The Finishing Touch

Summer Home Fashion Event, Part 2 - Modern Home Decorating & How to Get the Look

This is part 2 in the Summer Home Fashion Event Series. To see other segments, use the navigation on the right.

Sleek, clean lines and minimalist furniture are often the cornerstones for modern décor as we know it. A sort of rebellion to the opulent - and popular - mid-century modern décor, modern interior design is marked with shades of beige and crisp whites, mirrored and beautifully contoured furniture, and surprising splashes of color. You’ll also find black furniture, and darker wood tones to contrast white, beige, and tan base colors. It is often the most popular design style among young homeowners and professionals because young people tend to be more metropolitan and city-savvy, living in lofts, high-rises, and town homes. Not only is it chic, it is also functional. A minimalist approach to decorating keeps homeowners from having an abundance of furniture to clean. Less draperies, less throw blankets, less tablecloths are all key components to successful modern design; adopt the “Less is More” motto.

Window treatments enhance modern home design in mainly two ways. They can either stand as a focal point in a room, serving as the pop of color in an all-neutral space, or they can blend into the background, barely noticed, lending themselves to function rather than form. Get inspired below:

Summer Home Fashion Event, Part 1 - Rustic Home Decorating & How to Get the Look

Blinds.com introduces Part 1 of a series of design features showcasing different home styles and how you can achieve these looks using window treatments. Help yourself to a little inspiration. Treat your home to a makeover during the dog days of Summer and spruce up your space!

Not everyone is so gung-ho over modern, minimalist home décor, especially those who love the pastoral ambiance of a country cabin or summer home. There is nothing quite like being surrounded by nature as you sip your favorite wine and breathe in the freshest air anywhere on the planet. That’s the feeling rustic cottage décor can do for your home. You don’t have to own a second home in Aspen to get the look you desire in the home you already have.

Here are some of my favorite rooms that utilize blinds and shades to get that rustic country cottage look:

Help Blinds.com Raise $2000 for Habitat for Humanity by Becoming a Fan!

In an effort to raise funds for Houston Habitat for Humanity, we will be donating $1 for every person who becomes a fan of Blinds.com on Facebook until we reach 1000 fans. Once we reach 1000, we will match that $1000 and make it $2000! We’ll be tweeting our progress, and shouting out to some of our great fans along the way. Please do your part to assist us in this crazy fun social experiment.

We are a Houston-based business, and proud of it! It is our duty to give back to the community that has supported us from the launch of our first site in 1996, until today. Becoming a fan is easy, it’s free for you, you’ll be on the short list of people to first receive news of special contests and giveaways, and you’ll be helping a great cause. What more could you want?

Aside from this experiment, Blinds.com donates blinds and shades to the Habitat for Humanity Re-Store, a home improvement resale store where items are sold at greatly reduced prices. Donations are made multiple times a month.

We also participate in day builds, which allow volunteers to spend one day assisting in the building of homes that are already in the works. Check out pictures from a recent Blinds.com Day Build:

Hidden Treasures: Refinish it, Don’t Throw it Away!

By Larry Hack, Blinds.com Chief Information Officer and Guest Blogger

Do you have an old piece of furniture in your house covered in dark, scratched up varnish? Or maybe a piece with layers of old paint on it? Well if you’re thinking of throwing it way, consider refinishing it instead. It can be easier than you think and you can save a lot of money over replacing it.

The process involves removing the old paint or varnish, staining (optional) and applying one or more protective coats of finish.

 

The remover should remove the paint or varnish without damaging the wood. Many removers use an acid base which raises the grain of the wood, requiring you to spend lots of time sanding. Not how you want to spend your time. Acid-based removers will also damage the patina, which is the natural coloring from the aging of the wood.

 

Many products combine the stain and finish. I prefer to get the color I want first, matching the color to another piece of furniture or trim in the house, and then applying a finish. Stains are either opaque or translucent. Opaque stains are thicker and mask imperfections in the wood; however, they can also cover up the grain somewhat. Translucent stains are thinner and allow the natural wood to shine through.

There are many different types of finishes available; varnish, lacquer, shellac, oils, varnish/oil combination. These different finishes provide different looks and levels of protection.

 

Be sure to work in a well-ventilated area when working with any of these chemicals.

It can be a lot of fun to take on a refinishing project. It is very rewarding to be able to display it afterwards. It may even become a conversation piece.

Win a $1000 Shopping Spree from Cooking.com + Blinds.com!

What would you do with $1000 to redecorate your kitchen?

Would you like a chance to toss out your rusty, old pots and pans, and get rid of your faded and warped blinds? Have you been envying your neighbors brand new professional stand mixer? Blinds.com, the online leader in custom window treatments, and Cooking.com, the top kitchenware retailer and online community for foodies have teamed up to give away a $1000 shopping spree, good for one kitchen renovation!  Enter to win $500 from Blinds.com, and $500 from Cooking.com, no purchase necessary. If you’ve been dreaming about that new kitchen, dream no more. The winner could be you! 

Go here to enter today!

Follow Blinds.com on Twitter for Special Twitter-Only Contests, Giveaways, and Savings.

You Should Be Watching: DIY Network's Man Caves

Don't know what a man cave is?

"A part of a home specifically reserved for adult male activities, such as drinking beer and watching TV; often a garage or den."

 

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Tricky Design Problem: How to Prevent Blinds from Blowing in the Wind

Esther,

We have recently purchased and installed nine Exterior Sheerweave Solar Shades with cassette valence systems. They are inside mount shades with removable porch screens on the outside. They have inserted metal rods in the bottom hem which is providing some weight; however, they blow into the room even with light breezes. We would like to have some sort of a clip to fasten the rod to the sill to hold them down or possibly a clip mounted on the window casing which would hold the ends of the metal rod when the shade is rolled down. Any suggestions or hardware available?

Bob P.

6 Ways to Decorate Your Patio or Backyard for Summer

Are you dreaming of sunning by the pool, margarita in-hand? Ready or not, Summer is here! Birds have headed home, gas prices are steadily climbing, and warm weather wardrobes are just waiting to explode from closets everywhere. There’s no better time than right now to decorate your porch, patio, or backyard. Maybe you’re feeling inclined to opt for a stay-cation this summer. If so, turn your backyard into a relaxing sanctuary for you and your family. Toss out your old white plastic patio furniture, and make your backyard a place you can be proud of. Then, invite your friends, family, and neighbors over for a little Summer vacation barbeque. Bring on the hot dogs… Hebrew National, of course!

Inspiration for Decorating Your Home with the Color Purple

The color purple is regarded as chic and elegant. Known as the color of royalty, purple is often found in formal dining and sitting areas. It connotes luxury, wealth, and sophistication. You’ll rarely find hints of purple; people drawn to this color for home design often use it in abundance and make the color itself a focal point of a room. Purple can be a wonderful complement to a variety of colors, even those close to it on the color spectrum. It doesn’t often create dissonance, and will promote a sense of harmony in a space. Purple is a popular color used in small rooms, because it really opens up the room and makes it look and feel larger.

It’s one of the most in-style colors of 2009, especially for window blinds and shades. Purple curtains and fabric valances are also fashionable:

 

French Door Blinds

French doors can pose a problem for homeowners. They cause us to ask that age-old question: “Should I hang blinds or leave the windows uncovered?” While they are beautiful, they let lots of sunlight in. Those harsh afternoon rays can raise the temperature in your home up to 10 degrees, forcing your air conditioning unit to work overtime. They will also fade and damage your furniture, especially in the Summer.