The Rundown on Roller Shades

When many people think of shades, they think of roller shades. These classic window coverings have remained popular for many years due to their timeless style and simplicity. In addition to being highly effective at doing the things homeowners need their window treatments to do—blocking light and protecting privacy—roller shades are also easy to incorporate into virtually any room in your home, regardless of its color scheme or style.

Buying roller shades for your home through Blindster is a simple process, but it’s important to keep a few things in mind before, during, and after the time that you place your order. For example, we offer several varieties of roller shades, and each variety has its own options, including valance type, lift type, and color choice. The installation method you choose can also impact both the appearance and function of your new roller shades, so it’s important to know which method is right for your home.

So, if you’re interested in outfitting your windows with roller shades, check out the tips below, and don’t hesitate to contact our customer service representatives with any questions or concerns!

Roller shades are budget-friendly at all ends of the spectrum.

Whether you’re looking to save money while still covering your windows with high quality shades, or you’re prepared to splurge and get the best of the best, you can’t go wrong with our selection of roller shades. Our deluxe roller shades are available in room darkening, light filtering, blackout vinyl, and blackout fabric varieties, while our premium models carry a higher price tag but feature more options, including more color choices and more texture choices (polyester blend or premium woven wood).

Roller shades are easy to clean.

Unlike many types of blinds and shades that feature folds, slats, and louvres, roller shades consist of a headrail and one solid piece of fabric or synthetic material that stretches the length of your window when fully extended. That means that these window coverings not only are less likely to accumulate dirt, dust, and pollen, but they’re also easier to clean. A feather duster is highly effective at removing most debris from even the dirtiest roller shades, and most heavy-duty cleaning jobs require only a damp rag and mild cleaning solution.

Plus for more options on cleaning Roller Shades, see our past article that talks all about cleaning them.

Roller shades are perfect for rooms where you want to eliminate outside light.

Although we also offer light filtering and room darkening roller shades, we know that many homeowners want shades that eliminate sunlight and the sun’s harsh UV rays from entering certain rooms. Whether you’re buying window treatments for a bedroom, living room, home office, nursery, or game room, our blackout roller shades are the right choice. Among our deluxe models, we offer blackout roller shades in vinyl and fabric varieties, with an additional fabric choice available in our premium selection.

Roller shades have free cordless options at Blindster.

Cordless window treatments have numerous advantages over traditional cord-operated blinds and shades. First, the lack of a lift cord simply means that there’s one less part on your window coverings that needs potential repairs or replacement. Anyone with pets knows that they can be attracted to cords and chains, and that often results in damage. Second, cordless options often look sleeker and more “built-in” to the window and the room than models with cords and chains. Finally, cordless shades are safer than corded models. Although we supply free cord cleats with all corded window treatment purchases, many homeowners opt to forgo cords entirely, especially for homes where small children are present.

Roller shades require precise measurements for maximum privacy and light blocking.

While roller shades are popular both for their built-in look and their ability to protect privacy/block light, it’s vital that they are installed correctly to maximize their effectiveness. And proper installation begins with a thorough measurement process. If you’re thinking about buying roller shades, first decide on whether you want an outside mount or an inside mount.

As the name implies, outside mounted shades are installed with the headrail outside of the window casing. The shades completely cover the entire window with extra fabric to spare to further eliminate light gaps and leakage. This installation method is great for covering unsightly window casings and to make windows appear larger.

Inside mounted shades are installed in a traditional manner with the headrail placed flush within the confines of the window casing. Because the risk of light leaks and gaps increases with inside mounted window treatments, it’s important to get precise measurements. Measure to the nearest eighth of an inch, and don’t round up. In addition, you should also measure the width and height in multiple places across your window and record the largest measurement when you provide us with the dimensions.