In the market for new window coverings? You might be surprised (and a little overwhelmed) by the sheer variety of options there are to choose from. To help you navigate this intimidating terrain, we’ve provided the following overview of window covering basics. Read more

A central air conditioner can be priceless on a hot summer day, but the cost of running it certainly isn’t. While having a well-maintained, energy-efficient system will help keep your cooling bills in check, another smart step is finding ways to keep your home naturally cooler, which reduces the need to run your system in the first place. Here are five measures to consider:

1. Install a whole house fan. On summer mornings and evenings, it’s not unusual for the temperature outside the home to be cooler than on the inside. In this instance, running the air conditioner can feel like a waste of energy. If only there was a way to get that cool outdoor air into the home… Read more

Guest post by Jennifer Filzen, Marketing Representative at Acme Sunshades Enterprise Inc, a Diamond Certified company.

Let’s say you own a restaurant and want to create an outdoor dining space for your customers. You can have any type of pergola, sunshade or awning built for you, but there are several things to consider before making a final decision.

Is your outdoor area surrounded by lots of trees? Too many trees could blow a heavy pile of leaves on top of your sunshade and cause it to collapse. If you want an outdoor area with a sunshade, you should consider a retractable shade that you can move out of the way in the event of rain or wind. Read more

Experts say that if you care for your drapes properly, you may never have to dry clean them. The degree and frequency of care depends on environmental pollutants (from open windows, traffic exhaust, smoke, etc.). Regular maintenance is more important and cost effective than dry cleaning. You want to prevent dust build-up on the front and back of draperies. Dust on the backside will attract the sun’s destructive rays like a magnet. This speeds up deterioration of the lining and drapery fabric.

Shake the drapes while hanging to knock off dust or vacuum with an upholstery brush. Don’t use the same upholstery brush you use on furniture as it may have broken bristles that will damage the drapery fabric. Read more