How do you decorate sliding glass doors to provide privacy and also keep them functional? There are so many options available but which one is right for your home? If you live near Mason, OH roller shades are one of many products that I can help you select to bring beauty and functionality to your home. Read the entire decorating tips newsletter here.

Residents in Mason, OH call on Exciting Windows! by Kim Lyon to provide solutions for all of their window covering needs.

Great decorating ideas that help design a custom look unique for you with draperies, blinds, shades or shutters in Mason, OH are my specialty at Exciting Windows! by Kim Lyon. It’s easy to get started with my free in home consultation or my new service… a free phone consultation to help you get your thoughts together.

Are your outdoor cushions looking a bit dilapidated at the end of the summer?

Even though we hate to see summer come to a close once more, this is the perfect time to begin planning the reupholstery of your cushions.  When the work is done, we will need the cushions for a couple of weeks, leaving you with unusable furniture while we work.  Better to do that in the off season.  Don’t wait until you pull them back out next Spring, and wish you had already gotten that taken care of.

There are so many beautiful colors and patterns to choose from in outdoor fabric.  You may have heard of Sunbrella.  That is the most commonly known brand name of performance fabrics.  There are other brands, as well.  These fabrics all resist fading, stains, and mildew.  They are easily spot cleaned and will give you years of outdoor enjoyment.

If you have an enclosed porch, don’t forget the window openings.  Did you struggle with the sun in your eyes this summer?  Whether you have a glass or screen enclosure, we have solutions that will allow you to keep you outdoor view, but block the glaring sun when you want.

Schedule now for fall reupholstery.  Call us at 513-398-5798.

www.EWbyKimLyon.com

Interior Plantation Shutters are gaining popularity here in the midwest.  The south and west have been in love with shutters for years, with their tremendous ability to insulate from the sun.

The clean lines lend themselves to so many interiors – from traditional to contemporary.

Shutters can be made to fit any window.   So, you know that irregular shaped window that you don’t know how to handle?  A plantation shutter can be the perfect solution.

Enjoy flipping through this picture book of design inspiration from Norman Shutters.

www.EWbyKimLyon.com

Doug and Julie, from Milford, OH, are such a joy to work with.  They have just recently redecorated several rooms.  They like a transitional style – a blend of traditional and contemporary.  From our very first meeting, Doug began talking about the foyer window treatment.  He had something unusual in mind.  He was very happy with this design.  The fabric we chose was so perfect with the faux painting they had done in the foyer, it was as if it was made for it.

The most difficult part of this treatment is in the installation.  But I must say my installer, Todd, from TJ Designs, was superb!

The treatment added just the flair Doug was looking for.

We all know that convenience is a major player in the decision to choose a motorized window treatment, however, child safety is also a deciding factor. Matthew Kandl has this to say about child safety:

“When it comes to choosing window treatments, most consumers consider color, style, and even privacy. If young children are around the home, then cord control should be another important factor in selecting your window treatments.

Although today’s window fashions come with built-in cord-safety features, the Window Covering Safety Council believes cordless window coverings are the best choice for use in children’s bedrooms and any area of the home where children spend time playing.

In fact, cordless designs are rapidly gaining favor with consumers and decorators because of their “clean” look and streamlined design. Most traditionally corded window fashions are available in “cordless” styles through the use of spring-loaded mechanisms, battery- or motor-operated lift controls, or simple wand pulls. When combined with the scores of new fashion looks in today’s window coverings, consumers can pick from a wide choice of high-style cordless designs.”

Remember, the Hunter Douglas Fashion in Motion special runs through September 4^th. If you have small children in your home, you may want to consider motorization for their safety as well as your convenience.

Matthew Kandl was the Training and Education Manager for Hunter Douglas and in 2009 started Motorized Window Treatments

Recently we installed an Adjust-A-View shade, gave you some information on the product, and shared some pictures. Today we have a video showing the ease of operation by one of our favorite clients, Carol. In her words “They installed the blinds almost like magic.”

The Adjust-A-View is very quick and easy to install even in a non-perfect window. Typically arched windows are constructed in a manner where the sill is built up into the window. The resulting radius is less than half the diameter and no longer “perfect”. The Adjust-A-View allows for plus or minus 2 inches of imperfection to easily fit any window.

The shade is custom made for your window using Hunter Douglas, Graber, Comfortex, Kirsh and, Omega products. You can then match the shades on your other windows with your Adjust-A-View.

Click on the link below to view the video:

Adjust-A-View corded operation

Arch windows are a beautiful architectural feature in the home. They do, however, pose a great dilemma when there is a need for privacy or light control. While there are a few products on the market that offer some flexibility in opening and closing a shade, none compare to the degree of adjustability of the Adjust-A-View moveable arches by Omega.

The arched shade actually uses two fully functioning shades that operate independently, offering a full range of motion and light control options. With a cord on each side, it is simple and convenient to select just the perfect angle, or none at all.

And since we have been talking lately about motorization, we need to mention that the Adjust-A-View is of course available in a motorized version as well. Each side can operate independently or you can choose to operate both at the same time by simply touching buttons on the remote.

A great way is with a Hunter Douglas unique cell-within-a-cell, insulating Duette Honeycomb Shade. The innovative honeycomb construction creates air pockets where light meets color. To suit your day and activities, these shades can be raised or lowered from the top or the bottom.

The Duette Architella Honeycomb Shade is a state-of-the-art, patented design incorporating three insulating air pockets, creating the most energy efficiency. The honeycomb-within-a-honeycomb design greatly reduces your Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC), or the amount of solar heat that passes through your window.

For an example, the SHGC on a standard bare, double-glazed window is 0.76, which means 76% of solar heat is transmitted through it. By adding an opaque Duette Architella shade the SHGC drops as low as 0.15 – only allowing 15% of this summer’s heat into your room, helping to lower your cooling costs. (We could all use that this summer!)

In addition, the over 200 fabric/color combinations can filter out 95% of destructive UV rays.

Remember the Hunter Douglas Fashion in Motion promotion going on now until September 4^th offering a $100 savings on a motorized shade.

Like the subtle cast their name suggests, Silhouette window shadings from Hunter Douglas, have Signature S-Vanes that easily create beautiful gradations of light and shadow.

The soft fabric vanes are suspended between two sheers, diffusing softened light deep into the room. Silhouettes’s patented sheer facings provide an uncluttered view to the outside.

You can select from 240 color and fabric combinations and three vane sizes.

The vanes are easily tilted to suit the privacy you desire while maintaining the UV protection (88% with vanes open, 99% with vanes closed).

Silhouette with LiteRise operation is cordless control rendering the shades the perfect choice for enhanced child safety. Motorized PowerTilt with Platinum Technology allows you to tilt the slats open or close remotely using either a hand held control or through any home automation system.

When it comes time to decide whether you want your custom window treatments with a motorized operating system, convenience is a key consideration–but it is not the only one. Enhanced safety is another benefit. As is greater energy efficiency.

The system appropriate for your custom window coverings depends mostly on the type of product you purchase. Some systems raise and lower window treatments and adjust slats, vanes and louvers, while others move the window covering from side to side, rotating vanes and louvers.

Hunter Douglas has a special on motorization June 30 – September 4. We will be showcasing specific products in the next few weeks so please check back for more information and pictures.

You are invited to visit their website www.hunterdouglas.com