Atlanta Window Covering

As far as we can figure, there are three main reasons that Atlantans start shopping around for new window coverings: to keep out the cold in winter, to keep out the sun and heat during the summertime, and to improve the overall appearance of their home. Let's take a look at the most popular forms of window covering in Atlanta, and how they can help improve your home in any of the above areas.

Roman Shades are an excellent Atlanta window covering solution for just about any need. These blinds are raised and lowered in panels, and can be made from a number of different fabrics and natural materials. Choose your shade material wisely. Light or transparent shades are more for appearance and privacy, while thicker materials provide more insulation from cold, heat, and sunlight. Also, look into lines that magnetically seal to the window frame for increased insulative properties during cooler winter months in the ATL.

Honeycomb Shades get their name from their cellular or "honeycomb" construction, which traps air in the shade itself and provides a barrier of insulation between the heat or cold coming in your window from outside. Honeycomb shades aren't cheap, but their unique construction allows them to let in light, provide privacy, insulate, and look good all at the same time. There aren't many window treatments in Atlanta, or anywhere else for that matter, that can boast that kind of performance.

Drapes are a mixed bag when it comes to window treatments. When it comes to providing privacy, blocking sunlight, and decreasing heating and cooling costs in a residence, a heavy set of drapes is impossible to beat. On the down side, they can look cumbersome and old fashioned in a more modern home, and in a city with surroundings as beautiful as Atlanta's, it's a shame to hole yourself in, even if it is in the name of energy efficiency.

Blinds come in all shapes and sizes to meet just about any Atlanta window covering budget, need, or design. Simple venetian blinds can be a very cost-effective solution to providing privacy and blocking the sun (choose darker colors if the latter is your goal), while blinds made from wood, composite plastics, bamboo, and other natural materials give you a lot of options when it comes to the amount of privacy they provide, the amount of sun they block, and styles to choose from. Binds are an excellent choice if privacy and reducing sun exposure are your goals, though they aren't nearly as efficient as some other window treatments at insulating your home against the cold. Consider combining them with drapes or curtains if you like the looks of blinds, but want to enhance their insulative properties over the winter.

Shutters are hands down your best choice for Atlanta window coverings that provide total privacy and sun remediation, and they're an excellent way to add some Southern charm to your Atlanta home. They're also an excellent security solution (i.e. security shutters), and can help protect your windows from the damage that can be caused by heavy summer thunderstorms (storm shutters). Just like the look of shutters? Faux exterior shutters can be installed whose sole purpose is to give your home a face lift without the hassle.

Insulated Panels are a more practical approach to window covering in Atlanta. These panels are custom cut to fit directly into your window spaces, providing maximum insulation from the cold during winter, and maximum protection from heat and sun exposure in the summer months. They are especially effective in Atlanta homes that have older, single-pane windows, though the fact that they leave you completely in the dark is a turn-off for most homeowners.

Awnings, Shades, Outdoor Blinds, and Exterior Screens approach the dilemma of window covering in Atlanta by working from the outside in. All of these exterior solutions work by blocking the Georgia sun before it has a chance to reach your window and heat up your home in the first place.

Window Films, Tints, Glazings, and Treatments aren't exactly Atlanta window covering in the strict sense of the word, though they can make a huge difference in winter and summer if you've been mulling over whether it's time to replace the windows in your Atlanta metropolitan home anyway. Just as a teaser, new, energy-efficient windows with multiple glazings, low e-coatings, tints, gas fills, and the like can reduce heating and cooling costs by 30 to 40 percent by some accounts. You probably shouldn't count on that kind of improvement when it comes to the cost of keeping your home warm in the winter, since the ATL's winters aren't exactly rough to start with, but those kind of savings on cooling bills aren't out of reach when the Georgia sun and humidity reach their worst come August.

If you're interested in new window covering in Atlanta, talk to an interior decorator, an interior designer, or a window treatment specialist about helping you choose the optimal style and design for your needs, be it privacy, energy efficiency, looks, or a combination of all three. And if you're ready for some new windows, advances in technology make this a great time to upgrade. Your home, and your pocketbook, will thank you in the end.