Options for Window Shades
Window shades come in a wide variety of options, ranging from no-nonsense roller models to romantic balloon shades. All shades provide varying degrees of privacy and light control, pleated shades are the most energy-efficient. Bottom-up shades allow you to adjust for privacy while still letting the sun shine in.
- Roller shade – Offered in many colors, textures and materials, rollers shades have several roll-up options.
- Roman shade – Usually made in a decorator fabric and lined, a Roman shade draws up into neat overlapping folds.
- Bottom-up shade – Offered in flat roller or accordion-pleated models, this shade pulls or rolls up from the bottom.
- Balloon shade – Made of decorator fabrics, sheers and solids, a balloon shade pulls up into scalloped poufs.
Occasionally the bottom hem of a roller shade with a lightweight wood slat inside will curl. To correct this, add a drip or two of bead drapery weights inside the hem. Bead weights are sold by the yard at sewing centers.
A weak spring can cause a shade to roll too slowly or a too-tight spring can make it snap up at the slightest provocation. These problems are easily fixed. To tighten tension, partially unroll the shade and remove from brackets. Roll it up by hand then reinstall it. To reduce tension, roll the shade up completely and remove from the brackets. Unroll it halfway then replace the shade in its brackets.
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