When working with a window treatment specialty store, you always have the option to borrow samples and try them out in your home for a few days. Here are five reasons why it is helpful to try samples before deciding on the right choice for your windows:
1. Color and Shade: Due to variations in lighting, the color of the product can look different in your home than it does in the store. Looking at a sample in your home, as the light changes throughout the day, gives the best representation of how the window treatment will look at home. Observe how the window treatment filters the morning sun versus the afternoon sun. Make sure you are pleased with the light-filtration capacity for the window. And, hold the sample to the main lighting source in the room to ensure the color and shade are what you want.
2. Style and Function: Place the samples in the areas where the window treatments will be installed. If you’re putting a window treatment in the bathroom, or over a kitchen sink, you want to make sure it can stand up to the moisture and humidity in the area. Place the sample on the windows that get the most sun and see how the sample filters the light. Does it meet your expectations for privacy and light filtering?
3. Test View: Tape samples to your windows and walls, lay them on furniture and across the floors. See how the sample plays off the different surfaces, fabrics, colors and textures in the room. Leave the samples around for a few days to determine which one seems to fit best in your home.
4. Shopping Trip: Take your samples shopping! If you are planning a remodel or room makeover, bring your sample with you when you pick out the other products for the room. Hold the window treatment sample up to paint colors and fabrics to see how they work together.
5. Long-Term Love: Window treatments are a long-term purchase for your home. For example, on average, window blind manufacturers will warranty their products for five years. With proper care and maintenance, however, they can last for decades. You want to be happy with your choice for years to come, and trying a sample at home will help you feel confident that you are making a great choice.
Of course, having the help of a window treatment expert is also invaluable. We’ll be able to guide you to a short-list of sample options that take the guesswork out of making the right decisions in terms of functionality and aesthetics. Reach out to us and schedule a consultation, where, yes, samples will be included. We look forward to helping!