Category: motorization

Fall in Love With Home Automation This Year

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Home automation is becoming increasingly popular and for good reason. Automated window treatments from our Smart Home Collection offer everything from convenience, safety, security, and privacy to child safety, all at the touch of a button. This year, explore the many automated solutions we offer at Budget Blinds of Stillwater/Lake Elmo and get ready to make your life just a little bit easier. 

Motorized window treatments allow you to control and schedule the positioning of your window coverings for enhanced on-demand privacy, and since they are cordless, they provide a safer environment for children and pets. Motorized window treatments also include unique sensors that allow you to increase energy efficiency by automatically adjusting your window coverings with rising temperatures.

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With so many great features and benefits of home automation, what’s not to love? At Budget Blinds of Stillwater/Lake Elmo, Pamela is here to help transform your home into a smart home this new year with automated window coverings from our Smart Home Collection.

Call today 651.351.7620 to schedule your free in-home design consultation or visit our website!

Pamela Brown

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Going Back to the Basics

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With the end of summer nearing and school starting up again, it’s the perfect time to focus your attention on framing your windows and your lifestyle beautifully with custom window treatments from Budget Blinds.

Cellular window shades, also known as pleated or honeycomb blinds, are a modern window treatment solution. Constructed of multiple small honeycomb cells within the shades, cellular shades offer excellent insulation and improve every room’s energy efficiency.

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While the kiddos go back to school, treat yourself to the convenience of motorized blinds that open and close at the touch of a button.
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Make sure you’re ready for family dinners by adding wood shutters that elevate your dining room beautifully.
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Layer drapes over window shades to give you additional energy-saving insulation and light control so you can take that well-deserved snooze.

The Brain Power Behind Your Smart Home

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Smart Home technology makes everyday life easier. I make it all so easy and affordable because I partner with Lutron, the gold standard in quiet and precise automated shades. At home or away, they’ll open and close automatically for ease, energy savings, and extra security.

 

 

Lutron integrates beautifully — control shades, Lutron lighting, and more from anywhere with your smartphone! As always, our smart shades come with beautiful style and expert service — we design, measure, install and do it all for you. It’s so easy, and so very, very smart.

visit my website for more info! www.budgetblinds.com/stillwater

-Pamela Brown

Retrofit – Smart Home

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Everyday life just got easier!

With our Smart Home Collection the shades and blinds you already own just got a whole lot smarter! Because now, we can motorize your existing window coverings with retrofit solutions!

Motorization provides you with home security, child-safety, and energy savings all at the touch of a button! With Retrofit solutions, you can control your window coverings with the touch of a button from anywhere!

Motorized shades are ideal for family rooms, playrooms, kids rooms, and virtually any room in your home. With advances in technology and increased demand for smart and connected living, excitement about motorized blinds has been steadily rising. They provide convenience, safety, and energy efficiency!

First, let’s talk about convenience. Motorized blinds allow you to automate a repetitive task with the touch of a button, located right on your smartphone!

The next benefit is safety. As any new parent knows, cords are dangerous! Most motorized blinds are cordless which takes the danger of choking or accidental strangulation off your mind. Remember, your four-legged fur-babies are susceptible to this as well. The final touch point for today is the benefit of going green.

Maximize your home’s energy efficiency with motorized blinds by keeping the hot sun out while running the air and the heat in during those chilly months!

Explore the many benefits for yourself today! Call me, Pamela at Budget Blinds serving Stillwater at 651-351-7620 to schedule your free in-home consultation and I will help you determine which type of motorized blinds make the perfect choice for your home!-Pamela

TRANSFORM YOUR HOME IN TIME FOR THE HOLIDAYS

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If you need to upgrade your window treatments in time for the holidays, this is the week to start the process! It may seem a little early for holiday preparation. However, the fall and winter seasons are especially busy times for me and other companies in the industry, so to ensure your installation before the family arrives, call me today!

The holidays can be stressful as is. Nothing is worse than having people over to your home when you are less than proud of it. Whether it is the main gathering areas like the kitchen and living room, or your entire home, upgrading your window treatments is an excellent way to take your home décor up a notch! Not only can it improve the aesthetic appeal of your home, but we are partnered with Lutron and can connect your home to your smartphone! Wow guests with your tech-savvy and stylish home!

Don’t try to take on this project yourself. It can turn costly, quickly without the guidance of a professional. It is my goal to help you design a space that you will be elated to show off! I will walk you through each step and help take the stress out of what should be the most wonderful time of the year!

Beginning as soon as possible ensures you will be able to work with me, a credible, skilled and experienced decorator. It also reduces the chances of you having to rush through the project last minute, which can often lead to unnecessary costs. By tackling the home improvement project now, you will get it out of the way and make your life that much easier come the holiday season. Plus, you’ll find comfort in knowing you have carved out enough time to ensure every detail of the project will be up to your standards, and you won’t have to cut corners or glaze over the details.

To schedule your free consultation or to request a design guide, reach out at pbrown@budgetblinds.com or visit my web page budgetblinds.com/Stillwater

Budget Blinds and Lutron Electronics Join Forces to Simplify the Transition to a Smart Home

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Budget Blinds of Stillwater, MN is announcing its newfound relationship with lighting control pioneer Lutron Electronics, making smart home automation affordable and accessible to more homeowners. Home automation exclusivity to luxury homes is now a thing of the past. Lutron, in accompaniment with Budget Blinds, offers simple home automation solutions allowing homeowners to control and schedule window coverings, lighting and temperature with the touch of a button.

The Lutron line of automated window coverings offered by Budget Blinds can be controlled with a remote or wall control, through The Lutron App on a smart device, or with voice commands using Siri® on an Apple® iPhone®. Window coverings can be set to raise and lower according to daylight hours in a selected time zone, enabling morning sunlight to enter homes in an automatic fashion.

The relationship between Budget Blinds and Lutron provides homeowners with a wide variety of stylish window coverings ranging from drapery tracks to shades that offer the ease and simplicity of automation, while coordinating with furnishings and décor.

Budget Blinds’ Style Consultants, like myself are also certified Smart Home Consultants, offering custom installation and free in-home consultations so customers can see – and feel – fabrics, blind, and shade samples. Adjusting a thermostat, turning lights on and off and raising or lowering window shades is now easier than ever with automatic activation or the ability to control remotely while homeowners are out or on vacation. Coverings can now be installed with automation at an affordable price, offering added peace of mind and enhancing home comfort.

Creating a perfect smart home is now accessible to all Budget Blinds customers at an affordable price. To schedule your free Budget Blinds Style and Smart Home consult with me, visit our website!

Pamela Brown

EVERYTHING YOU EVER WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT MOTORIZED BLINDS

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You’ve been hearing about them everywhere lately, appliances going cordless. Vacuums, computer accessories, and more! But what, specifically is the benefit of motorized blinds? Sure, they provide elegance and a certain sophistication to your living space, but are they worth the hype? The answer is YES!

Motorized shades powered by Somfy® are ideal for family rooms, playrooms, kids rooms, and virtually any room in your home. With advances in technology and increased demand for smart and connected living, excitement about motorized blinds has been steadily rising. They provide convenience, safety, and energy efficiency!

First, let’s talk about convenience. Motorized blinds allow you to automate a repetitive task with the touch of a button, located right on your smart phone!

The next benefit is safety. As any new parent knows, cords are dangerous! Most motorized blinds are cordless which takes the danger of choking or accidental strangulation off your mind. Remember, your four-legged fur-babies are susceptible to this as well. The final touch point for today is the benefit of going green.

Maximize your home’s energy efficiency with motorized blinds. According to SomfySystems website, “It may feel counterintuitive to draw the shades on a gorgeous summer afternoon. After all, you suffered through winter just begging for the sun to come out. However, what is actually counterintuitive is to run the air-conditioning or fan at full blast at the same time that you are allowing the sun to stream into your home. Similarly, in the winter, leverage the heat of the sun to warm your home and you may find yourself very happy with the savings! Your motorized blinds provide you with a quick and convenient way to save energy and money, all while creating a more pleasant home environment. Better yet, if you use a sensor or timer with your motorized blinds, you can automate your blinds to do this all for you, so you don’t even have to think about it.”

Explore the many benefits for yourself today! Call Budget Blinds serving Stillwater at 651-351-7620 to schedule your free in-home consultation and I will help you determine which type of motorized blinds make the perfect choice for your home!

 

Cheers!

Color of the year: GREENERY

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 – Customize with the Color of the Year!

March may seem like the only month we can embrace the color green because, hello to St. Patrick’s Day…But why not celebrate the color green all year long?  I highlighted this in a blog at the beginning of the year for – but just as a refresher, the Pantone color of the year for 2017 –Greenery! To me, green represents a total refresh – it makes people feel good, happy and bright!  I am really excited to see this color incorporated it into our homes and styles, I think will have the same effect of positivity and happiness in people and homes too!

If you haven’t tried to add greenery into your home decor yet, here are some innovative and unique ways to bring different hues of green into your home.

Splash of Green:
Make a statement by having a splash of green on your faux iron. Faux iron is custom-built to fit any shape or size window, including arches and skylights. It can be a full window treatment or installed as a piece of wrought iron artwork for the backyard.

Green Drapery for the Bedroom:
Achieve an airy look for your bedroom with custom, full-length light green drapery. Drapery can be sheer or lined with light-filtering to blackout liners to give you total light control.

Bring nature indoors:
With just a touch of green, wood blinds can make any area feel warm and inviting. Wood blinds are made of 100% eco-friendly hardwood (making them another type of green). They will look beautiful while preserving the environment.

Let the Light In:
Green Trilight shades are pleated shades on the top to let in natural light while maintaining privacy and blackout cellular on the bottom for complete privacy and darkness.

Green for the Bathroom:
Woven wood shades layered with green drapery make for a perfect mix of glamor and rustic. Woven woods are made from renewable resources making them a “green,” eco-friendly window treatment for an organic feel.

Now that you have some great ideas on how to integrate green (and greenery) into your home, let’s get started today! Budget Blinds of Stillwater can help you go green with window coverings, including blinds, shades, shutters, curtains and drapes (and we can make it SUPER green by customizing your treatments to be energy efficient too!)

Call me today and let’s connect ~  651-351-7620 go online to budgetblinds.com to schedule your FREE, in-home consultation! I can’t wait to see green emerge in 2017, so fun!

Stay Warm with Energy-Efficient Window Coverings

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Yes, you read that right… winter is here! And if you haven’t felt it lately, you better be sure to grab a sweater before you head out the door, don’t say I didn’t warn you 🙂  It is finally wintertime and the cold months are here to stay (until spring!) When its cold outside, the best feeling every is being bundled up next to the heater while reading a good book or watching a movie! On the contrary, the worst feeling during this time is trying to keep your energy bill down… am I right?!  In the winter,  people spend approx. 59% more on their energy bills! OUCH! Major hit to your bank account and major energy being lost…

Don’t worry thought!

We have a solution for you with energy efficient window treatments – only at Budget Blinds. Budget Blinds offers a variety of energy-saving window coverings that are not only stylish but will help you save money in the winter AND the summer too (note: efficient treatments help in the summer by to regulating indoor temperatures!)

 

Cellular and Roman Shades

Cellular shades and Roman shades are the TOP  energy-saving window coverings. Both of these styles are very trendy and have plenty of factors that help you save money on your energy bill.

blue cellular shades

Cellular shades (aka pleated or honeycomb shades) are designed to create insulation by trapping the warm air inside and keeping the cold air out! Cellular shades are very versatile window treatments with a variety of fabrics and colors to choose from. We have light filtering options including sheer, light filtering, room-darkening and blackout fabrics which help with privacy and insulation too! When they are closed, cellular shades will help keep in the heat and make every room pleasant to be in during the winter. For hot summer months, they block intense heat or they roll up all the way allowing for a view. Best of all, cellular shades have a cordless lift or one-touch remote control motorization making them easy to open and close as well as child safe (every home owners dream, motorized window treatments, right? :))

Roman shades are similar to cellular shades and are one of the most popular windows coverings for energy efficiency. They are stylish and offer plenty of energy-saving qualities. They too come in a variety of colors, prints and textures to add elegance to your home. Due to heavier fabrics, Roman shades can trap in warmth which can save you money on your electric bill as you would ultimatley use your heater less and less. Also, like cellular shades, Roman shades come in various degrees of light filtering options for privacy and light control.

Pink Roman Shades

 

Exterior and Interior Shutters

Exterior and interior shutters add value to your home while protecting it. Investing in shutters can be a major bonus to your home and allow you to keep in the warmth in the winter months or control a summer breeze by adjusting the louvers.

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Exterior shutters are wonderful for areas with extreme weather because they are able to add another layer of protection (hello, my clients who live on the river!). Having shutters adds more to your windows by shielding them from the cold weather. They protect you from other natural elements like rain and wind, preventing physical damage to your home. Exterior shutters as a whole add more security and privacy to your home while allowing you to still enjoy your view. Best of all, exterior shutters add value to your home and upgrade your home’s curb appeal – yes, we all love that!

Interior shutters are beautiful window treatments that again help with heat gain and loss for your home. These types of shutters are a window covering that is made to last and save you money (amazing!) Shutters will keep your energy bills low because they work as an insulation shield by preventing cold drafts and unbearable heat from entering your home. They regulate the temperature in your home so you won’t have to use the heater or air conditioner as much (or sometimes at all!)  Also, shutters will provide extra security because they fully cover the window when closed but still allow you to have an uninterrupted view when open. Shutters will benefit your home in many ways, making them a great choice for an efficient window treatment.

white interior shutters

Drapery

Drapery on your windows is like having your windows wrapped up in a blanket (can you tell I am thinking of the winter!!) Drapes are designed for insulation because their heavier fabrics allow them to keep in the heat. During cold weather, drapery can reduce heat loss from a warm room up to 10%. Closing your draperies at night and during the day can keep in the warmth. Another way drapery is energy saving is by layering it with another window covering!

Saving money is essential during these cold winter months, especially with the upcoming holiday season. Save money with an investment in energy-efficient window treatments, trust me you will glad you did!!

Contact me today to schedule your free in-home consultation and start getting your home not only stylish for the holidays, but energy-efficient too! 651-351-7620 pbrown@budgetblinds.com