a home showing builds on the others, but a single misstep can bring the whole experience down. Make sure you avoid the easy mistakes. Updating your blinds looks great and it’ll make sure prying eyes stay out.

There’s no “one size fits all” when it comes to blinds. Everyone’s windows are different and your needs will vary based on your location and other factors. For example, an early riser might be okay with thinner blinds to the east. The light softly filtering through something like bamboo or 5% solar shades can be a wonderful start to your day–or a nightmare. Light sleepers who don’t want to be awake at the crack of dawn will want to choose much thicker blinds or invest in blackout curtain. Knowing yourself and your situation is the first step to choosing the right blinds.

Regardless of your personal preferences, it’s important to choose a configuration that looks great from the street. If you have any desire to sell or rent out your house then you’ll need to optimize the curb appeal. It’s also important to take into consideration the rest of your decoration. For example, if your house is painted an unusual color then it may be optimal to put up similar blinds. The blinds don’t have to match the color of your paint, however. They can absolutely contrast or compliment it, but the key is that it’s critical to keep the entire look in mind when you’re selecting blinds.

If you’re looking for more convincing that blinds can make or break a showcase, check out some of our Featured Projects. The right selection of blinds and curtains can completely transform a room. From hospitals to private residences to churches, there’s no structure that can’t be improved with the perfect lighting and blinds. If you’ve been thinking about sprucing up your curb appeal or just want to check out our options, don’t hesitate to  contact us  today. Just Blinds  has proudly served Alabama for the past three decades, and we don’t have any intention of slowing down.

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.