If you want something different for your windows, you may find it at Hillarys. Useful innovations like the allergy busting blinds which feature a protective coating that prevents dust mites from gathering inside the fibers, made Hillarys one of the most sought after window treatments manufacturers. Moreover, they care about their customers as much as to send one of the Hillarys specialists to discuss the best options, to see the windows, to measure for the blinds, in a word, to take care of everything you need to have your blinds perfectly matching your windows. The adviser will also make a price quote for you, based on her measurements and on your blinds choice, then you’ll be able to decide if you take the offer or not. Because of the multiple customization possibilities, you can’t see prices online, as you can on other window treatments manufacturers websites.

Bamboo Blinds at Hillarys

Renewable sources are the latest craze in interior decorations materials. Such resources include bamboo, jute, sea grass, rattan and poplar wood. All these plants have an amazingly fast growth rate compared to common trees which take hundreds of years to reach maturity. Hillarys Woodweave is the generic name of a line of bamboo blinds, sea grass blinds, jute blinds and poplar wood blinds, which includes nine models, all with natural look and individual characteristics:

Mandalay: these blinds are made of bamboo slats and sticks woven together with strands of jute. The light filtering level is low, these bamboo blinds having more a decorative role rather than a protective one. On request, Mandalay blinds can come with a coordinating beige tape.

Mumbai: these blinds have a modern look, with their basswood sticks and poplar wood slats. The privacy level these windows coverings offer is low.

Plantation: traditional pinoleum blinds with low light filtering properties and with a natural look. Hillarys offer a variant of Plantation blinds with a colored tape.

Shanghai: the same traditional pinoleum wood, but in a darker shade.

Dragona with tape: light colored wooden blinds with tape, providing a medium privacy degree.

Beijing with tape: dark colored woodweave blind with Jet black tape, offering a good privacy level.

Dynasty with tape: these wood blinds with coordinating linen colored tape offer a medium privacy level and a natural look.

Hillarys Woodweave blinds are very similar to the Roman shades and they can come with matching valances. The controls can be positioned either on the left or the right side, as requested by the customer. All Hillarys bamboo blinds are tested to light fastness, humidity and temperature, in order to check if they meet British Standards of quality. The 12 months guarantee is a proof that specialists at Hillarys know their trade.

Blinds, shades and curtains are usually indoor window treatments, so they don’t have to be weatherproof. Yet, there are situations in which blinds need to be installed outdoor, like in case of sunrooms or patio shadings. This means that the blinds will be exposed to direct sunlight, to wind and rains, therefore they need to made of something that can resist all those, yet preserve their appearance for a long time. What else could be better than bamboo for making such outdoor blinds? Bamboo is natural and flexible, it grows in wet climate areas, with lots of heavy rains and hot sunny days, with storms and many other weather challenges. This is why choosing outdoor bamboo blinds can save a homeowner a lot of future trouble with frequent replacements or repairs.

If you have a sunroom or a patio and you think of shading it with outdoor bamboo blinds, here are a couple of cheap and beautiful options:

Radiance Laguna Bamboo Roll-Up Blinds

These outdoor blinds are made 100% of hand-selected bamboo featuring plain weave type and rollup shade lift system. They are ready-made window treatments, with a height of 72” and a width of 60” or 48”. If needed, they can be cut shorter at home, but beware that you may lose the 1 year warranty if you do that. Radiance Laguna bamboo blinds are delivered with all required mounting hardware included, so they can be installed easily. They provide a medium light filtering and some thermal insulation, but you shouldn’t count on that to heat your sunroom during the cold season. These blinds are available in several stores such as Target or Sears, as well as in online window treatments and home improvement shops.

Lewis Hyman Reed Natural Blinds

These blinds are made of reed and bamboo and they are suitable for both indoor and outdoor use. They are available in natural tones of wood, which may feature slight variations of color which make them look even more natural. The roll-up system is easy to install and to use, the only required maintenance being periodical dusting or vacuuming. These blinds are ready-made in the size of 72” x 48” and they are available in many online window blinds stores.

When buying outdoor bamboo blinds, keep in mind that all metal parts should be made of non-rusting materials, otherwise the blinds won’t serve you for too long, especially if you live in a front beach house, exposed to salty water drops which can easily eat up your metal during one single year. See if you can get some additional warranty for the hardware, so you can enjoy your blinds for a very long time.

Installing window blinds is an easy DIY project that even ladies can do, at least in case of bamboo blinds or other very simple types of window treatments which only require a few holes in the window frame to get the job done. Actually, the easiest DIY blinds installation is the inside mount, or ceiling mount as it is also called. The outside mount needs holes to be made in the walls, and that could be problematic in case you don’t have the adequate power tools and accessories. For instance, in case of concrete walls, you’ll need a percussion drilling machine, some carbide drills and plugs, otherwise you won’t be able to get those screws tightly fixed in the wall.

When buying your bamboo blinds, your purchase should include the installation brackets and some mounting screws. The type of the screw is usually specified with your purchase. If they are for wood but you need to screw them in plastic, you may need to buy other screws that are suitable for the type of material you want to use them on. If you don’t know what to buy, either ask the shop assistant for help, explaining her what type of walls you have, or hire somebody to install your bamboo blinds. It can’t be that expensive, after all, and anyway it’s cheaper than damaging the blinds and having to get new ones. However, if you’re keen on doing the installation yourself, keep in mind the following:

The headrail must be level. This is very important, otherwise your blinds won’t operate properly. Even if your window frame is not even, you need to use a level and properly install the headrail. In case of an outside mount you’ll need to do the leveling anyway and mark the correct position for the screws with a pencil. When performing an inside mount, it’s still good to use the level to check on the window frame. If it’s not even, you’ll have to use shims for making sure your headrail will be in the correct operating position.

Basically, bamboo blinds installation resumes to drilling holes and mounting the installation brackets in them with the help of screws. Although the brackets have four holes in them, it’s usually enough to use only two diagonal holes. Those are the ones for which you’ll have to mark the positioning with a pencil, before starting the drilling operation. After the brackets are in position, it’s enough to push the headrail up onto them in such a way that the threaded posts fit through the headrail slots. Finally, don’t forget to secure the headrail by tightening the wing nuts. Instead of wing nuts, some bracket models may have some levers which you have to push towards the headrail in order to secure it to the brackets.

This DIY installation procedure is suitable for bamboo blinds as well as for any other kind of Venetian blinds or Roman shades, provided that they have the same type of headrail and mounting brackets.

Bay windows are undoubtedly some of the most beautiful window styles, because they help creating a nice and cozy relaxation area inside a room. They just make rooms seem larger, thanks to the huge amount of light they allow in. Yet, there are situations which demand a higher level of privacy, therefore choosing the right coverings for bay windows is an important step in home decorating. The difference between bay windows and common ones is that bay windows must have an unified look and so should their treatments. Some people prefer sheer curtains, while others choose to add a second layer of fabric, so they can better control the light filtering. The second layer is usually a thick drape that can also serve as thermal insulation. However, for modern, minimalist home interiors, curtains and drapes may not be the perfect match. Some simple, inside mount mini blinds, or bamboo blinds, or bamboo Roman shades may be much better, because of their simplicity. While most bamboo blinds and shades are no-name, there are also brand ones available, as you can see from the following reviews.

Bali Premium Woven Bamboo Shades

Bali bamboo shades belong to the Bali Natural Shades collection and they are made of bamboo reeds and bamboo slats, woven together with sisal, jute and straws. Basically, all items in the Natural Shades collection are suitable for bay windows, as they allow easy customization thanks to their mitered corners. Controls may be situated on either side of the blind you wish, but Bali’s recommendation is to place them opposite the corner. Bali is one of the window treatments manufacturers who are concerned with using renewable sources and energy-saving technologies for their products. For example, in the Natural Shades series of woven bamboo blinds the renewable content accounts for 20.9% of the total product weight, the pre-consumer recycled content is 1% and the post-consumer recycled content is 6.7%, which leads to a total of 28.5% green content.

Hillarys Woodweave Blinds

Hillarys Woodweave blinds are also made from renewable sources such as bamboo, sea grass or jute, proving once more that there’s no need to destroy the forests for bringing a bit of nature into our homes. These blinds come with a matching valance and they diffuse the light in a gentle way, which makes them one of the best choices for bay windows, conservatories or skylights. The controls can be placed either left or right, thus making these bamboo blinds a good idea for decorating and protecting your bay windows.

Levolor Natural Woven Shades

Levolor Natural Woven shades are ideal for sunrooms and for bay windows, as they feature an impressive style which helps creating the cozy sensation we all want to get from designing such relaxation areas in our homes. These bamboo blinds from Levolor are available in a wide array of colors such as Bamboo Essence Origami, Bamboo Essence Saatchi, Bamboo Essence Shibori, Bamboo Essence Tatami, Beads Brown, Beads White, Bei Shan Myths Amber, Bei Shan Myths Merlot, Classic Caramel, Cordon Tan and many others which one can see sampled on the Levolor website. These bamboo shades allow for adding a lining, if a higher level of privacy or light filtration is needed. They can also be doubled by blackout drapes, if needed. Such bamboo blinds may be equipped with the Levolor cordless lift system, thus eliminating those dangling cords that can be so dangerous for pets and children.

No matter your home decoration budget, remember that window blinds should not be an impulse purchase, because they are items with a relatively long lifetime, therefore cutting costs shouldn’t start with them. Better quality leads to longer usage, while offering you the privilege of enjoying excellent materials and finishes. If you’re as lucky as to have bay windows in your home, why not enjoy them to the full and choose some really exquisite bamboo blinds for them?

Bamboo blinds and shades have the advantage of looking great even when they get old. Nonetheless, preserving them as new for a long time asks for periodical cleaning. If dusting is done regularly, at 4-5 days intervals, washing the blinds more often than once a year won’t be necessary if you live in a dry weather climate. Dusting can be done with a clean, soft cloth or with a special duster which attracts the dust and dirt particles even from between the slats, where a simple cloth can’t reach. Vacuuming them once a week is also good for preventing dirt accumulation, but this should be done carefully, using the brush head, so you avoid scratching the window blinds.

Is It Safe To Wash Bamboo Blinds?

Unlike regular wood blinds, which can’t be washed, bamboo blinds can be safely washed. Bamboo, rattan and wicker are wood essences that love water, therefore furniture and home accessories made of them are easy to maintain and to clean. Bamboo rugs and window treatments are easy to get cleaned by immersing them in warm water with soap and gently rubbing them with a sponge. Before rubbing, let the blinds sit in water for several minutes, so dirt gets soaked and becomes easy to remove. Rinsing is a very important operation, so it should be performed thoroughly, for multiple times, until the water runs clean. If dirt residues and soap aren’t washed away, the bamboo blinds will soon start to develop a funny smell, so you’ll have to wash them again. The best method for rinsing the blinds is to press them against a tile wall and use the shower set on high pressure, starting from the top of the blind to the bottom, until you see the water coming out clear, with no dirt or soap bubbles. Repeat the procedure on both sides of the blinds. When you’re done, hang the blinds in a well-ventilated place to get dry. During hot, sunny days, drying shouldn’t take more than 30-45 minutes. If there’s also some wind blowing, it could take even less.

Removing Mold From Bamboo Blinds

People who live in humid areas should pay a special attention, as woven blinds and shades may easily develop mold and mildew, which are dangerous for health, therefore should be removed as soon as they are spotted. This applies also for bamboo blinds that are installed in wet rooms such as bathroom or kitchen. Washing mold and mildew away from the blinds can be done with soap and water, just as described above. In case of stubborn molds, bicarbonate soda or vinegar added in the water may increase cleaning efficiency. Additionally, treating the blinds with a fungicide will help preventing re-apparition of mold.

Discount bamboo blinds are not hard to find. When shopping for new window treatments and blinds you're looking for the best deal possible. The good news is that bamboo blinds and shades are already much less expensive than regular wooden blinds because the natural product regenerates in just a few years. However, if you are looking for incredible deals for bamboo blinds online we suggest looking at sites like ebay.com and also JCPenney and Home Depot. They will often run sales at the larger department stores and if you purchase at the right time of year you're sure to get incredible savings. Comparison shopping sites such as nextag.com will give you prices for some of the lesser known retailers who are looking to gain your trust through excellent customer service and free shipping.

We are featuring the following products which are available online through trusted retailers and are usually sold at a discount.

Garden Terrace Bamboo Window Shades

2' x 3'  

$9.00

2' x 8'


$10.00

3' x 5'


$10.00

4' x 6'


$15.00

5' x 8'


$22.00

6' x 9'


$29.00

8' x 10'


$39.00

9' x 12'


$55.00

12' x 15'


$94.00


Natural Area Rugs’ hand crafted bamboo shades accentuate natural beauty in your living area. These sturdy bamboo shades effectively block light while highlighting your windows with the elegance of natural wood. The shades come with easy to follow installation instructions, and are ideal for both inside and outside mount. Mounting brackets and screws are included so you don’t have to make an extra trip to the hardware store. Natural Area Rugs offers free shipping to the continental U.S., superb customer service, and a 100% satisfaction guarantee.

Light Filtering Bamboo Shades - Woven Wood Shades

Our Woven Wood Blinds are an elegant collection of Bamboo, Rattan, Reeds, Jutes, and Woods. With 21 popular styles to choose from, these beautiful natural materials offer great flexibility in designing window treatments. Designed with a solid integrated wood head rail, installation is as easy as 1-2-3. Our multi-cord lock and guided pulley ensures smooth and lasting operation. Every blind comes with hand-crafted safety wood tassels to protect children and pets. Not to mention, the built-in 6" matching valance adds elegance and offers a more finished look.

Bamboo blinds have become one of the latest trends in home window treatments. They are popular for several reasons, including being easy to clean and fairly low maintenance. As a bonus these window treatments are also fairly inexpensive and fashionable. People who are interested in doing more for the environment are switching to bamboo products because the plant can re-grow in a relatively short time frame, usually five years, instead of buying products that require an entire tree to be cut down and not re-grow for decades.

These window treatments can be made into regular blinds, shades or long panels for larger windows and doors. Their recent popularity has made them available in a variety of home improvement and department stores, including JCPenney. They can be purchased in pre-cut sizes or custom made to match. One of the most popular styles is bamboo roman shades. Another favorite are the woven bamboo blinds.

From a design perspective these blinds are beautiful to more than just nature lovers and those interested in a tropical theme. This material works well with a variety of furniture and decor styles, since it is acceptable today to mix and match a variety of wood types. The natural bamboo colors range from very pale to very dark. For those with the ability to change their decor often bamboo is typically used in the summer as they are lighter and aid with ventilation and air movement. This helps with home cooling during the warmer months.

Are they just as good as traditional wood blinds? Yes. These blinds are durable, function the same as regular blinds and come in a variety of stains and patterns. They are very effective at blocking light and providing you with much needed privacy. They are incredibly versatile and can even be custom made if you don't like your options available at the store. If you have doors leading out to a sun room or deck you may find bamboo blinds to be your perfect decorative connector between the inside and outside worlds.

When most people think of bamboo their first thought isn't of window treatments or flooring. Instead they think of panda bears since panda's treat bamboo as their favorite food. It's grown in many Asian areas but also now in the United States. Due to its ability to regenerate so quickly consumers are quite happy with the lower cost and good feeling of using a plant material that won't quickly become endangered.

If you are looking to redecorate or enhance your room's beauty with natural wood, consider bamboo for your window covers to get the ultimate in tropical beauty with full light blocking and privacy protection.