Buttoning Up for Winter!

The cold winds of winter are fast approaching and with it memories of the furnace working over time and those frigid zones surrounding our windows - freezing our feet and making it impossible to sit in our favorite sofa.

So how do we improve the insulation of our windows to temper that difference and reduce those cold differentials?

Storm Windows

In my old home we did an energy audit and per their recommendation I installed storm windows. That extra layer of glass was very effective at creating an additional layer of dead air space, significantly improving the insulation at our windows and reducing the cold. And they did not affect our view in any way.

It became part of our fall family ritual when, after that last leaf raking, my wife and I, with our three kids, would spend a day bringing out the tall ladder, retrieving the windows from storage, cleaning them up, tighten up the attachment clips, and install the storms.

We tried to make it a fun event - even cleaning out the eve troughs since we had the tall ladder out. Once done, we sure noticed the difference, as the house was tighter and warmer. And miraculously over the many years we had those storms none were broken in the process or over the summer!

EcoSmart Insulating Shades

For our new home, where the winds are even more severe, we elected a less expensive option - to install insulating cellular shades from GordonsWindowDecor.com. They are referred to as moveable insulation - so you can pull them up so they are virtually invisible when not required, and lower them for insulation when needed. We can take advantage of passive solar gain, vent our space when necessary, or create cozy privacy, all in a matter of seconds.

We installed the shades with side tracks and found them to be every bit as insulating as the storms - if not more so because there is a double layer of insulation within the shade AND the dead air space between the window and the shade. (A side benefit we discovered is that we really appreciate the shades almost more in the summer to reduce the heat gain as we do not have central air in Vermont.)

The ultimate luxury - since this option gave us a few dollars to spare, and we are lazy in the morning, we motorized our bedroom shades. With the remote at bedside, my wife can lift the shades to check the weather when still snuggled under the covers.

As for the family ritual – well the kids are thrilled that they no longer need to pull out the big ladder (don’t even ask me about the gutters!). We found that EcoSmart insulating shades really are a great way to solve the heat loss problem and make our home comfortable.

Build your own Cornice top - and save hundreds!

Like the high-end look of Cornice board window treatments, but not quite in the price range for custom made decor right now? A great tipsheet posted on the DIY Network's website makes building your own cornice board pretty easy. Don't forget to dress up your windows with shades or drapes from Gordon's when you're finished!

Professional cornice boards can really run up the price of a planned window overhaul, but you can put your money and savings towards where it counts most - insulation of your windows - and cut your costs by up to $200 per window by putting in a little elbow grease.

These tips suggest having plywood cut to size at the hardware store, using crown moulding and fabric to enhance the cornice style, and sizing the board at 1/5 the full length of the drapes.

Gordon's Window Decor can help you with complimentary fabrics for the drapes and cornice covering so stop by the Essex showroom soon!

Top Five Style Ideas for Bathroom Windows

We're smitten with the slideshow of bathroom window treatment suggested at BHG.com, but we have a few suggestions of our own that didn't seem to have a spot in their roundup of ideas and slideshow.

Check out these style ideas from Better Homes and Gardens and Gordon's Window Decor:

1. Simple, Sheer Curtains

Sheer drapes can add a sense of grace and softness that are inviting to an otherwise earthy bathroom. Also consider using sheer window curtains or even sheer blinds to offset the darker tones found throughout the remainder of the area, especially in a rugged bathroom, such as one featuring many natural materials or a log cabin. Curtains offer added privacy while still allowing sunlight to brighten the room.

2. Location, location, location.

Aside from style, it's important to keep in mind where your window treatment will be, and what materials you will have to use to ward off the effects of heat and humidity. Avoid mold or mildew buildup and rusting by investing in bathroom-appropriate shades, such as the lines with rust-proof hardware that are manufactured by Gordon's Window Decor.
3. Pair Top Treatment with Shades

A simple top treatment paired with sheer roller shades can create the perfect frame to the great outdoors. Light colored shades allow for privacy, but permits light to bathe the room in sunlight. A top treatment provides the finishing touch. These dignified stripes go well with the floral pattern on the walls.

4. Natural materials for earthy atmosphere

Roller shade material comes in many options.

Manay Wheat Manay Oatmeal

Woven and wood window shades can add style and privacy to your bathroom while enhancing a sense of peace. The shades in the bathroom pictured create the perfect addition to the mosaic tub, and the colors accent one another to add to the earthy atmosphere. Woven shades in the texture thumbnails are available at Gordon's on chain-driven mechanism roller shades, or try the green line of roller shades available in eco-friendly materials. Also take a look at wood blinds to get the same earthy feel.

5. Simple = Elegant. Simple+Practical = Brilliant.
You don't need to go overboard with fabric treatments to get what you need out of your bathroom decor. The main thing to focus on, aside from privacy, of course, is insulation and lighting needs. With top-down insulated cellular shades, you can acheive stylish elegance that speaks through your decorating tastes alone, and get the light and views you love. No more than you need, and no less, either.

How to Mix Patterns (without making a mess)

You've seen it done before. It's in all the magazines. But you aren't quite sure what makes you qualified to do it, right?

Mixing patterns isn't has hard as it looks, thanks to a recent story in Better Homes and Gardens. Simple tips - like stick to one color and white - make it almost criminally easy to get that high-fashion look in your very own home.

Even more hopeful? The fact that just by adding color you can make a major improvment to your visual space without spending a fortune.

Still insecure about your ability to pick the right scheme? That's what Gordon's Window Decor is for. Swing by our Essex Jct. showroom for help and ideas.

Story:
Learn How To Mix Patterns (Better Homes and Gardens)

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Thanks Governor Douglas!

Gordon's had a very special guest come by on Monday afternoon. Vermont governor Jim Douglas! The governor toured the factory and spoke with us about local business. Our great thanks!

Fancy Fabrics on a Budget - Top Five Ways to Economize Your Decorating

So, it's a recession, right? Which means, among other things, it's almost nauseating to think about splurging big-time on that much-favored but higher end fabric for large scale decorating of your room.

Well, what about using the high-end fashion prints for accents? The interior design writers at About.com came up with some creative and budget-friendly solutions for how to pull out the bling in a room while still saving some cash. (Content courtesy of About.com)

Here were our favorites from their picks:

1. Valance or Cornice: Traditional valances use lots of gathers - and fabric. Nowadays both valances and cornices are simpler, some requiring flat panels of fabric which will generally require minimal yardage.
   
   
2. Drapery Border: The leading edges or center split of a pair of draperies are the vertical edges closest to the center of a window. Dress up this seam with a flat border of expensive fabric, sewn into drapery panels made of less-expensive yardage goods.
   
   
3. Flat Panel Cafe Curtain: Forget all the and measured pinch-pleats. Next time you need to cover the bottom half of a window for privacy or color consider designing a flat panel curtain. It's easier to sew, and won't get lost in the folds.
   
   
4. Pillow Front: A small accent pillow or a larger bed sham allows you to use expensive fabric on the front of the piece and something simple on the rest.
   
   
5. Border or Hem: A contrasting hem for a bed skirt, drapery panel, or a tablecloth, is one way to spread an expensive fabric around the room.
   

Marriages trending later in life: What to gift at the wedding?

According to recent figures by the U.S. Census, more couples are putting off the vows than ever before, with the marrying age for women jumping from 20 in the 1960s to 25 today, and the average age for men at 27, up from 22.

As marriage age shifts, so does the ideal wedding gift, and many retailers are finding shoppers looking for ways to help newly married friends with major home investments instead of the old classics of flatware and linens.

Here are some ideas retailers have for later-in-life wedding gifts:

• Interior Design: Buy a session with an interior designer, feng shui expert or décor consultant for your relatives or loved ones to help them re-start on the right foot

• Prepay for an energy-saving home improvement, like cellular window shades, to help with money-saving long-term investments

• Purchase a gift card at a nearby hardware store or department store for couples who may be facing major fix-it jobs, or encourage engaged friends to register at stores with home improvement products.

• Collaborate with several friends to chip in and buy one major home purchase, gift card, or home improvement cash-equivalent as opposed to several small gifts.

Gordon's Window Decor will work with buyers on deals that cater to wedding gifts, and offer cost-savings for large purchases.

"We talk to many couples who are taking the next step in their relationship by shopping here - often their first investments together are in smart home purchases,” said Kelly Conklin, a sales manager.

“Helping out with those essential household needs fills a big hole in the budget for new couples,” she said.