" " " "

custom window shades

Custom Window Blinds: Vertical or Horizontal?

Custom Window Blinds: Vertical or Horizontal? wjfigw4q3

When it comes to choosing custom window blinds, you want to make sure you choose the style and functional benefits that fit your home and your lifestyle. What about operation? The system you choose can be one of most important choices, and there’s one more. Orientation. The way your custom window blinds open and close can be both a personal style preference–as well as meeting the needs of your home. Custom window blinds come in both vertical and horizontal orientation. Previously, you may have thought horizontal window blinds were meant for smaller windows, while large windows, or sliding glass doors, were fitted with vertical window blinds. Now? It’s really up to you. Take a look at the custom window blinds we have–along with the style details and benefits–and decide which look is best for your home and style!

Custom Window Blinds: Horizontal

living room horizontal custom window blinds

Blinds have come a long way. No longer used to simply block light, they add heightened styling to your home. You can choose from real wood blinds or faux wood blinds in a wide selection of paints and stains to coordinate your home. Aluminum window blinds are increasingly popular, as the metallic sheen of a range of colors add contemporary appeal–with a specialized ‘bounce back’ feature for homes with children and pets. Most of the custom window blinds are offered with de Light™ which reduces light coming through cord holes. And child safety has improved dramatically, as you can choose cordless operation for your blinds. What about size? Horizontal blinds no longer are meant for only smaller windows. Most blinds can handle widths up to eight feet long and 10 feet high. Our metal blinds can even fit windows that are 12 feet wide. That’s a big window! Let’s talk about what’s new in operation. The SimpleLift operating system features touch of a button control on the bottom rail. The PowerView motorization operating system puts control of your motorized blinds into the palm of your hand with the Pebble remote or by using the PowerView App on your favorite device. With 180º tilt adjustment, your motorized blinds will adjust for light control, privacy and a range of view-through settings.

Custom Window Blinds: Vertical

kitchen vertical custom window blinds

Vertical blinds used to only feature hanging slats that could be opened, closed and adjusted to one side or the other. Now, you can get the traditional look of vertical blinds in a variety of materials, with contemporary influence, in colors and textures to coordinate the look and feel of your home. The operation of your vertical blinds can now adjust from one side to the other, sometimes even stacking in the middle. Our collections of vertical custom window blinds can handle the largest openings for your windows and doors–some widths up to 24’ and heights up to 16’. The safety features of vertical blinds offer you a variety of operating system, with options for cord control, wand systems and motorization. What other details do you need to consider?

Custom Window Blinds That Aren’t Really Blinds

luminette sheers custom window blinds and shades

Sometimes, what you’re really looking for are window treatments that offer your home beauty, a gorgeous view and functional features–easy to access with the latest innovations. Many choices for custom window blinds are not even ‘officially’ blinds, but window shades. If you love vertical options, our Luminette Privacy Sheers bring the beauty and function of sheer shadings into your home with even more levels of control. Our Skyline Gliding Window Panels share the look of classic vertical blinds, with much wider panels for a sleek look, in thin materials for the overall appearance of shades. If it’s horizontal window options appeal to you, we have an amazing selection of shades that offer the colors, fabrics and textures that will add a beautiful backdrop to your home. They have the latest innovations in design features to add to your lifestyle. Levels of light control, energy efficiency, dynamic view-through, privacy…the list goes on and on.

Looking for a Great Variety of Custom Window Blinds?

Metropolitan Window Fashions is a third generation family business that has been serving customers of the Metropolitan area for 83 years.  We live and work in this community and support other small local businesses. Although our children are in school, they have all worked part-time with us, making them the fourth generation to join the company. We’ve served customers from areas such as Manhattan, Green Brook, Scotch Plains, Watchung, Glen Rock, Westwood, Woodcliff Lake, Edison, Chatham, Mahwah, Bridgewater, & many more. Call our NYC & New Jersey custom window treatments experts today and ask about our Roman shades and the other great services we offer!

Hunter Douglas Window Treatments NJ Home Page

Save On Your Energy Bills with 3 Considerations

Save On Your Energy Bills with 3 Considerations wjfigw4q3

Are you enjoying your summer? The sunshine and blue skies we’ve been having are what we look forward to all winter long, but the heat sure is on this year. Whew! With temperatures climbing into the 90s and intense sunshine on top of that, it’s probably taking a toll on your home and your energy bills. Are you, your air conditioner, and your wallet ready for some sweet relief? Window coverings can turn your home from sweltering  to comfortable–like a summertime oasis. Here are three things to consider as you choose window coverings to help you save on your energy bills this summer–and all year long.

Save with Features for Location

save on your energy bills NYCThe direction your windows face makes all the difference when it comes to how sunshine interacts with your home. North and south facing windows won’t get the intense direct rays that east and west facing windows do. Choosing window coverings that offer the right features for the location of your windows can really help you to save on your energy bills. For east and west facing windows, insulation at the window is key, and you’ll often want ways to reduce glare and draw in light with north and south facing windows. Top down bottom up operation is great for that. Oftentimes you need completely different features for the window shades in your living room as compared to those in your bedroom. That’s why Hunter Douglas offers fabrics, materials, and textures that work well with many window covering styles. You get all the beauty and all the benefits! By carefully selecting the features of your window shades, you can keep the summer sun’s heat from plaguing your home–and your energy bills–while still enjoying the benefits of natural light, privacy, and view-through.

Save with Automation

save on your energy bills NYC

If you want to experience serious energy savings, then we have two words for you: PowerView motorization. With motorized shades, you set the scenes along with the schedule, and it takes care of the rest. PowerView adjusts your window shades automatically throughout the day, so your home’s atmosphere is always ideal. As the sun moves, so do your shades. In fact, you can even program PowerView to adjust your window coverings based on your ever-changing local sunrise and sunset times. With an automatic schedule, intense sun doesn’t get a chance to heat up your home regardless of whether you’re there or not. And when you are away, you can control your shades at the touch of a button with the PowerView App from your favorite device! Convenience, comfort, and consistency…PowerView is a sure way to save on your energy bills and upgrade your lifestyle.

Save with Energy-Efficiency

save on your energy bills NYCIf your air conditioner is running non-stop on hot days, or if you’re sacrificing your comfort to cut costs, it’s time for a better solution. Obviously if you’re looking to save on your energy bills, you want to increase the energy-efficiency of your home. But, how? Window shades are one of the best ways to do that. Bare windows magnify the sun and heat–which means it can be hotter inside your home than out! Energy-efficient window coverings have the ability to insulate your home, so they help maintain a consistent temperature. That means your air conditioner doesn’t need to work as hard, and that translates into both comfort and savings for you! Duette shades are the industry leader when it comes to energy-efficiency. Their cell-within-cell structure provides pockets of air that protect your home from the elements just outside your windows. It’s no wonder why they’ve earned the highest ranking.

Start to Save On Your Energy Bills…

Don’t spend another gorgeous summer day dreading the effects of the sun on your home and wallet. It’s time to save on your energy bills with window coverings that are just right for your unique spaces. On top of increasing energy-efficiency, they’ll also add style, sophistication, and the benefits of light control and privacy. So, contact us today, at Metropolitan Window Fashions, for a free, in-home consultation.

Hunter Douglas shades on sale!

Top Down Bottom Up Shades: The Ultimate Atmosphere!

Top Down Bottom Up Shades: The Ultimate Atmosphere! wjfigw4q3

Are you loving the burst of springtime sunshine we get this time of year? Full of much-needed Vitamin D, the rays of sunshine are therapeutic after the gloom of gray skies we experience throughout the winter. Now that the sunlight is filling your home again, besides improving your mood, are you unpleasantly frustrated with too much light during specific times of day? Do you avoid certain rooms due to uncomfortable glare and rising temperatures? It might be time for new window shades–but not just any window treatments. The innovation of top down bottom up shades can transform the atmosphere of your home and your life.

 

Transform Your Living Room & Entranceway

top down bottom up shades living roomLarge windows let in gorgeous amounts of sunlight. They brighten our lives and set a breathtaking scene in your living room and entranceway. But when that beautiful sunshine is flooding into your home, you can experience uncomfortable temperatures, harmful UV rays and relentless glare. Top down bottom up shades solve these problems and create the ideal atmosphere. Bringing down the top of your window shades allows you to let in an abundance of natural light for incredible daylighting while you protect the inside of your home. Simply raise the lower part of your top down bottom up shades just enough at the bottom for a custom experience with this innovative feature for your expanse of windows.

 

Transform Your Kitchen & Dining Areas

top down bottom up shades kitchenYou want your kitchen and dining areas to feature the right amount of light based on circumstance. Breakfast might welcome sunshine and healthy, ample morning light, but by lunch, the temperature starts to rise. And dinner time? Cooking in the kitchen requires quality lighting, while enjoying dinner can use a range of atmospheres, from entertaining to intimate. Being able to customize your atmosphere across the day is a feat easily accomplished with top down bottom up shades. Depending on the location of your kitchen windows, top down bottom up shades can transform the way you use and function within the space. Being such an important room throughout your day, creating the ideal atmosphere is vital.

 

Transform Your Bed & Bath

top down bottom up shades bedroomIf there is any area in your home that needs the perfect combination of controlled light and privacy, it would be the bed and bath. Waking from a restful sleep, top down bottom up shades can let in morning light when you decide, while concealing your privacy as you get your day started. And that continues into your bathroom, as natural light plays an important role to start your day off on the right foot. Shaving, makeup…even choosing your outfit–ample natural light and comfortable privacy combine for a successful beginning every day.

As much as we all love the sunshine of springtime, once we get used to this new light, we are easily reminded of the frustrations it can bring. Don’t block the light so you feel like you’re in a cave, missing out on rays of sunlight. And don’t flood your home. With top down bottom up shades, you can create the perfect atmosphere in your home to transform your life. Our design experts, at Metropolitan Window Fashions, know what you’re facing. And we’d love to help. Contact our team for a free, shop-at-home consultation today!

 

Sleep Solutions Just for You

Sleep Solutions Just for You wjfigw4q3

Your home. Does it sometimes feel like Grand Central Station? The continuous go-go-go of your life can be fun and exciting, but also exhausting. Plagued by daytime fatigue, difficulty concentrating, and irritability, you hide under-eye circles behind a giant mug of coffee. You don’t have to suffer! We have sleep solutions that will make the recommended 7 to 8 hours of sleep more than just a dream. Are you dreaming of better sleep? Our Season of Savings promotion offers some of Hunter Douglas’ most popular window shades with amazing benefits and savings for you! Here’s how to get some glorious shuteye amid the constant energy, motion and busyness of your everyday life.

Clean Up Light Pollution

sleep solutions

While manmade light sources offer convenience, they disrupt the natural rhythms of nature. From the blaze of streetlights, billboards, and passing traffic, to your TV, smartphone, and iPad, light litters your bedroom. Being exposed to light at bedtime can make falling asleep–and staying asleep–tough. It’s time to clean up light litter! Turn off or cover the glow of devices–or consider keeping them out of your bedroom altogether. Install window shades that feature blackout and room-darkening fabrics. They will add an element of style while helping to create the necessary darkness that will turn your room into a sleep sanctuary.

Turn the Sound Off

sleep solutions
Along with light, sound may be making a mess of your sleeping habits and patterns. You may not even realize just how much noises are reducing the restorative power of your rest because sounds don’t have to jostle you awake at night to be a problem. Noises can simply arouse your brain and prevent you from going into deeper stages of sleep. So, if distant sirens, grumbling planes, beeping automobiles, and vigilant dogs are the quartet that plays your nightly lullaby, window coverings that absorb sound are a must-have in your home. They will be sleep solutions you relish!

Rest and Relax

sleep solutions
Easier said than done, right? Demanding and hectic days get the best of everyone. It can be so hard to unwind, and some of your usual attempts may actually be interfering with getting quality sleep. Late-day exercise and TV before bedtime can wake you up, and a nightcap can leave you floating in a light stage of sleep. Instead, spend fifteen minutes enjoying a calming activity–such as listening to quiet music, reading by a soft light, or stretching. Then, head to bed. Also, make sure that your home is a comfortable, consistent temperature. Being too hot or too cold can make it impossible to relax–which is already hard enough. Energy-efficient window shades can be a big help with this. Their insulating properties work to maintain a stable temperature regardless of whether snow is flying or the summer sun is scorching outside. With these sleep solutions, you’ll be relaxed and ready for dreamland in no time!

Surround Yourself with Convenience

sleep solutions
Does your home boast a desirable panoramic view? Seeing the skyline, or overlooking your own beautiful landscape from floor-to-ceiling windows is a treat like no other. Managing glare and privacy, however, can be a time-consuming challenge. Not with the intelligent technology of PowerView automation, though. Select and save the positions of the window coverings throughout your home that provide just the right amount of light, privacy, and room ambiance for different times of day and occasions. Then program them to occur automatically or control them from your favorite device with the PowerView App. Setting the scene for your next dinner party has never been easier. Plus, you can schedule your window shades to enhance your sleep patterns. Set them to rise and let the sun peek in to wake you up in the morning and then to lower while you start your relaxing bedtime routine. Your window shades will work for you morning, noon, and night while you rest easy! PowerView provides convenient and innovative sleep solutions you shouldn’t live without!

You’re busy all day long being your best–you should have the best sleep! It’s time to discover sleep solutions that will boost your productivity, mood, and health. If you are ready for the features of window coverings to turn your nights of tossing and turning into nights of celebrated slumber, we would love to help. And right now, you have an opportunity for amazing savings on Hunter Douglas’ most popular window shades with our Season of Savings! Contact our team at Metropolitan Window Fashions for your free, in-home consultation.