Cellular Window Shades and Blinds - More than Just looks

Cellular window shades provide more than just good looks. They let the filtered light in and keep the heat and cold out. Otherwise known as honeycomb blinds, these ingenious inventions add a timeless flair to any decor and room setting.

They come in a huge range of colors, so no more settling for of white or beige - yawn. If you have a powder blue painted room, go with navy or burgundy, even sunny yellow to give your windows a wow look. You can even get them in custom patterns such as floral, stripes or plaids. Windows are architectural features just as much as crown molding or columns. Show them off - dress them up, or let them fade into the background. It's all up to you. Of course, if you like beige, that is an option as well. Sometimes, the subtle elegance or casual blended look of a neutral is best after all.

The awesome thing about cellular window shades and blinds is they can be designed to raise up or lower down. If you want privacy but love to look at the treetops, choose shades that raise up from the sill. Or, if you like different amounts of light at different times of day, choose vertical cellular shades and watch the shade patterns dance over your walls. Then you can have the best of both of worlds - privacy and view.

If you have small children or over playful cats in the house, consider purchasing cordless cellular shades. There are even motorized cellular shades with remote control options. If the sun has moved to shine right in your eyes, no need to get up. Click the button and close the shades.

Cellular shades have either one, two or three cells in them. The more cells, the better the insulation and the more energy you will save. Choose tri-cell blinds if you want room darkening cellular shades. There is a variety of pleat sizes as well, and the general rule of thumb is the wider the pleat the more insulation value is present.

No matter what your style, you don't have to spend mega bucks on a modern look. There are cheap cellular shades on the market as well. In fact, on the whole, these blinds are moderately priced. Most range between $40.00 and $85.00 per custom made blind depending on the size of the window. Of course the motorized cellular shades and the cordless cellular shades can be twice that. Quality brand names include Bali, Levelor and Hunter Douglas. You can also purchase standard made sizes at most department and home improvement stores, or on the web.

To make sure you size your cellular window shades correctly, measure from inside the sill and mounts, not the outside molding. Blinds, unlike curtains, should fit snuggly inside the parameters of the window space so the architecture of the frame and sill stand out, but the filtered light still comes through into the room. That is, unless you are measuring for vertical cellular shades. Then you might wish to measure outside the window mount, as you would a curtain. This is especially true on sliders. Always use a steel measuring tape and round up or down to the nearest 1/8" to ensure a snug, professional looking fit, even with standard over the counter cellular window shades.