UPDATE: OT: Best online source for blinds

[DebbieJ]

Update:

I ordered four sets of faux wood blinds in white from Select Blinds and four sets of wood blinds from Blinds.com. Everything was delivered promptly and safely from both places.

My dad put them up this week, so I can't really comment on installation, but it appeared that he had a pretty easy time of it.

The faux wood--we got two that had to be split into two on one headrail. The jury is out on those yet. I would prefer having one big one, but they would have been too heavy to move up and down. I do like the quality, the construction, and the look though. They are very sturdy.

I am underwhelmed by the wood blinds from blinds.com. They do block the light very well, but the slats themselves are thin--thinner than I expected.

So there's my little update. I think the faux wood ones at select blinds are the way to go. They have 20% off sales all the time and you can go through ebates for another 3% off.


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My sister recommended www.justblinds.com.

Through ebates there is www.blinds.com, which is the same price but with 3% back, so I'm leaning towards them.

Anyone else you would recommend? I'm mostly concerned about value.

~ deb
DS born at home 12/03
2 year check up: 25 lbs with clothes on and 35 inches!
BFARed for 20 months and 6 days
(Breastfeeding After Reduction is possible! www.bfar.org)

http://www.bfar.org/members/fora/style_avatars/Ribbons/18months-bfar.jpg

[Wife_and_mommy]

nak

i read a bad review on justblinds so I decided not to go with them. www.SelectBlinds.com (http://www.SelectBlinds.com) has really good prices and their blinds are a great value from what you'd get at Home Depot etc. For the extra few $$, you get a nicer valance(and the custom length) so it was worth it to me.(I didn't put a fabric decorative valance in DS's room where I replaced the blinds)

Also, Extremem Home Makeover uses this site so I liked having the "rec", per se.

Hth! :)
eta: ebates has 3% back and they usually have 20% off. i'd def. wait for a sale!


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[DebbieJ]

Thanks, Elizabeth! A 20% off sale would make them the most cost effective, so I'll keep an eye on it!

For now I ordered samples from a few companies so I'll wait and see who has a good match too.

~ deb
DS born at home 12/03
2 year check up: 25 lbs with clothes on and 35 inches!
BFARed for 20 months and 6 days
(Breastfeeding After Reduction is possible! www.bfar.org)

http://www.bfar.org/members/fora/style_avatars/Ribbons/18months-bfar.jpg

[slr]

Over the past year, we purchased 15 cellular shades from blinds.com via 3 different orders and all were in perfect condition. Shipping was really fast. I had to call their customer service regarding measuring before ordering and they were very helpful. Also, we ordered free samples a couple of times before we ordered and we received a coupon each time. If you have time, you may want to order some samples and see if you get a coupon. I'm pretty sure you will get your samples within a week. I think the coupon was for $25-$50 off a purchase over a certain dollar amount. I know they run different promotions/rebates over the year as well. Hope this helps.

Just wanted to add that we ordered Graber blinds through this website.

[daniele_ut]

I was just looking at blinds on http://www.selectblinds.com/ and there is a 20% off code right now: 20sb06

I hope that helps!

[DebbieJ]

Thanks, Daniele!

~ deb
DS born at home 12/03
2 year check up: 25 lbs with clothes on and 35 inches!
BFARed for 20 months and 6 days
(Breastfeeding After Reduction is possible! www.bfar.org)

http://www.bfar.org/members/fora/style_avatars/Ribbons/18months-bfar.jpg

[cleo27]

When we bought our new house, we did the whole house in cellular shades and faux wood blinds from justblinds.com. We are very happy with the quality, the prices were great and the installation was pretty easy for DH.

HTH,

[DebbieJ]

Okay, now two of you have mentioned cellular shades. Tell me more about them and how they are different from traditional blinds.

~ deb
DS born at home 12/03
2 year check up: 25 lbs with clothes on and 35 inches!
BFARed for 20 months and 6 days
(Breastfeeding After Reduction is possible! www.bfar.org)

http://www.bfar.org/members/fora/style_avatars/Ribbons/18months-bfar.jpg

[daniele_ut]

Cellular shades are different than mini blinds in that you can't tilt them one way or the other when the shade is down. You either raise them or lower them. They provide more privacy than traditional blinds, and can be light filtering or light blocking. The ones I was looking at on Just Blinds are complete light blocking, but for the window in our nursery the blind would have been $140 before the coupon - OUCH! I've also seen ones at Lowes that are cordless, which would definitely be safer around little ones.

Select Blinds calls them Honeycomb shades:
http://www.selectblinds.com/window-blinds/honeycomb-shades/38-inch-single-cell-blackout/129.htm

Or:
http://www.selectblinds.com/window-blinds/honeycomb-shades/38-inch-double-cell-light-filter/69.htm

[mamato1]

We've used nonrainerblinds.com for both of the homes we have lived in. I was not as happy with the "no brainer" brand although they were alright. I was thrilled when we bought the name brand blinds from them.

Chris

Mama to Brendan (aka Boomer) 01/04


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[american_mama]

Debbie:

I just did a serach on BBB for this a few days ago. I found:

www.decoratetoday.com
www.blindstogo.com
www.nextdayblinds.com
www.budgetblinds.com
www.smithandnoble.com
www.stardecorating.com (I think the cheapest of the lot)

[DebbieJ]

Thank you Karen!!

~ deb
DS born at home 12/03
2 year check up: 25 lbs with clothes on and 35 inches!
BFARed for 20 months and 6 days
(Breastfeeding After Reduction is possible! www.bfar.org)

http://www.bfar.org/members/fora/style_avatars/Ribbons/18months-bfar.jpg

[bostonsmama]

We plan on using stardecorating.com when we buy cordless cellular shades for the bedroom that will become the nursery.

We've purchased cellular shades before from Lowes when they had a 15 or 20% off Bali promotion. I think we went with Bali double cellular honeycomb shades. I've raved about them before, because they are so pretty, drastically increase my energy efficiency in both summer and winter, and have lasted/held up beautifully, even with a rambuncuous dog and lots of toddlers who come over to play when their moms are visiting. If I had to do it again, I'd get the ones that not only lower the whole shade but also lower the top of the shade to leave a space at the top and have shade on the bottom. This is especially helpful when you want privacy for your "lower half" when you're dressing, but you still want light to come in...or to be able to see out (like a view). Otherwise, I love them. And they're very easy to clean with a vacuum hose. Since you asked about cellular shades, I thought I'd show you what they might look like in a normal home. I got the light diffusing shades, but you can also get blackout cellular shades, which are coated w/ a neat reflective backing that doesn't affect the color on the front, but keeps out light, more heat and more cold. The first pic is w/out flash to show how it diffuses light, the second shows the pattern, which is something like "Storm" stone...taupe...can't remember. I really like them. We have pleated shades in just the front bedrooms, and I can't wait to update them to honeycomb shades.

http://www.windsorpeak.com/dc/user_files/33852.jpg

http://www.windsorpeak.com/dc/user_files/33853.jpg
Larissa

Baseline appt July 25th! Tentative retrieval ~Aug 10th, transfer ~8/13 or 15

Proud Aunt to Jack Dorian, born to my bro & SIL 3/06
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[Wife_and_mommy]

So glad you were happy with SB.

We have an open order we haven't received all blinds on yet. two of ours are split headrails too. DH says they look hard to install due to the weight of them but I can't wait to replace dd's old verticals.



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