Blinds Toronto Happy New Years!

The Drapery Shop at Home

Apologies in advance for the rant but it needs to be said...

Shop at Home/Decorator Consultation is a severely overused term in the window covering and drapery industry that usually amounts to a salesperson coming to your house/condo/office measuring your windows and spitting out a price. This means that even if you are not paying for the service you are not getting value for the shop at home because it is frankly a waste of time and you might even get roped into purchasing a product that doesn't make sense for your home wasting a ton of money.

Blinds Direct Canada takes a very different approach to the Shop at Home. While we offer in home consultations that are free as well we want to make sure you receive value for your time. The way that we do this is simple:

• Offer consultation at a convenient time to YOU!
• Listen to what YOU the client would like to see.
• Show samples and explain how each product will live in the space.
• Work with YOU and YOUR DREAM to achieve a reality that is both beautiful and functional.
• Provide a quote and finish the work within a reasonable time constraint.

Many times I visit a customer that wishes they could have a mulligan (do-over) because they either told a salesperson what they wanted and while it technically could be done, it shouldn't have been due to furniture or window placements or colour palette etc. Alternatively they were pushed into a treatment because the salesperson loves it.

The reason for this post is that it really upset me when these kinds of things happen because it isn't fair to the clients.

This is why we make sure to discuss the (sorry for using this word) impact and ramifications of whatever product is picked and how it will work. I am passionate about what we do and therefore want to make sure that everything is perfect before we do it. 

To me that is the minimum of what a free shop at home should be.

Drapery and Sheers sometimes less is more.

I have to say with these clients it was refreshing to take a less is more stance, especially since his was a spec house. Sometimes I walk into a house and they have grandiose ideas and want layer after layer after layer (you get the idea) of window treatments. It is just too much. a few simple drapery panels with sheers underneath is more than enough.

Also some beautiful sheer draperies on their own in a family room or breakfast area can work magic while keeping the room light and airy.

Sorry about the mess we were in the middle of the install and move when the photos were snapped. but as you can see anything heavier would have detracted from the beautiful craftsmanship that was evident in the rest of the home. Although it is great to have your product in the forefront screaming look at me it is more important to have it blend seamlessly with the rest of an obviously beautiful design. 

Please give us a look for your window covering and interior decorating needs at Blinds Direct Canada.

Brand Perception in Blinds and Shutters how much does it really translate....

There are a lot of great window covering products made by excellent companies. Some companies have a great line with amazing technology but where does it pay to spend and when are you spending for the ubiquitous brand just because it is recognisable?

Some the below brands make truly awe inspiring products and are constantly improving the quality and trendsetting in colours and options that you didn't think you would need but once introduced you just had to have.

Hunter Douglas first and foremost stands for their warranty which is for the most part the best in the business. However they are probably along with a handful of others the largest group of trendsetters around with colour choice and new control schemes and of course child safety. Hunter Douglas is best know for the Silhouette shades and have recently come out with both the Duette Architella (cellular shades)  and the Pirouette lines (cross between a roman and a Silhouette).

While they make a great product they are considered (and priced) at the high end of the window covering spectrum. I therefore always ask myself and my clients why are we using this product, is there another option that would allow us to save a bit and get essentially the same look? That is where we can help.

Give us a call with your questions we are happy to answer any that come our way. 800-774-8298 or email us at info@blindsdirectcanada.com.

Next time we will discuss the virtues of the Maxxmar Opera system.

Blinds in Toronto the number one pick!

I have recently been curious as to what is the number one pick for blinds in the GTA. While there is great diversity in the selections as every blind is a very personal choice down to the colour and what side the cord goes on there is a definite winner.

As you can see above that winner is the roller shade. The simple clean lines and modern finishes available as well as it's easy and child safe operation. 

Truthfully the Toronto blinds results may be a bit skewed due to the large proliferation of condo units where a great deal of them are ordering roller shades because they are the best choice for their windows and a very budget friendly option.

A great alternative to the roller shade is the Hunter Douglas Silhouette shade. Although it runs off of a similar mechanism it provides both a superior softer look and more in terms of light and privacy control.

If you have any questions or would like to book and appointment please visit our website or give us a call at 1-800-774-8298

Blinds Toronto Favorite Buildings and Solutions

This is my first post ever writing a blog so I thought it should be about my passion/work. Blinds, Shutters and Drapery. I hope to post about one interesting job every week or two, including the issues both stylistic and practical.

This week will be a 'simple' roller shade job at 5 Hanna. A beautiful building in the Liberty Village area of Toronto.

This building has some unique features including Loft Style units with double height windows. We did one of these units about 2 months ago and had a unique set of challenges. 

1. Reinforced concrete ceilings.
2. 24' ceiling height
3. No sill to lay ladders against for the install.

We install in concrete and high ceilings all of the time but for this job we had to get out the 'big guns' specialty drills as well as our scaffolding (a-frame ladders didn't fit up the stairs). This is a job that definitely required our custom installation service!

As you can see below it was fun and it felt great to install this for the client. I hope they enjoy them for a long time! BTW I promise the client did not mind the wardrobe malfunction.