How to Choose the Perfect Window Treatment for Your Home

These days, you have more window treatment choices than ever before. How do you know what type of window coverings will work best in your home? Focus on the following factors to help you select the besst window fashions.

Window treatment type

Window treatments come in a very large variety of types and styles. The most popular are shutters, shades, blinds, toppers and draperies. Each of these types serves a specific purpose and creates a particular style. Plantation shutters, for example, have a classic air that can complement décor types from rustic to European. Blinds work well with contemporary and traditional décors. The large variety of available shades can complement any interior trend or style. Custom draperies and toppers – either standing alone or paired with another window covering – can create a unique look all its own.

Color and texture

The color and texture you choose for your window treatment should complement the rest of your décor without locking you into keeping things just as you have them today. Choose a color and texture that can flow nicely with a range of décor elements so you’re free to adjust other pieces of the room without having to change your window coverings.

Functionality

While window coverings can be the cornerstone of your overall interior décor, they also exist to serve a purpose – to cover your windows! Be careful not to lose sight of what you need your window treatments to do for you. Carefully consider issues such as light and privacy control when selecting your window treatments.

Quality

Window treatments aren’t just a purchase, they’re a true investment in your home. When considering your options, look for leading window treatment brands that have a solid warranty and easily available repair centers, such as the Hunter Douglas brand.

Blind & Shade Safety

If you have small children in your home, limit your options to those window coverings that utilize a cordless, safe operation. Many blinds and shades, such as Hunter Douglas blinds and shades, can be customized for maximum safety without sacrificing style.

Still not Sure About Which Window Covering to Select?

With so many window covering options available, the choices can sometimes seem overwhelming. Don’t worry, you don’t have to go it alone. Most reputable window treatment dealers offer free consultations where a qualified window treatment expert can help you narrow down the options to the ones that fit best with your interior design goals.

Why Ross Howard?

Ross Howard Design has been the Dallas area’s leader in interior design, home fashions, and custom window treatment for homes and businesses since 1981. The professional designers at Ross Howard are committed to bringing you the latest styles, current trends, and innovative technologies. For more expert information on interior design, or for a free consultation, give us a call today – 972-490-0088. If you decide to stop by our showroom make sure you ask us for a free design book!

Ross Howard Designs showroom hours: Monday-Friday: 9:30 am – 5:30 pm, Saturday: 10:00 am – 3:00 pm, Sunday: closed.

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Get a Break from Uncle Sam – Select Energy-efficient Window Coverings Eligible for Federal Tax Credit up to $1,500

These days, homeowners are looking for creative ways to stretch their hard-earned dollar. At Ross Howard Designs, we always offer the highest quality window treatments at affordable prices. And now, thanks to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, we’re proud to offer a way for our customers to save even more through available Federal Tax Credits.

Do all window treatment products qualify for the tax credit?

The tax credit is based on the energy-efficiency rates of window covering products. While many of our Hunter Douglas custom window fashions have some energy-saving benefits, our Duette Architella honeycomb cellular shades, with their patented cell-within-a-cell design, are federally recognized as an energy-efficient product. These custom shades are so energy efficient they can reduce energy costs up to 50 percent. Our innovative LiteRise TrimKit, when used with Duette and Applause honeycomb shades, also qualifies for the credit.

How much of a credit can I get and how long does this offer last?

Qualifying products are eligible for a tax credit of 30 percent of the cost, up to $1,500 total during the 2009 and 2010 tax years. Any customer who purchases or has purchased these products between Jan. 1, 2009 and Dec. 31, 2010, can work with their tax advisor to claim the credit.

What are the qualifying products like?

The Duette Architella Honeycomb Shade Collection is a unique window treatment that brings you the industry’s highest level of efficiency. And, don’t worry, you won’t sacrifice style and design to save energy. These innovative fabric window shades offer extensive versatility including:

• 88 material and color combinations
• Privacy and light control from sheer to opaque
• Sizes from 4” to 120” width to 6” to 120” height
• Pleat size of ¾” to 1 ¼”
• Specialty shapes and design options such as arches, angles, circles, bay and corner windows, skylights, and cut-outs.
• Variety of operating systems and motorization options

Why Ross Howard?

Ross Howard Design has been the Dallas area’s leader in interior design, home fashions, and custom window treatment for homes and businesses since 1981. The professional designers at Ross Howard are committed to bringing you the latest styles, current trends, and innovative technologies. For more information about Hunter Douglas window treatments and the tax credit, or for free demo or consultation, give us a call today – 972-490-0088.

Visit our showroom in Dallas, TX and find out how you can make your home more comfortable with energy-efficient window shades! Our showroom has over 70 displays with the latest Hunter Douglas window fashions. Give us a call at 972-490-0088 for our current specials and promotions. If you decide to stop by our showroom make sure you ask us for a free design book!

Ross Howard Designs showroom hours: Monday-Friday: 9:30 am – 5:30 pm, Saturday: 10:00 am – 3:00 pm, Sunday: closed.

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Don’t Treat Your Window Like a Door – How to Select Window Treatments for French Doors and More

A common interior design mistake is to give in to the notion that everything in your room, or your home, must match. When considering the design of your window treatments, think of the function each must serve.

Function and Style

A door serves a much different purpose than a window, which means it may need to be treated differently from a design perspective. For example, if your great room has two windows and one sliding glass door, and your adjacent kitchen has a French door with a window next to it, you have several distinct window covering needs that can’t effectively be treated in the same way.

To achieve optimum function and style, each opening to your home, no matter the type, must have the proper window covering. This requires different products that can be custom-made to complement each other. Let’s take a look at how doors and window differ from each other, and how that will impact your window treatment options.

  • Size and orientation: Doors are often floor to ceiling. Windows are typically about 30-40″ above the floor.
  • Use: Doors are used more frequently than windows
  • Function: Doors require room to open and close, while windows typically slide
  • Frame: Doors are usually flush with the wall, while most windows have a frame which allows for inside-mount if desirable.

Remember, it’s okay to mix and match mounting styles with your door treatments and your window fashions.

Play it Safe with Consistent Styles

If you feel like you really need to have all of your window treatments match, here are some stylish window coverings that can work well on both doors and windows:

  • Designer Roller shades
  • Alustra® woven texture shades by Hunter Douglas
  • Plantation shutters, wood and composite faux wood
  • Vignette® Modern Roman Shades

Dare to be Different

Complementary window coverings give your home a naturally appealing style. Take a look below at the many different window fashion combinations for your doors and windows:

  • If you have wood blinds on your windows, try a Vignette® Modern Roman Shade
  • If you have bamboo woven wood shades on your windows, try vertical woven wood panels on your door.
  • If you have Hunter Douglas’s Silhouette® shadings on your windows, try Hunter Douglas’s Luminette® Sheers on your door.
  • If you have honeycomb shades on your windows, try Vertiglide® by Hunter Douglas on your door.

Let Ross Howard Help You Decide

Ross Howard Design has been the Dallas area’s leader in interior design, home fashions, and custom window treatment for homes and businesses since 1981. The professional designers at Ross Howard are committed to bringing you the latest styles, current trends, and innovative technologies. For more expert information on window treatments and interior design, or for a consultation, give us a call today – 972-490-0088. We invite you to stop by our showroom, look at over 80 displays and pick up your free design book!

Ross Howard Designs showroom hours: Monday-Friday: 9:30 am – 5:30 pm, Saturday: 10:00 am – 3:00 pm, Sunday: closed.

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Motorization | Hunter Douglas Window Treatments | Drapery | Plantation Shutters | Cornices | Pirouette Window Shadings | Fabrics | Custom Bedding | Window Tinting | Design Consultation | Upholstery | Commercial Window Coverings | Vignette® Roman Shades | Silhouettes® | Duette® Honeycomb | Vertical Blinds | Providence® Woven Woods | Screen Shades

Ross Howard Designs provides custom window treatments, motorized blinds and shades and Hunter Douglas window fashions to residents not only in Dallas but also Addison, Allen, Carrollton, Colleyville, Coppell, Desoto, Duncanville, Farmers Branch, Flower Mound, Forney, Frisco, Garland, Grand Prairie, Grapevine, Highland Park, Irving, Lewisville, Little Elm, McKinney, Mesquite, Parker County, Plano, Prosper, Richardson, Rowlett, Southlake, The Colony, University Park, TX