Cold glass, condensation and a low winter sun raise different questions when you choose a shade. We do not promise warmer glass or an end to condensation. For privacy and filtered light, zebra shades let you adjust alternating bands. Your choice also comes down to how the shade moves, the material you prefer and measurements you can take without us in the room.
Will a shade help with cold glass and condensation?
We would not ask you to choose a shade on a promise of warmer glass or dry windows. We have no temperature improvement or condensation reduction to quote. Keep those concerns separate from choosing how you want to cover the window.
For low winter sun, a zebra shade gives you alternating sheer and solid bands on one roller. Line the bands up for privacy. Offset them for filtered light. You can adjust the bands without rolling the shade all the way up.
If you want room-darkening material, the choices are materials 1, 2, 5, 9, 13, 30 and 35, the dark colours. We identify the materials by the numbers we cut them by. You can order free samples on the website before buying.
Which type of shade should I choose?
Start with the way you want to operate it. A zebra shade lets you adjust its bands. A roller blind has one panel of fabric with no bands. We make roller blinds in materials 20, 21, 22 and 31.
Shangri-La shades have soft fabric vanes held between two sheer layers. The chain tilts the vanes open or closed, then rolls the shade up. We make them in materials 33 and 35. They have their own size-based pricing and can be ordered online.
Our chain-operated shades have a shrouded continuous-loop chain anchored to the wall with a tension device. Any shade can be motorized for $115.00 more. A motorized shade has no chain. One remote costs $50.00 and runs up to 15 shades.
How do I measure without someone visiting?
Choose an inside or outside mount before measuring. An inside mount sits within the window opening. Check that you have at least 2 inches of flat depth inside the frame for the cassette. If you have less, choose an outside mount. An outside mount fixes to the wall above the opening and overlaps it. It hides an out-of-square frame and blocks more light. Add at least 2 inches each side and 2 to 3 inches above.
Measure the width first, then the height, always to the nearest 1/8 of an inch. For an inside mount, measure the opening at the top, middle and bottom. Write down the narrowest width. Measure from the top of the opening to the sill at the left, middle and right. Use the longest height. Give us the exact opening measurements. Do not subtract anything, because we make the deduction ourselves.
Measure every window in the same pass with the same tape. Avoid rounding to the nearest inch or taking just one measurement. You choose which side the chain hangs on when you order. Our workshop sets its drop length to suit the window you have measured.
What will a made-to-measure shade cost?
These are examples of common window sizes, rather than measurements from a particular home. A chain-operated zebra shade at 24 by 36 inches is $125.40. A chain-operated zebra shade at 30 by 48 inches is $175.00. A chain-operated zebra shade at 36 by 48 inches is $199.80. A chain-operated zebra shade at 36 by 60 inches is $237.00.
For comparison, a roller blind at 24 by 36 inches is $86.10. These prices are before tax and include shipping in Canada. GST or HST is charged by delivery province. Every shade is priced from the measurements of the window it is for.
There is no minimum order. One shade is fine. You can order free material samples before confirming your choice.
What should I know about delivery to the Prairies?
Orders are dispatched within three working days of confirmation. Transit time is on top of that. Allow for the journey after dispatch when planning your order.
We make shades from 9 to 109 inches wide and up to 130 inches high, to the eighth of an inch. Widths of 94 inches and over travel by courier in their own carton. That courier charge is $85 once per order. Our installation service covers homes within 75 km of Elgin Mills and Yonge in Richmond Hill.
Custom shades are final sale once the order is confirmed. That never covers a shade that arrives faulty, damaged or different from what was ordered. The remake guarantee is limited to one blind per customer. It applies to website orders of three shades or more and does not apply to trade accounts.
What to do next
Order free material samples on the website, then price a window using its own measurements and your chosen material. You can start with one shade, and the website currently accepts Interac e-Transfer.
Made to measure in Richmond Hill and shipped free anywhere in Canada. Or ring us on (289) 210-3254.