Cordless Blinds: The New Standard for Safety in Window Coverings
September 23, 2024

Embracing the New Regulation in Window Covering Safety


Window coverings are an essential part of interior decor, light control, and comfort. Blinds and shades allow you to define your style and set the mood. They protect indoor materials from fading in UV rays, and they are a part of every home and office. Naturally, the design of your window coverings should be elegant, convenient, and safe.


Safety is the primary focus of the most recent regulations regarding window covering design. As of June 2024, all manufactured and custom-made blinds will avoid or minimize cord-based controls.

 

The Importance of Blinds Safety


Blinds are part of every room in your home and any residential space. From your child's bedroom to the rooms of every hospital, blinds make a space more comfortable both in terms of aesthetic design and light control. This means that blinds must be designed in a way that not only enhances not just comfort, but also safety. Blinds are used in the bedrooms and living spaces of our most at-risk family and community members, from the very young to the very old.


The design of your blinds must be both easy to operate and absolutely safe. To achieve this goal, it is sometimes necessary to update design standards to eliminate risks that have existed with previous design standards. That is what the new window safety regulations seek to correct this year by eliminating corded blind controls.

 

Why Are Corded Blinds Unsafe?


The centuries, blinds have been controlled by pull cords, either separate or looped cords. These controls make clever use of loop and pulleys to control either the slat direction or the raised level of the blinds. Unfortunately, both pull cords and loops have been found statistically to pose a health and safety risk, especially for very young children.


Corded blinds pose a strangling risk for toddlers and young children who might get tangled in the cords, which are mounted high above their heads. Cords also pose a potential risk for pets and for members of the community with limited dexterity or mobility, such as those who are disabled or elderly.

 

The 2024 Cordless Blinds Regulation


The 2024 Revised Window Safety regulation focuses on eliminating or drastically reducing the use of cords in blinds controls. This regulation covers


  • Separate cord controls
  • Continuous cord loops
  • Gathered multi-cord controls


The aim is to prevent the distribution of all free hanging operating cords, free hanging tilt cords and multiple cords into a cord connector. This regulation applies to all stock window coverings and custom made-to-order window coverings to ensure a universal increase in household safety. Blinds will either need to be cordless or have inaccessible helper cords that cannot be reached by children.

 

Modern Blind Control Alternatives


The good news is that this regulation is perfectly timed to align with recent innovations in blind control technology. While blinds relied on cords for centuries, this tradition is no longer necessary. Smart blinds, self-adjusting blinds, and advanced control blinds make it possible to leave cords behind. Not to mention a few tried-and-true cord alternatives like control wands and tension mounting.


Smart and Automatic Blinds


Automatic blinds are a popular alternative to manual cords. They respond to a wireless signal to raise or lower, and to open or close the slats. This removes the need for pull cords and loops that might pose a home safety risk. Many automatic blinds also conveniently integrate with your smart home for voice controls and routines.


Wand Controlled Blinds


Slat control has been possible using a turning wand for decades, but wand control has also been evolving. More advanced manual and automatic blinds can now be controlled with a safe hanging wand instead of cords. Automatic blind control wands may have button or directional push controls as well as the manual twist.


Self-Adjusting Blinds


Self-adjusting blinds use a tension and spring loaded mechanism that allows you to raise or lower blinds by pushing up or pulling down on the rigid lower bar. These require no electric parts and no cords while still giving you responsive control over the level of your blinds.

 

Beautiful and Safe Window Coverings with Just Blinds



If you are looking for elegant new blinds for your home that meet your aesthetic tastes, desire for light-control function, and offer the latest in home environment safety, Just Blinds is here to help. We offer stock and custom blinds that elegantly comply with the new cordless safety regulations through a variety of innovative manual and automatic blind control options. Contact us today to make your home beautiful, functional, and safe with cordless custom window coverings.

Expert Advice by Just Blinds

5 Ways to Beat the Summer Heat With Eye-Catching Window Treatments

June 18, 2025
When the mercury soars, never underestimate the power of blinds, shades, and other window treatments to keep your living space cool. With the techniques that follow, you can limit demand on your air conditioner, lower your energy bill, and maintain stunning aesthetics both inside and out. 1. Go For the Layered Look If you don't want blackout blinds that completely block out light and heat, consider layering your window treatments for the summer months. This is a great way to add depth and texture to your rooms while still maintaining a tight home envelope and limiting solar heat gains. Use wood or faux wood blinds to create a solid base layer. Then, add sheers and custom curtains to finish the look. Layering creates levels of flexibility and adaptability that single window treatments cannot match. You can close all three layers for maximum heat blocking, slant your blinds and close your sheers to let limited sunlight in, or open your drapes and your blinds and use your sheers for light filtering. 2. Beat the Heat With Outdoor Window Treatments Some of the best window treatments for blocking heat and light during the summer months belong on the outside of your home. If you haven't done so already, consider investing in shutters. Shutters can vastly improve the efficiency of your home while providing excellent UV ray protection. This will keep your flooring and furnishings from fading while offering a fair amount of skin protection. In addition to tightening home envelopes, shutters provide excellent noise reduction and offer added protection against the natural elements. With your shutters standing guard as your home's first defense, you'll still have one or more window treatments at the interior of the building during the next big heat wave. Outdoor Shades Work, Too If shutters aren't the right look for you, opt for lightweight, retractable shades. Installing outdoor shades gives you yet another way to safeguard your home from solar heat gains whenever temperatures spike. You can use outdoor shades with layered indoor window treatments to create an airtight space and reduce stress on your AC during the hottest portion of the day. Once the sun sets, you can easily draw them open. 3. Optimize Airflow According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), indoor air can be up to five time more contaminated than outdoor air. Even though air conditioners and heat pumps filter the indoor air during operation, they don't extract volatile organic compounds (VOCs) or other gaseous chemical contaminants. When the sun's out and you're running your air conditioner non-stop, all the contaminants introduced into your home by off-gassing building materials, cooking, room freshening sprays, and chemical-laden self-care products and cleaners remain trapped indoors. Blinds are great for optimizing airflow. When the sun sets, the mercury dives, and a cool breeze rolls in, you can turn your blind slats upwards to reflect light from the setting sun and slightly crack your windows. This technique works well for giving ACs an early evening break. It's also an excellent strategy for improving indoor air quality (IAQ). As natural light decreases, you can open your blind slats wider and let more fresh, outdoor air flow in. This easy air exchange will get your home and your IAQ ready for the challenges of the next sweltering day. 4. Keep Indoor Moisture in Check With Shades With a high-functioning air conditioner or heat pump, you'll get reliable humidity regulation whenever your cooling system is on. The right shades can support this by keeping outdoor moisture outside and preventing the buildup of condensation on your windows. Cellular shades are made for high-moisture areas, and they're the perfect addition to any other southern home. You can get similar benefits from faux wood blinds, vinyl blinds, and aluminum blinds. Moisture-resistant blinds or shades are an essential upgrade if you currently have heavy fabric drapes or multiple layers of sheers. Some materials capture and retain moisture. They're also prone to problems like mold and mildew and can lower IAQ as a result. 5. Go Motorized Don't worry about dragging your ladder out to draw your outdoor shades or running through your home to manually adjust your blinds. Shop for motorized window treatments that you can open, close, and adjust with just the touch of a button. This way, as lighting and temperatures change, you can quickly adapt your window treatments to reflect your most current needs. At Just Blinds, we're all about comfort. We want your window treatments to look amazing, but believe that you should feel amazing too. We offer a fantastic selection of blinds, shutters, shades, and custom draperies to help our clients beat the heat in the summer months . Let us help you stay cool in style. To speak with our design consultants, contact Just Blinds today!

How to Use Windows to Make Your Home Cozier

May 29, 2025
Windows give a home warmth, light, and a view of the outside world. But with the right treatments, you can also use your windows to make your home feel cozy. Coziness is a semse of comfort and familiarity. It defines a charm that feels like home, whether it's the coziness of a warm room in winter, your movie den in the summer. When we think of coziness, we often think of couches, candles, and throw blankets. But your windows play an equally important part. After all, it's your window treatments that frame the light, add softness to your walls, and set the mood for every room. The right window decorations can make your home feel warm and inviting. Using Windows, Drapes, and Shades to Create Coziness  Window treatements create a vibe for your entire room. Drapes, shades, and shutters can be used to create a backdrop of texture, color, and style. They also allow you to control the light levels in your home and even the color of the light. This means that your windows are the best place to start when making a room feel cozy. Layering soft drapes in rich colors is a great way to add that sense of comfort and warmth to a room, while cheerful blinds in soft neutrals can help a room to feel relaxed and welcoming. You can also use drapes or blinds to add a splash of color as a bold accent in any room. These touches combined with glowing sunshine during the day create a cozy and comfortable space. Plants as Cozy Window Decor You can use other types of decor to evoke a sense of coziness, too. We particularly love plants. Leafy green plants love the sunshine as much as you do and thrive when placed in a sunny window. Place an elegant snake plant in the windowsill or hang creeping ivy from a hook near the top of a window frame to make your room feel cheerful and alive with green energy. Plants make a home feel natural and vibrantly lived-in which is perfect for your cozy vibe. For a cozy kitchen, you can even grow fresh herbs in a box on the windowsill that add a delicious aroma and tasty fresh seasoning along with their natural visual appeal. Enhance Your Space with Aromatherapy Speaking of aromatics, you might be surprised how much your windows can take part in cozy aromatherapy. Window treatments like drapes and blinds are fabric that can help purfumes and essential oils linger in the room for days. Cozy scents are often warm aromas like cinnamon, vanilla, lavender, almonds, and coffee. But fresh fruit or floral scents that smell like "home" to you can also add a sense of coziness to each room. Simply spritz your curtains with your favorite scents and each room will subtly carry that comforting smell of home that makes you want to snuggle into the couch and relax at the end of each day. Moody Shade and Maximizing Light When we visualize coziness, light levels often play a role. Your minds eye may see a sun-drenched cottage or a gently lit library as your mental idea of a room that is perfectly cozy. Window treatments allow you to set the mood by reducing or maximizing light to the perfect levels. Well-designed shades and drapes can pull back attractively to maximize light, bathing your room in the warm welcoming glow of sunshine. Or if you prefer a more relaxed coziness, you can use translucent drapes or cellular shades to filter the light exactly the right amount. Diffuse and reduced light filtered through fabric of a warm color can make you feel safe and at peace. Increase Your Happiness with Window Design Your home should feel welcoming, relaxing, and cozy. The right window treatments can help set the stage for a delightful welcome home each night, rejuvinating weekends, and an overall feeling of at-home coziness when you are relaxing in your favorite place. To achieve this goal, you can experiment with home decor changes, including your windows, to achieve your ideal at-home bliss. Contact us today for custom drapes and blinds to complete your cozy room design.