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How Functionality Affects Your Search For The Perfect Window Coverings 

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We first choose window coverings for their functionality but love them for their beauty and design elements. Do any of the reasons here describe your current window covering requirements? If you’re looking for beautiful window coverings with great design and functionality, read on.



Functionality considerations for window coverings:

  • How much sunlight does the room get?
  • What time of the day does the sun pose a concern in each room; morning, noon, late afternoon, or early evening?
  • Do you have tall ceilings in some of the rooms with windows up high?
  • What direction do your windows face?
  • Does a bedroom need different light conditions for two sleepers? 
  • Is privacy in some of the rooms a top need?  
  • Are temperature retention and insulative abilities a requirement for some of the windows?



1. How much sunlight does the room get? 

Natural sunlight in a room elevates our mood and adds to the beauty of any room. It is what we desire the most, next to being in a space designed to make us feel happy and content. 

There is a way to combine those two aspects with controlled lighting using blinds and shades. 

In an open-concept room, the ability to soften a mood in one area while emphasizing the light coming through the windows in another allows you to be creative with your space.



2. What time of day does the sun pose a concern in each room; morning, noon, late afternoon, or early evening?

There are numerous styles of blinds or a combination of blinds and draperies that will solve intense sun, which may cause a concern depending on the time of year. 

As the earth tilts throughout the seasons, a pleasant west sun in the spring and summer afternoons can become a piercing nuisance during winter dinnertimes.

The ability of the blind to block intense sun should be a consideration.



Contact any of our team at a Covers Designer’s Edge near you, where our knowledge and design sense provides the easiest way for you to choose the functionality and look of a window covering that you need.



3. Do you have tall ceilings in some of the rooms with high windows or odd-shaped windows?

With the Canadian Corded Window Covering Regulations in place, motorization is becoming the choice for most windows. Read more here about this new way to control the opening and closing of blinds located high in a room. Read Custom Window Treatments for Speciality Windows. Read our blog post, Are Automated and Motorized Shades Different?




4. What direction do your windows face?

South and west-facing windows catch the hottest sun from noon to late afternoon. The sun’s intensity deteriorates fabrics and lightens colours over time, so using blind and shade fabrics with a percentage of PVC or polyester will protect blinds and drapery side panels from UV damage.




5. Does a bedroom need different light conditions for two sleepers? 

When choosing window coverings based on their functionality, the one room that generates fear is a bedroom shared by two people. Bedroom window coverings that accommodate two specific light conditions exist, offering hope for many couples. Read more here.




6. Is privacy in some of the rooms a top need? 

Shutters or privacy blinds are perfect for rooms where a window covering is rarely lifted or opened to let in natural sunlight. It is important that the window coverings are well thought out in these rooms, as they will be a larger part of the room’s design. Read, Do My Window Coverings Need to Match?




7. Is temperature-retention and insulative abilities a requirement for some of the windows?

Covering your older windows with honeycomb/cell shades will help with heat gain and heat loss. See more energy-efficient window covering options here.





Hunter Douglas, Maxxmar, Shade-O-Matic, Altex, and Sunglow are just some of the names that Covers Designer’s Edge carries. 

We also offer our Covers Signature and Prestige labels to provide various budget options without sacrificing beauty.