Skandia Window Fashions Blog Posts

September 26, 2017 / / Cellular Shades

No one enjoys finding out at the cash register that the perfect item that you’ve picked out happens to cost way more than you thought. So we’ll use this post to hopefully help you avoid sticker shock when shopping for custom window treatments. With the disclaimer that retail prices vary significantly by market, we’ll categorize each product line and will provide a ballpark price range for each line. For exact pricing, contact your local Skandia dealer.  

The custom window coverings industry is buzzing about transitional – or zebra – shades. They’re one of the hottest products on the market currently, but what the heck are they? As the name would imply, a zebra shade is a roller shade made of the finest hand-woven zebra hair.

Ok…not really!

A zebra shade is in many ways a hybrid of a venetian blind and a roller shade. A transitional/zebra shade features much of the same componentry as a roller shade, and it functions much in the same way that a roller shade does. From a purely functional standpoint, a transitional shade is very, very similar to a roller shade.

We get it. Vertical blinds aren’t the sexiest window treatment. Often overlooked, often underappreciated, vertical blinds – while not the sexiest – are some of the most practical window treatments around.

What makes vertical blinds so practical and why do we love them? We’ll tell you why below…

One factor worth considering as you’re weighing the various options for your custom window coverings is energy efficiency. Energy efficient window coverings can provide significant savings on heating and cooling costs. And who doesn’t want to reinvigorate their home with beautiful custom window treatments, while also reducing their utility bill in the process?

Ok, so you’ve decided that you absolutely need cellular shades (also called honeycomb shades) for your home or office. Whether you fell in love with their energy efficiency, their effectiveness in providing light control and privacy, or their intuitive lift systems, you certainly made a great decision! Now, you need to decide whether you want a single cell honeycomb shade or a double cell honeycomb shade.

February 17, 2017 / / Shutters

Cellular shades – sometimes referred to as “honeycomb shades” – are the perfect choice for minimalist, sophisticated interiors. Skandia’s innovative cellular shades are engineered to absorb sound, trap air for energy efficiency, and reduce light gaps for a crisp, clean and contemporary appearance. Here are 8 reasons to love these stunning and functional window treatments:

Ok, so you’ve decided that you absolutely have to have plantation shutters in your home. Great! But with a wide variety of shutters to choose from, how do you know which shutter is right for you? One of the most important decisions that you’ll be faced with is whether or not you should purchase wood shutters or vinyl shutters. This post will take you through some of the criteria that you may want to consider before deciding on one or the other. As with the choice between wood or faux wood blinds, there is no bad decision, but there certainly is a best decision for your specific situation.

January 10, 2017 / / Shutters
December 27, 2016 / / Motorization

Create a casual yet elegant ambiance throughout your space with naturally beautiful custom woven wood shades. Made from hand-selected fibers of bamboos, grass, rattan, reeds, jute and woods, Skandia’s Melhanna Woven Wood Shades are sure to give your room a charming, natural look and feel. We love woven wood shades, and you should to! Here are just a few reasons why:

Purchasing custom window treatments is a process, and one that can be intimidating to the first-time buyer. We’ll quickly provide an overview of how the process works, without necessarily getting into specific product recommendations (we’ll save that for other blog posts).

September 14, 2016 / / Motorization

Motorized window treatments are perhaps the hottest segment of the industry. In a previous blog, we discussed why you should motorize your custom window fashions, and in this blog we’ll discuss three trends that we’re seeing within the motorization segment.

When shopping for custom window treatments you will be faced with the decision of whether you want to purchase from a big box store or from an independent retail dealer. The big box channel is much, much different than the dealer channel. As such, your expectations should be different. What should your expectations be for the big box channel? In short, you should expect a lower quality product that is not necessarily intended to be the perfect solution to your custom window coverings needs. Below we explain exactly why this is so.

When considering new product lines, additions to our existing product lines, and even subtractions to our product lines, we carefully consider the prevailing design trends. In this blog, we’ll share some of the trends that we’ve seen recently. To see some of these trends in action, take a look at our Ideas & Inspiration page.

When it comes time to purchase custom horizontal blinds, the debate rages on amongst many a homeowner that simply can’t decide between wood blinds or faux wood blinds. This post will discuss some of the pros and cons of wood and faux wood blinds, but the truth is that there is no bad choice! Wood blinds may make more sense for one application than do faux wood blinds, or vice versa. The best selection simply depends on your application.