Month: January 2022

From exterior shutters to interior shutters and standard to motorized shades, the possibilities are endless for you to get style, function, and comfort for your home.

Motorized shades and shutters offer a range of benefits for homes. Some of the best benefits are:

1. Longevity – Shutters and motorized shades can be permanent additions to your home, unlike other kinds of window treatments that need to be replaced often.
2. Home Value – Shutters and motorized shades can increase a home’s resale value.
3. Privacy – Shutter louvres and shades can be adjusted to allow light into the room while still maintaining privacy.
4. Safety – Reduce the risk of children or pets getting injured on dangling cords and strings with shades and shutters.
5. Light Control – Shutters and motorized shades are great at blocking out light for better light control in rooms you may wish to darken periodically. They are also great for personalizing the amount of light by adjusting the louvres or panels.
6. Full Window Use – Shades and shutters are hinged in the window opening so you have full access to the window.

These are just a few of the many benefits of motorized shades and shutters.

If you’re interested in getting some window shutters for your home, you do need to spend some time thinking about what kind you might want to get. There are many different kinds of interior shutters to choose from, with the most popular being louvred shutters. They have horizontal slots that overlap to give privacy and light control as well as a chic rustic style. You can get louvres of different sizes to achieve the exact look and control you want. There are many pre-made sized available, or you can order custom sizes. You can also get plantation shutters. Plantation interior shutters are stately, giving any room a hint of classic Southern charm. They can lengthen the appearance of a window while offering great shade and privacy, making any home more functional and stylish.

Board and batten shutters have arrangements of vertical battens and horizontal boards with measurements that can be customized depending on your preferences. They offer a more modern or industrial style. Don’t forget raised panel shutters! Raised panel interior shutters are simple and sleek. They have rectangular openings and are latched alongside the window, making them ideal for smaller or singular windows.

These are just a few of the many different kinds of interior shutters you can get for your home. You can always order pre-made shutters, or, if nothing strikes your fancy, you can also order custom shutters to be exactly how you want them to. From adding style or shade, function or privacy, interior shutters and motorized shades are a great choice for almost any home.

Want to learn more about motorized shades and shutters? McNeill Palm is here to help. We have years of experience we would love to put at your disposal. Please stop by or give us a call at today for more information on what we can do for you and your home.

Motorized shutters are made up of panels, or the shutter doors that swing open and closed to allow you to open the shutters fully or close them completely. Usually mounted inside a frame or hinged directly to your window casing, shutters panels are very important for the function of your shutter.

If you’re installing new shutters, you will most likely have the choice of how many panels they want their shutters to have. Should you go with more panels? Less panels? How to choose? To decide if you want or need more or less panels for your window shutters, you need to think about two main things: how you plan on operating your shutters and how you want them to look.

You have to think about style when deciding on the number of panels you want your window shutters to have. Wider shutter panels, meaning fewer panels for each window opening, gives a very modern look as they have long clean lines and less light blockage. You can use 3 ½” or 4 ½” slats and a hidden tilt rod for an even more modern vibe. On the other hand, narrow shutter panels, meaning more panels on each window, has a more classic or colonial style. You can pair smaller panels with 2 ½” slats and a central tilt rod to further bring an old-style air to the space.

The number of panels you need also depends on how you will operate your shutters. Some people choose to operate their shutters by swinging the panels open to allow in more light and outdoor visibility and swinging them closed to block light and create more privacy. If this is how you will operate your shutters, you might want to go for more panels. Having multiple narrow panels allows you to fold them away to the sides of the window without taking up too much space on the walls. Others choose to keep the shutter panels closed and mainly use the shutter slats to control the amount of light that comes into the room. In these cases, its best to go with fewer shutter panels for each window opening as wider panels will allow in more natural light and will appear less busy or overcrowded.

Additionally, having more panels allows for even more control of the amount of light and visibility in each window. Finally, if you have a nearby window obstruction like a faucet or limited wall space, a larger number of smaller panels is ideal. Also, keep in mind the overall feel of the window and the space when choosing the number of panels. If you go too wide, they will look too heavy, but if you go too small you might get too much material over the window opening or a busy look.

Want more advice on choosing what kind of motorized shutters you want for your home? McNeill Palm is here to help. Call or visit us today to learn more about our varied services.

Cleaning windows is one of the biggest drags of owning a home. However, it must be done as dirty windows are not only unsightly but can also be dangerous. One big part of keeping your windows clean is keeping your blinds, shades and screens clean too, even if they have motorization. If you have ever tried to clean your window blinds you know how annoying it can be. From trying to wipe down pieces that won’t stay still to attempting to squeeze a finger, cloth, or duster into a small space, it no picnic. However, cleaning your blinds and screens doesn’t have to be a terrible chore you dread.

For starters, shades and screens are most commonly made of fabric, making them more pliable and easier to maneuver than blinds. You can manipulate them to clean both sides quickly and easily. Shutters are even easier to clean. Shutters are rigid, making it super simple to handle them. Most shutters have wide slats with large gaps between them that are ideal for wiping away dust, grime and dirt with cleaning tools like dusters or cloths. Also, because they can open fully, you can easily access both sides of your shutters to wide down the slats and windowpanes on both sides to keep them sparkling clean.

If you want to make your next blind, screen or shade cleaning adventure even easier all you have to do is use these tips:

1. Dryer Sheets – Rub a dryer sheet on both sides of the shutter louvre or shade to reduce static cling. This will help prevent new dust from building up as quickly, reducing the frequency at which you have to clean.
2. Get Creative – There is no need to invest in special dusting equipment or tools like a Swiffer or duster. You can easily get creative and use things that you already have around the house. For example, a clean paintbrush is great for gently dusting window treatments like shutters. You can spray some cleaning solution on the paintbrush for an even better clean. Another option is to use old socks as dusting gloves. Just slip a sock on your hand, spray it with a bit of cleaning dust solution, and wipe down shutters, blinds, and screens quickly and easily.
3. Don’t Skip Cleanings – It may seem like a good idea to wait to clean until your blinds or screens get really dirty, but this is actually bad for them in the long run. Stick to a regular cleaning schedule to maintain your window treatments for a long time.

Investing in the right kind of blind will make cleaning a breeze that you might actually look forward to. Cleaning your windows and all window treatments, like blinds, is an annoying but very necessary part of home maintenance. However, it doesn’t have to be as time consuming as you think.

McNeill Palm is here to help if you have more questions on window treatments or Hunter Douglas PowerView Motorization. Call today!