Monday, January 16, 2017

What Are the Best Types of Window Blinds?


Window blinds throw a whole new perspective at the way we look at home décor. Pull the strings to catch a glimpse of the colorful world beyond the sleek contours of a pair of blinds. Window among the most fascinating home essentials, which define an affluent lifestyle. From pleated panels to roller blinds, from chic wooden panels, to coruscating roman shades, window blinds have the ability to grant your rooms a plush texture and a sombre character that other home draperies cannot. Besides, they are quite durable and low-maintenance compared to any other form of curtains.
Window blinds ensure you let in just the right amount of sunlight and heat into your room. They’re available in highly customized versions, suiting your taste in home décor. If you wish, you can even change the blinds once they are worn out, faded or you feel like installing an upgraded style. At South West Awnings Sydney, you get an eclectic range of colorful window awnings and blinds to choose from, which can be installed in windows of all shapes and sizes, giving you absolute protection from heat and dust, while maintaining full privacy. They are equipped with cords, handles, remotes or switches, pulled across either horizontally or vertically.
You can put blinds on French windows, patios, doors, decks, or use then as room dividers hanging from the ceiling. Window blinds are easy to clean; whether they are made of fabric, metal, wood or PVC. To explore more about the different qualities of blinds, let’s take a look at some of the coolest types -
1) Roman Blinds-
At South West Awnings Sydney, you get a wide variety of roman blinds. These types of blinds are suitable for any room and give a chic look to your interiors. Available in different fabrics and designs, these create an elegant, luxurious vibe across the room. They blend with the décor flawlessly, striking a cool and soft appeal. Roman blinds can even be detached from the windows and cleaned. You can visit the store and select any Roman shade fitting your wall color or décor and fix an installation.
2. Roller Shades-
Roller blinds are a smooth economical solution for places for any type of window space. They are convenient to use and can be rolled up and down depending on utility. Roller blinds are available in fabric, PVC, black out and perforated styles, depending on your needs. They are extremely energy efficient and low maintenance.
3. Honeycomb or Cellular Shades-
Honey comb or cellular shades are made of diamond shaped durable cloths with two layers. They have twin options of rolling bottom-up or top-down. They do not let much light diffuse through, and insulate the room to a great extent. They accentuate your interiors with their flamboyant designs and textures.
4. Solar Blinds-
Solar blinds let you enjoy a pleasant outdoor view, while blocking the sunlight at the same time. They are designed with dual smart tech control for summer/winter. In summers, they keep the cool air in with high insulation. They reflect heat and UV rays as well, protecting your home from damage. While in winters, they prevent cold air infiltration, reduce heat loss and convert the external sunlight into internal heat.
5. Blackout Shades
These blinds are suitable for interiors where you demand privacy. They are only minimally transparent and bring a cool and cozy appeal to the room. Block out the bad external vibes, creating an instant, spontaneous energy inside the room.
6. Venetian Blinds-
This style of blind is a versatile choice and can be used in every room. You can flex and adjust the slats to let in as much light as you want. You can even bask in the glow of the sun, by pulling them up completely. They can be fixed to windows of any size, giving you excellent value for money.
7. Vertical Blinds
These are suitable choices for wide windows or long patio doors. They can be pulled aside to get a magnificent outdoor view and the slats can also be adjusted to different angles to let the light in. They are low maintenance, easy to clean and an excellent replacement for long patio drapes, saving exorbitant costs on your furnishings.
8. Aluminium Blinds
The biggest advantage of aluminium blinds is that they are long lasting and easy to clean. You can use them at places where you need to control external light to a great extent. They are durable and have a smooth glitzy finish, which is easy to maintain with a normal soft cloth or brush. They prevent heat and light from getting into your homes, saving huge electricity bills.
There are several pros and cons you need to consider before you go out to select the perfect blind for your interiors. Depending on your convenience, budget and taste for home décor, you can select window blinds made from any material and experience the true value of comfort living. To buy your window awnings or blinds, get in touch with your local dealer, who will guide to choose the best brand and help you with all installation and maintenance requirements. You can get all this at a comfortable price, fully guaranteed for prolonged use.

Thursday, January 5, 2017

What are the Benefits of Retractable Awnings?




A cool and colorful striped fabric hanging from the edge of a café or a restaurant never fails to grab our attention. Yes, the bright strips of fabric which splash some color to our otherwise bland and boring facades are nothing but awnings!

After a long day of work and exhaustion, we all seek some shade to unwind, whether in the comforts of our home or cool shade under a tree. Awnings are external shades of sorts, which protect us from the scorching heat of the sun or harsh unbearable weather when we are outdoors. Over the years, awnings have evolved with a motley of spectacular designs and shapes to enhance the architectural beauty of your homes. Awnings can be installed on your doors, windows, patios, decks, pools or cafeterias, keeping in mind your sense of aesthetics and practical needs.

Awnings are available in both rigid and retractable models, in different shapes, sizes and materials. They have captured the burgeoning market of outdoor accessories and decorations. Modern awnings have shown a huge deviation from their traditional counterparts. Unlike the old school varieties of cotton, wood and metal, new age awnings come in extensive ranges of materials like nylon, acrylic, fibre glass and vinyl.

A bright awning installed in the exterior of your homes, offices or restaurants, is an excellent investment for your property, as it saves electricity and allows you to spend some quality time outdoors. It boosts external aesthetics and protects your interiors from UV rays, sunlight, dust, snowstorms and rain.

Our home is the ultimate shelter and place for relaxation. Whether you want to wake up to fresh wafts of coffee early in the morning or enjoy a sizzling barbeque party in the summer time, awnings help you beat the heat or face the rain. Before we decide to install an awning, we have to consider a lot of factors like space, budget, direction the building is facing, height, width, colors and size of the awnings; to make your outdoor experience a visual delight.

Awnings may be stationary, retractable, portable or motorized, depending on the usage.

  • Stationary: These awnings can be installed permanently. They are durable and can take strong gusts of wind, snow or rain.
  • Portable: These awnings are convenient, because they are handy and can be moved from place to place.
  • Retractable: These are the most widely used awnings, which can be folded and closed when not in use. Retractable awnings  give you lot of designs and sizes to choose for your outdoor experience.
  • Motorized: These awnings are operated with the help of an electric switch or a remote. Sometimes they are also equipped with special weather sensors, which detect inclement weather. They are flung open when it’s sunny and close down when there’s rain, wind, snow or a thunderstorm.

This is the age of retractable awnings, which are popular for their versatility, design and convenience. They can be flexed in and out, and can be mounted on any part of your property. Retractable awnings are applicable for both domestic and commercial purposes. They come with arms, casing and hinges which can be effortlessly used to keep your buildings well-lit and protected from UV rays and harsh weather, at all times.

Retractable awnings are made from superior quality, customized fabrics, which are mildew, fade and heat resistant. They are available in manual crank shift varieties as well as with motorized remotes. There are two types of retractable awnings found in the market-


Lateral arm awnings-These are the traditional store-front awnings that have colored the pages of history in good old traditional homes. In them, the two arms run perpendicular to the wall along the length of the fabric. They can be flexed up and down manually by ropes, handles or by a motorized remote. Lateral arm awnings cover a large space and are perfect for decks, patios, courtyards, pools or terraces.



Pivot arm awnings- These awnings are equipped with a spring loaded pivot that extends and retracts. They are a good choice for windows or areas where the coverage is less. They can be opened both from inside and outside, and are available in manual and motorized versions. 


Sliding Awnings-These are retractable awnings which slide over arms or wires mounted on pillars or frames. They are ideally designed for a deck or patio. They come in a host of attractive designs and colors ranging from bright pastel to muted earthy tones and metallic shades to highlight your architecture.


Retractable awnings can be fully automated, fitted with weather sensors and can be put on timers in case of stipulated usage times.


They complement your façade and external architecture, protecting your furnishings, drapery, paints and décor from fading. They are engineered with rugged stainless steel or aluminium arms to withstand wind or rain pressure, and designed with premium quality fabrics for long-lasting use.


Benefits of Retractable Awnings-

Whether you want to stretch your arms out in the sun while reading your favourite best seller or sipping your frosty drink at the deck, you can certainly redefine your outdoor with an awning. Let’s take a look at some of the remarkable benefits of retractable awnings



Protect from the sun-Retractable awnings give us shade from the sun,protect us from awful weather conditions and shield our exteriors from getting tarnished and destroyed.


Money saver-Retractable awnings are easy on your pocket, as they save huge bucks on electricity by keeping temperatures from soaring. This way, you can extend your outdoor hours more and relax in the cool shade.


Extend your living space- If you have space constraints inside your house, then retractable awnings can help you add more space to enjoy and relax outdoors playing chess, chatting with friends or listening to music.


Protection from the rain- If the weather is unpredictable, retractable awnings can be opened and folded in based upon your needs. So if it’s drizzling, don’t brood, because you have awnings as your saving grace! 


Easy to use- Retractable awnings are flexible and convenient, as they can be installed at multiple locations - roofs, walls, windows or doors. They can be rolled in and out whenever you feel the need, and are sold in manual or motorized variants, operable at the push of a button. 

Going on trips or vacations is time consuming and expensive. If you want a relaxing vacation, just create one under the peaceful silhouette of retractable awnings. To buy your retractable awnings, get in touch with your local dealer, who will guide you towards choosing the best brand and help you with all installation and maintenance requirements. You can get all this at a comfortable price, fully guaranteed for prolonged use.