Lowe's Stores Recall to Repair Roman Shades and Roll-Up Blinds; Two near Strangulations Involved Young Children

In light of the recent recall of 6 million Roman shades and 5 million roll-up blinds from Lowe’s Home Centers, Gordon Clements, of Gordon's Window Décor would like to discuss his company’s policy on child/pet safe window coverings. Gordon and Dianne moved to Vermont 27 years ago to raise their 3 daughters. And now with 2 grandchildren, are particularly concerned for child and pet safety.

Every year there are too many children whose lives are taken or forever altered in tragic accidents near windows that can so easily be prevented. Parents who replace their older window coverings with new cordless and motorized products can feel more confident about their child’s safety.

Gordon’s, along with the Window Covering Safety Council highlights these areas to address for optimum child safety.

1) Cordless and motorized are the recommended window coverings in homes with young children.

2) Check you present shades for cord loops that a child can get his/her head through; consider replacing any that do. Product origin may help as most, although not all, American manufacturers recognize child safety in their product design.

3) Keep all window pull cords and inner lift cords out of the reach of children.

4) Make sure that tasseled pull cords are short and continuous-loop cords are permanently anchored to the floor or wall.

5) Make sure cord stops are properly installed and adjusted to limit movement of inner lift cords.

6) Lock cords into position whenever horizontal blinds or shades are lowered, including when they come to rest on a windowsill.

7) Utilize Tensioner Devices (available at Gordon's Window Décor) on corded shades.

8) Don’t forget about your pets. Window covering cords can be dangerous for curious cats and dogs.

Make your windows beautiful for you as well as safe for your children and pets. Most custom window treatment companies offer an amazing variety of product to meet every need as well as on staff designers to assist and offer advice. Some, like Gordon's Window Décor manufacture locally so in addition to following safety protocols, as much as 80 cents on the dollar stays in Vermont. We hope that this article will help keep our children and pets free from needless and tragic accidents.

Color is our Most Affordable Luxury

Color can be a scary thing. There is so much science out there telling us what colors make us happy, which make us eat more, which bring us harmony and on and on it is easy to see why committing to a color can be a daunting task.

But color truly is our most affordable luxury. When a new media center or family vacation is out of the budget making your home a private get away can be and color is the key. Window treatments are one of the simplest ways to get some color into your décor. Painting the walls a new color can be messy and time consuming. New flooring is expensive and can take ages. Window treatments are affordable, easily installed and can make a huge impact on the room.

Now you know you want your window treatments to provide that splash of color your room is missing, but how do you figure out what color is the right color? There are a few things to take into consideration which will all affect the colors you choose. Which direction is the room facing? What do you want the mood of the room to be? What is the natural light in the room like? What is the goal of the window treatment?

Once you have answered some of these questions bring some fabric samples home. Color changes in different environments so the color you fall in love with in the store may be the color you hate when it is in your home. Our designers are experts at helping their clients discover the colors that will work for them and their home.

Getting color into your home can be a daunting task, but it doesn’t have to be! With the help of one of our designers you will not only end up with a gorgeous treatment that fits your budget and speaks to your style, but you’ll have a blast doing it!

Child Safety and Window Treatments

One of the largest concerns in the window covering industry is child safety. Today’s recall of 50 million roller and roman shades from stores such as JC Penney, Wal-Mart and Target ignited a frenzy of conversation online.

We at Gordon’s Window Décor are committed to window treatment solutions that are safe for your family. Here’s the run down on child safety, window treatments and what you can do to make sure your family is safe.

1. Motorized window treatment solutions- Almost all of our window treatments can be motorized making raising and lowering shades easy and safe!

2. Cordless window treatments- No cords, no hassles! There are a variety of types of shades from cellular EcoSmart shades to Romans that have a cordless option.

3. Conversion possibilities- Because we are the factory our talented production team can convert shades that may pose hazards to the children in your life into shades that are beautiful and safe.

4. EcoSmart Cellular Shades- Our standard operating EcoSmart shades come standard with a breakaway cord equalizer, and our continuous cord shades have a hold down that is screwed to the wall. Cordless and motorized upgrades are available on all EcoSmart shades.

If you have any concerns regarding the safety of your shades give us a call or bring the shades into our showroom and we’ll be happy to look it over.

We are confident that our window treatments will keep your family more comfortable and safe for years to come!

Gordon Clements, President

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.

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Learn How To Mix Patterns (Better Homes and Gardens)

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