Window Covering

What is new/contemporary out there for vertical blinds??

We are getting new blinds for our kitchen - glass door to patio/deck. I was wondering whats new out there for blinds?? I heave heard of woven wood, or just wood verticals. Its that about it? HELP! Thanks for the info!!! What price range are we looking at for the sliding panels??

Public Comments

1. I don't want you to be overwhelmed by all the choices there are so I will give you the best options for patio doors. Some people want to get horizontals but I really don't think that is the best choice, especially cause most don't even go up to that size without them splitting the blinds. Honestly though, Verticals are your best choice for a patio or slider. The first that most people tend to go towards are the verticals, for this there are some new products that most don't know about. they make REAL wood verticals which are very beautiful but also very expensive. I wouldn't get them unless you want to spend some serious cash. If your patio faces the East you would not want to get those either, they will warp, absorb moisture and pretty much do what any natural wood do. Next there are the Faux wood verticals, most company's don't have a lot of color choices and mainly come in whites or off-whites. They can with stand all of the things real woods can't. The only down side to these is they are very heavy and I wouldn't suggest them for a patio door that is over 96" x 84" (an 8' x 7') They are made out of a heavy plastic which is durable but because of the heaviness they will put a lot of pressure on the headrail, thus making them not last as long as they should. There is a new product out from one of the Companies, it is called Sliding Panels. These are a very ingenuous way of covering a patio or even if you want to divide a room. What it is are widths of fabric (generally no more than 36") which are held up by Velcro. the panels slide right behind each other so there isn't a huge section that is covered on your wall. I think these are amazing! Also, you can peal them off and throw the fabric in the washer...no need to dust! They also offer them in solar shade panels as well so they can be put outside of the house cause the fabric they are made out of can withstand the weathering conditions. They also have a cellular shade that is made for a vertical slider as well, each company has a different way of calling it. The best thing about cellular shades are that they will completely block the sun (in the blackout style only) and are very energy efficient. Lastly, there are the Sheer Enchantments, from Bali, they are like having a vertical and a drapery sheer. If you are trying to go with something elegant I would go with one of these. You will also need to figure out if you want to have a more muted color or if you want to make you shades noticeable. On Bali's site they have a virtual decorator where you can choose the colors of your room, blinds, molding, flooring, etc. so you can better determine what is right for you and your house. Make sure that you measure the door correctly too and you might want to get them installed, depending on what you get and how difficult the hardware is to install. For the most light blockage you would want to go with an inside mount. check Bali's site, they have lots of helpful tips and even videos on how to do this. I think the funniest thing about this is that I am talking about work on my day off! Well I hope this helps you in your quest for the right patio shade. Here are a couple of sites I think would help you with figuring this out: http://baliblinds.com/ http://hunterdouglas.com/ http://levolor.com/