Today, we want to discuss cleaning FAUX wood blinds.  Please be aware that faux wood blinds can melt, so if you leave them outdoors in direct sunlight for any reason, and the temperature climbs high enough, you faux wood blind will warp - and it could be significant - so be careful.

If you look online for advice of how to clean your faux wood blinds, you will find videos of people putting their blinds in the bathtub, hosing them down in the backyard, and spraying all sorts of cleaning agents on them.  Now, to be sure faux wood blinds are fairly tough and will hold up under lots of abuse before giving out, but most of these practices will void your manufacturer's warranty.

Keep in mind, this only applies to your FAUX wood blind- not your REAL wood blind.  So with that said, here is the manufacturer approved methods for cleaning your wood blind. 

Your blind can be cleaned in place or you can take it down. By tilting the slats down, but not quite closed, you’ll be able to clean most of the top surface of each slat.  Your blind can be cleaned by wiping it with a soft cloth, feather duster, dusting mitt or by using the brush attachment on your vacuum cleaner. You may use a soft, lightly dampened cloth to clean your blind.

Do not use solvents or any type of abrasive to clean the blind. This will cause damage to the blind, which is not covered under your warranty.

Of course, maybe you are ready for some new faux wood blinds in which case we would love to help you.  Contact us today for a complimentary consultation. Thanks for your interest in Latreia Blinds and Shutters!

This slideshow depicts a solar roller shade project for a Red Robin Restaurant in Peoria, Arizona at the MetroCenter.  These are very large windows which required large blinds.  Most required upgraded clutch systems and or a high-end spring assist mechanism.  We use a spring assist system on very heavy solar roller shades which acts to reduce the operator force required to raise large blinds.

As usual, the ambiance of the restaurant was greatly enhanced because the bright light, heat, and glare were made comfortable and beautiful.  Of course, we would love to help you with your restaurant's roller shade project.  Contact us today for a complimentary consultation!  Thanks for your interest in Latreia Blinds and Shutters!

Our fabricators offer very generous warranty coverage on the wood blinds we offer.  However, there are some items which are not warranty related but are rather inherent in the way the product operates.  We have learned that by being extreme in our education of product attributes, we are better able to help people make the right decision for their window covering objectives.

We actually have a reputation for recommending other product lines which we do not carry, if it would better meet the needs of our client.  We just like helping people with our years of experience and letting the sales fall as they may - and, we know there are probably a million reasons why that is not the right way to grow a business - but it makes us happy.

Anyway, please kindly know this as it relates to dye lots.  Dye lots may differ from one run to another. Therefore, if color consistency is critical, please note on your order form that the blinds will be in the same room. This will ensure that all blinds manufactured for those windows will be assembled from materials that are within the same dye-lot batch. Because our wood blinds are made from Basswood, there will be variations in color, stain and grain. These are characteristics of real wood and are considered acceptable quality. Additionally, certain stains will absorb very differently with wood. Red stains, like cherry wood and mahogany, tend to be inconsistent. This is an inherent feature of the interaction between the stain and the wood and is not seen as a defect and not covered under the warranty.

We hope this information helps. Maybe you are ready for some new wood blinds for your space in which case we would love to help you.  Contact us for a complimentary consultation today! Thanks for your interest in Latreia Blinds and Shutters!

Leonardo da Vinci said, “Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.” So, how can we apply this idea to your wood or faux wood blind decor choice?

When looking for new window coverings you quickly realize that trends come and go. What is trendy today may look outdated a few years down the road. However, you have a better chance of attaining true sophistication and style when you keep it simple.

Choosing the right blinds or shades for your windows can become complex and we have seen complexity go terribly wrong.  Thankfully, these were not projects which we sold, but rather were projects we needed to fix or provided install services for.  Keeping it simple doesn't mean keeping it boring, rather it means knowing the general look you enjoy and then pulling it together.

Additionally, keeping it simple doesn’t mean you can’t incorporate fun color into your project. It does mean, however, that you should be aware of how that color affects the feel of the room. Color is great, but once it becomes an overly complex palette, you have probably gone off the rails.

In the spirit of keeping it simple, wood and faux wood blinds are timeless.  Often, subtle whites are clean and fresh and bring the sophistication of simplicity.  But, if your walls or cabinets are already white, then contrast with wood grains or colors provides a simple but sophisticated pop.

You get the idea.  If you can find that sweet spot between boring and complex, you might just find the sophisticated look that is uniquely found in well imagined simplicity.

We hope this information helps. Maybe you are ready for some new wood or faux blinds for your space in which case we would love to help you.  Contact us today for a complimentary consultation.  Thanks for your interest in Latreia Blinds and Shutters!

This slideshow represents our efforts to transform the Smashburger at the Tempe Marketplace.  This was an interesting project.  The windows had old roller shades left in place from the previous tenant, but due to electrical conduit and outlets, they elected not to cover the top portion of the glass. This left half of the restaurant unusable for the better part of the afternoon due to the unrelenting sun.

Our solution was to bring the blinds down about 4" from the ceiling which we leveled across for maximum coverage.  The difference was instantaneous.  Not only was our fabric a better color and included the latest and greatest sun control technology, but the restaurant now looks new again. This was a fun transformation.

Of course, we would love to help you with your restaurant's or home's roller shade project. Contact us today for a complimentary consultation.  Thanks for your interest in Latreia Blinds and Shutters!

The slide show depicted shows a project we completed for Revelation Realty located in Chandler, Arizona. This job contained many different elements which included 3% black-black solar roller shades for many of the exterior windows, dual roller shades in the training room, and translucent designer roller shades for the office sidelight windows.

As you view the pictures, please notice the look of the training room shades.  These windows have a 5.5" dual bracket with a 6" silver fascia in front.  The rear blind is a room darkening roller shade which is black to the room but white the street.  These are hot West facing windows, and the white back will stay a bit cooler.  The front rollers are the same 3% black-black solar screen fabric.  This dual application provides the training room with darkness when needed and light filtering for other times.

Also, please kindly take note of the designer elements fabric chosen for the office sidelight.  The Cobble silver fabric compliments the office's wall color and flooring.  Overall, this was a beautiful project, with high-end design, in a very stunning building.

Of course, we would love to help you with your office roller shade project.  Contact us today for a complimentary consultation.  Thanks for your interest in Latreia Blinds and Shutters!

Please enjoy this slide show of another successful plantation installation for a homeowner located in Queen Creek Arizona.  Of note, a hidden tilt option which was has split operation.  A beautiful upgrade for a beautiful home.

Of course, we would love to help you with your plantation shutter project. Contact us today for a complimentary consultation.  Thanks for your interest in Latreia Blinds and Shutters!

By far, white is the most popular color for wood and faux wood blinds.  But, what often surprises folks is when we say great, "Which color white would you like?"  At this point we produce color decks with anywhere from three to twenty different shades of white.  To which they respond, "I thought white was just white."

Because choosing a shade of white can be daunting here are a few tips to help you along the way:

• Look at the whites in bright sunlight.
• Look at them in a lighted room.
• Look at them in a darkened - night like - setting.
• Consider if you need to match or coordinate furniture, finishes, flooring, walls or other decorative objects.
• White can be stubborn and white wood blinds don’t always work well with other white trim or decor looking muddy or dramatically mismatched.

In general. whites fall into six categories:

• neutral
• chalky
• creamy
• cool
• muted
• gray

Each of these families of white color work well together in your space but mixing different families of white colors can create a confusing and chaotic look.  For instance, your chalky whites work best with pastel colors, while the neutrals work best with the beige and tan colors and can can look yellowish. You get the idea.  As you examine the options against your white decor you will be able to see the different families of whites emerge and quickly reject the ones that clash.

Hopefully, you feel ready to explore the world of white colors in all their different expressions and make your space something that works well with your wood or faux wood blind selection.

Are you are ready for some new wood or faux blinds for your space?  If so, then we would love to help you.  Contact us today for a complimentary consultation.  Thanks for your interest in Latreia Blinds and Shutters!