As the season turns a corner and the last gasps of summer warmth are fleeing south for the winter, it may be time to start thinking about how to make the best of the upcoming fall weather. Autumn is one of the most popular times of the year for working on the house and making renovations. There are many ways to spruce up a home and make it just a little bit more appealing and keep things fresh. Installing new flooring or refinishing existing flooring, repainting the walls and buying new furniture are just some of the ways to remodel a room but it’s the finishing touches that really matter. A new window treatment for the space will emphasize the colors in the floors and walls and can be matched to any set or style of furniture.
As New Englanders we all know just how very hot it can get in the summer, and how winters can be brutal. Window treatments are the key way to manage the weather extremes by keeping out harsh light and heat from June to August and also keep the heat in and the cold drafts out from December to March.
With this in mind, one of the best New England window treatments styles are cellular shades. Cellular blinds have a unique look and design that is tailor made for insulation. The honeycomb shades hexagonal pattern traps heat inside the cross sections, reducing the conduction of heat through the window. Thus by lowering the shades before dusk, will help to keep homes warm at night. In the summer, lowering honeycomb shades during the day will allow the two layer shades, to block out more of the sun’s rays and energy, keeping the room cool.
Another great option for windows in Boston and the greater NewEngland area for window treatments are drapes and curtains. A more classical look, heavy drapes trap and separate the inside and outside of the house, preventing large transfers of heat, and keeping one side hotter than the other side. In the summer, light and heat are blocked by the heavy fabric, cooling areas of the house significantly. In the winter, the warm air inside is kept separate from the cool windows, raising the average temperature of the house by several degrees.
Whichever style fits the space, both options are great solutions for New England’s shifting scale of hot and cold weather, while also keeping the area looking stylish and new. So, whether it’s a Boston high rise, a suburban home in Maine, or an apartment on the waterfront of Rhode Island, this is the best time to buy a new weather treatment, after the heat of summer, but before winter sets in.