Consider Your Needs

When installing a window fitting there are many things to take into consideration such as:

Light control and privacy, which are closely related. Light control is about mood. It's about modulating and diffusing light. It's about dramatically transforming the appearance and ambience in a room

Every treatment provides a different degree of light control. Roller shades, for example, provide minimal control. You can stop a traditional roller shade anywhere you want, but you can't really control the varying levels of light. Louvres on the other hand, provide a high degree of control, since you can rotate or tilt the vane, slat or louver to let in just the amount of light you want. Vertical Binds, Aluminium and Timber Venetian Blinds, Timber Shutters, SILHOUETTE Shadings and LUMINETTE Privacy Sheers are all examples of louvred shades. Also keep an eye out for translucent fabrics, which diffuse and soften natural light.

When it comes to privacy, geography matters. If you live in the city, privacy is first and foremost about blocking unwanted views, such as the coffee shop next door. If you live in a private place"on a densely wooded lot or on a secluded stretch of beachfront"privacy is not about blocking views but about creating a sense of emotional security.

If your top priority is blocking unwanted views, look for treatments that provide complete privacy. Also consider top-down/bottom-up window fashions, which allow you to mask those coffee shops, and all curious onlookers inside, while still giving you access to natural light. what is Top Down/bottom up you ask? These clever shades can open from the top down (letting in light from the top of the window while covering the lower part of the window), or from the bottom up in the same way as traditional shades.

If you're looking to preserve your views but want to ensure that no one on the outside can see in, especially at night, consider a treatment that provides privacy on demand. For example SILHOUETTE Shadings and LUMINETTE Privacy Sheers have sheer facing that provide daytime privacy all the time while letting the light in. At night, you can close their vanes to provide night time privacy as well. The sheerer the fabric, that is, the more translucent it is, the less light control and privacy you'll have. The more opacity a fabric offers, the more privacy and light control you'll have. Remember, sheer fabrics only provide privacy during the day. At night, if a light is on inside, your neighbours will be able to see you as clear as day!

Also Orientation/ Window shapes. Windows that are taller than they are wide and raise and lower are often better suited for horizontal window coverings such as Venetian blinds, while windows that are wider than they are tall and slide from side to side are often better suited for vertical window coverings.

You may also want to consider horizontal window fashions because they can enhance a room's informality and cosiness. On the other hand, vertical blinds or privacy sheers, which are constructed of soft fabric vertical vanes, can add height and dignity to a room.

Some windows have specialty shapes and applications. If your window is anything but square, you need to pay close attention to whether the fashion that appeals to your eye also accommodates the shape of your window. Pleated shades and DUETTE Shades accommodate angles, arches, circles and a range of other specialty shapes. You also have the option of lowering or raising these shades from the top-down or bottom-up and outfitting them with a mechanical lifting system, which comes in handy when your window is large or in hard-to-reach places. The soft fabric vanes of LUMINETTE Privacy Sheers provide excellent light control for French or patio doors. For a more traditional treatment, consider Vertical Blinds. For hard to reach windows, you can opt for a battery operated, remote control lifting system or a fully motorised system connected to your homes power supply. If your window treatments cover cathedral windows, skylights, or any hard-to-reach area, a motorized lifting system enables you to open and close your coverings. If you need easy operation because you or someone in your family has arthritis or any disability that limits hand dexterity, a powered lifting system may be the only way you can raise and lower the blinds and shades.