Window Covering Answers

All things that appear -  come from artists and design first. Someone has to imagine it. Or. Receive the inspiration to create it. So.  In the spirit of novelty, joy and creation -  here are some pictures from various sources that express the beauty that can be found at the window. Looking for something unique? Pinterest and Etsy are often great places to start to find something that brings the creative right into your home. Here are a few finds that I have delighted in lately. Let us have joy at the window! Window coverings don't always have to be sensible and practical , sometimes they can also bring enchantment.   I would never have the skill or the patience to do this, but the brilliant colours used in this handcrafted crochet turns humdrum into delightful. Is there anything lovelier or more elegant than toile on a French door? Or what about magnificent stained glass on a window? Both of these treatments are all about elegance amid

Back to the Future - Lace Curtains Re-imagined   So why do lace curtains still have appeal?   I mean this is the 21st century isn't it?   I suppose, lace curtains say something about Art and Creativity. Lace also says something about that special magic that appears only when something is created by hand.    Lace has an ethereal quality. It combines space and non space, light and form,    a barrier that lets the outside in but doesn't let the inside be so very revealing. Lace leaves something to the imagination.       Lace means that this particular space is an entry into the world of the Feminine. A seeming world of kindness and gentleness. A world of growth and possibility. A deeper world of Creativity, of nature and of surprise.   At the edge of the home, at the window there can be - beauty, fragility and strength. Lace combines all three.   Not an aesthetic for all, but only for those who have a love of delicacy and finer energies. For lace

Glass Shutters I have not seen these before but I suspect that this kind of interior shutter might prove useful in certain climates. Similar to the thermal window systems in North America, they have the advantage of being moveable and discreet at the same time. One of the difficulties when thermal windows are installed is that the heat in summer is often hard to disperse. Hence the need for air conditioning in modern, well insulated homes. Homes that are state of the art when it comes to heat retention, and energy saving, can become overly warm in the short summer months. For some climates, glass shutters might prove a useful alternative. Obviously the original windows and the view are unobstructed. Besides, they have charm and beauty. Depending on your view of course. Made by The Glass Shutter Company Ltd they might suit your needs. Another clever adaptation by an innovative company. Here is the link. http://glassshutter.co.uk/contactus.html https://www.youtube.com/w

For those of you wanting to build interior storm windows that have more permanence this youtube video shows a relatively precise and detailed overview of how to make your windows warmer. Interior storm windows bring your heating costs down, and make the room feel warmer. He talks about the Ellsworth Assembly videos as being the best youtube videos he has found. They have several videos that offer a step by step process taking you all the way to completion. Here is the link to that series of how to build your own interior storm windows. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LL5WR0veLr8

DIY- Making Warmer Windows There is a killer cold here in Canada and in the Northern US.  So this week I am adding several Do-it-yourself projects to help with making your home warmer and of course lower those heating bills. I have posted various Bubble Wrap storm window treatments  before and I find that many people are using this easy and quick fix. Here are a couple of examples of how to make your life a little warmer. http://www.instructables.com/id/Bubble-Wrap-Storm-Window-Insert/       Even less expensive is the following inventive use of plastic stretch wrap. I just love Instructables for the tremendous wealth of inventive and thrifty ideas that people engineer.         http://www.instructables.com/id/Cheap-window-insulation/   For the details of how to put this together http://www.instructables.com/id/Cheap-window-insulation/ The link above gives you  step by step instructions about how to insulate windows with common stretch wrap. I have

There are several youtube videos showing how to build your own storm windows for the interior of your home.  This fellow is my personal favourite. No nonsense, very humble but oh so efficient.  A four minute video about how to make your own    structurally sound and incredibly efficient interior storm windows...Hey Frank Pellione you are my hero!     https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=BKurS5Oh-Pk

LOW TECH vs HIGH TECH  http://youtu.be/tbj9hZAF4I4 Along with motorization and smart homes a new development may make homes, institutions and commercial buildings -  incredibly futuristic. Having glass that darkens automatically may make window treatments, even motorized window treatments.... obsolete. Here is a well thought out and cleverly written article which sizes up the situation. http://www.cepro.com/article/smart_glass_vs_motorized_shades_a_new_opportunity_for_integrators/D2/ http://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/17678979/list/is-it-curtains-for-curtains-smart-glass-eliminates-window-coverings At the risk of seeming a bit of a Luddite... I wonder how long before this kind of treatment will be available and cost effective for other than the highest end customer? For along with the ability to implement this comes another caveat.... should everything be powered? Should everything be computer controlled? Just because we have the ability to power up, and cr

  Kume Curtains     This is another post from the incredibly valuable site   Instructables     http://www.instructables.com/id/Insulating-roll-up-curtains-that-cut-heat-losses-t/step1/What-is-a-Kume-curtain/     Or to put it another way... cutting heat loss through windows by 50%. Certainly it does seem as though these curtain/blinds are a better answer than so many other products. Plus. They are something nearly anyone can make for their own home.     In my book, anything that saves energy... is a step towards saving the planet and is a gift to those who come after us.       There are several steps to constructing these blinds. Not very difficult and they can be constructed by the non sewer. So. What might have seemed daunting... well it is more about having a little time to do .... one. Just one of these window treatments might make a difference in your heating or cooling bill. 

      http://www.instructables.com/id/Build-A-Motorized-Window-Blinds-Controller-For-Les/         Inventive Blind Makers   A new year brings out my delight in those who push the envelope when it comes to covering windows. This post is all about those new ways of making blinds work for you. This entire post comes from a world changing website:     INSTRUCTABLES   http://www.instructables.com/     This is where do-it-yourselfers and other inventive people are working out the future, one person at a time, one project at a time and posting their delightful results. Ah the world is filled with magnificent minds!     Here is a short list of projects that may interest you. Initially I searched blinds and got a wonderful page of new projects. That might be the way for you to go.   Here is the link for that.      http://www.instructables.com/howto/blinds/     So alternatively here is a  short list of formidable blind hacks that you can tr