5 Crucial Tips

What You Need To Know

Before Buying & Installing

Window Coverings

Window coverings are an essential part of any residential

or commercial space. They play a key role in reflecting our

personal taste and lifestyle, yet they are more than merely a

fashion statement.

Here are 5 tips to help you explore how to get started for

your window coverings project...

Tip #1: What Are Your Window Covering Goals?Homeowners and interior designers alike who embark on purchasing automated window coverings need to determine their priorities when choosing automated window dressings. Below we have outlined many of the top reasons for smart window coverings:

• Light control: The most common reason for window coverings is for daylight control. Whether you’re wanting to block light from a darkened room, or let light in during the day, window coverings will be a necessity.

• Privacy/Blackout: Large windows can make a homeowner feel like they are living in a fishbowl. Privacy shades are a necessity for many reasons both in residential and commercial applications. Commercially, blackout shades are a must for healthcare and hospitality projects, while residential applications can provide privacy to homeowners with family members who sleep during the day or have young children.

• Reducing Carbon Footprint: As we become more conscious of our footprint on this planet, we realize that making the most of daylight in our homes or commercial spaces simply makes sense. Window coverings also help to trap heat, thereby reducing your energy consumption.

• Reducing HVAC costs: Another benefit to window coverings is the shade from the sun – and its heat. The sun can beat down on your windows, and heat up your house in the summer, causing air conditioning bills to rise.

• Wake up naturally: The studies of circadian rhythms indicate that our bodies are synchronized with daylight. Automated shades can be set as an “alarm” to have bedroom shades go up when you need to wake up.

• Solar Exposure protection: Shades can provide protection to furniture, artwork and other valuables from fading or other damage from constant solar exposure.

The more specific you can get about the actual needs for the space, the easier the specification process will be. It is crucial to reflect on how you live and work. Doing so will determine the proper solutions for your needs, be it commercial or residential.

Tip #2: What Type of Window Covering?

We offer shades for interior and exterior. There are various options available for both. We outline the various kinds and options available, from rollers to shutters to draperies and more (for interior), and rollers, awnings or solar screens (for exterior):

Interior Solutions

• Roller Shades A Lutron roller shades create the perfect light for any space or activity with an offering of sheer, dim-out, and blackout fabrics. Choose a sheer to maintain view while diffusing UV rays that may damage furnishings. Dim-out fabrics provide privacy while blackout fabrics are 100% opaque to eliminate all daylight.

• Horizontal Sheer Blinds B Beautiful fabric meets industry-leading technology in these window treatments, where the soft elegance of a sheer is paired with the precise control of a blind.

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• Drapery Systems C Lutron drapery track systems electronically operate a variety of styles, including pinch pleat and ripplefold, in addition to the innovative Kirbé® Vertical Drapery System. Select a fabric from The Avant Collection™ for complete systems.

• Pleated Shades D The angular design of pleated shades adds a crisp, modern look to any space, and the wide array of colors and fabric options ensure a signature look.

• Fashion Honeycomb Shades E Fashion honeycomb shades add dimension to a space thanks to their cellular design, and their air pockets trap heat to provide superior insulation.

• Roman Shades with CERUS® Safety Technology F Roman shades lend an air of sophistication to any space while managing daylight. With over 100 fabrics and woven woods available in a variety of pleat styles, you are sure to find the perfect aesthetic match. CERUS (Cord-Eliminating Roman Uptake System) provides a safer, more reliable and better performing Roman shade.

• Venetian Blinds with Independent Control of Lift and Tilt G Venetian blinds are an attractive and effective way to ensure privacy while still allowing daylight to filter into a space. Independent Control of Lift and Tilt maintains uniform tilt and lift positions across blinds and combines smooth, quiet motion with independent control of lift and tilt. Lutron Venetian blinds feature presets to recall a predetermined position and tilt for the ultimate in performance and style.

• Tensioned Shades H Tensioned shades provide solutions for skylights, bottom-up, and angled windows. The innovative design keeps fabric panels taut and parallel to windows with minimal sag at a variety of slopes. Lutron tensioned shades reduce light gaps around fabric, and maximize the view when opened by eliminating cable guides that are typical in skylight shades. The frame may be surface mounted, inside mounted, or recessed while still allowing easy access to update the fabric.

• Cable Guided Shades I Cable guided shade systems can be used to achieve precise shading control in angled applications by keeping roller shades at the exact angle of the window. The system is also useful in areas of high velocity airflow to prevent unwanted shade motion.

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Exterior Solutions

• Rolling Shutters J Rolling shutters provide piece of mind and and will enhance your lifestyle.

• Retractable Awnings K Enhance your outdoor living space with retractable awnings.

• Solar Screens L An exterior solar screen will provide shade from direct sunlight while allowing you to save on energy costs.

Once it has been decided what type of shade is needed, a decision will also have to be made for the mounting. A new trend both residentially and commercially is to build a pocket for the shades to disappear into. More traditional styles are available as well, such as a rod and finials. These are largely aesthetic choices, but these decisions need to be made early in the design process.

POWERFULL PRO TIP: Are you having a hard time deciding between blackout and sheer shades? Try a “double stack” of both. Sheer during the day so that you take advantage of daylight control without losing your outside view, and blackout shades for privacy, and sun control.

Tip #3: What Fabric?For interior shades, you have every possible fabric and color option available to match your decor. Fabrics can also serve specific needs, such as blackout shades for bedrooms. For exterior shades, there are many outdoor fabric options.

• Tapestry M Will be chosen for Roman shades, or traditional fabric drapery.

• Sheers N Roller shades, honeycomb, and horizontal sheer blinds all use sheers. They come in a variety of color and pattern options, as well as “openness factors.”

• Blackout O If complete darkness for a space is needed, then a thick, opaque blackout fabric will be necessary.

POWERFULL PRO TIP: Do you have a view that you don’t want to obstruct? Make sure to use a darker color fabric (lighter colors reflect sunlight, creating glare) with a medium to high “openness factor.”

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Tip #4: Could you Benefit from Automated Shading Solutions?We discuss the advantages and options available for automated shading systems, which can be controlled from your home system or hand-held device from practically anywhere.

The convenience of automated shades should not be overlooked. Not only can an occupant electronically raise and lower automated shades from a button on a wall or remote, but with the right system, they can also wirelessly control them from a mobile device, or even voice activation. There are many options for automated shading systems. Not only are there options for the shades themselves, but also for the keypads or remotes. A new favorite on the market for both residential and commercial projects is Lutron Electronic’s Palladiom Wallstations.

These unique illuminated keypads combine elegant design with intuitive operation. The wall stations allow the control of lights, shades/drapes and HVAC from one location, providing optimal user experience.

POWERFULL PRO TIP: You can even connect a daylight sensor to your shading system to have your shades automatically raise and lower depending on the current daylight.

Tip #5: Select the Right Installer.Once your choices have been made, it’s time to consider a qualified installer who knows shading systems. This is where Powerfull Systems,with more than 30 years of experience, can provide Peace of Mind. Every Time.

HomeWorks® by Lutron allows forcomplete control of smart-homefeatures including Shades.

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Powerfull Systems | 5222 Venice Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90019P 310-904-6767 | F 310-733-1707 | powerfullsystems.com

In ConclusionWe know that the many options in window coverings can be overwhelming. We’ve provided these tips in the hope that this has helped you understand all of your options, and how window coverings can be used in ways that maybe you hadn’t previously considered. When designed and installed correctly, window coverings can not only enhance a space aesthetically, but make it more functional, and efficient.

About Powerfull SystemsPowerfull Systems is a window coverings installer and smart home system integrator located in Los Angeles, California. Established in 1998, at the dawn of “smart technology,” Powerful Systems is one of only 10 systems integrators in the U.S. to achieve the status of Black Diamond Dealer for the smart home technology systems.

Powerfull Systems can provide state-of-the-art systems to your customers, solving challenges and presenting solutions so that you can do your job without worry. We back our work with our “Peace of Mind. Every time.”

The Powerful Systems professional team can show you how to utilize your interior window shading system to save additional energy beyond routine use of shades–all at the touch of a button.

If you are a general contractor, architect, interior designer, lighting designer or homeowner that needs assistance with the design and installation of window coverings, please call our office at 301-904-6767.

Better yet, make an appointment to see our showroom at 5222 Venice Blvd., Los Angeles, CA.