Window treatments can be a touchy subject. Many people have specific preferences for how they prefer their windows to be treated and simply aren't interested in alternatives. Unfortunately, the humble rolling shade is often ignored in this argument. Rolling shades are commonly seen as "simple" or "basic" options for window treatments, but nothing could be further from the truth. The rolling shade is in fact one of the most versatile, attractive, and easy-to-use window treatments available.

Why Use Window Treatments at All?

Of course, before extolling the virtues of the unassuming roller shade, it's important to understand why window treatments are used in the first place. It can be tempting to let your windows breathe freely, allowing glorious sunlight and moonlight to fill your home at all hours. This can be appealing for some people, but window treatments guarantee privacy and can also serve the practical purpose of reducing glare on screens and helping to keep your home cool on bright summer days. Window treatments can also complement your interior decor by helping to keep your windows from looking completely bare.

Enter the Roller Shade

On the surface, the roller shade appears to be a fairly simple option for window treatments. Most roller shades do have a straightforward construction: the shade material is wrapped around a dowel and the shade can be lowered and raised through the use of a string. Automatic roller shades exist as well, although they are somewhat less common. Despite being invented several hundred years ago, roller shades have not changed significantly in general construction or functionality. This simplicity belies their versatility, however.

One Shade, Many Options

While all roller shades share the same basic design, there are a huge range of options available to fit both your practical and aesthetic needs. A variety of materials are available to fit many different budgets and also to provide specific features. If your goal is to block light or heat, then shades constructed from blackout or thermally resistant materials are available. If, on the other hand, you are simply looking to reduce or diffuse the light entering your home, then shear materials can be used.

Of course, it's not actually necessary to choose one option or the other. Dual roller shades can instead be used which allow a single shade to be constructed from two separate materials. This option can be useful in rooms where you may want to allow light in some of the time, but block it out at other times. Depending on their design, these shades can sometimes even be adjusted to allow varying amounts of light in at different times during the day.

Whatever option you choose, roller shades are a timeless option that look great in almost any setting while also offering a simple, practical way to treat your windows. You can contact a window treatment company such as Shades West for more information or to have your questions answered.