Smart Blinds and Shades Make Life Simply Easier
BWS Design • August 22, 2019

The Smart Home Evolution is Happening

Advanced artificial intelligence (AI) is quickly revolutionizing how we live our lives. For the most part, life keeps getting easier with less time out of our day to do simple tasks, such as opening and closing our blinds or shades. If you don’t have automated blinds or shades, you probably will in the not so distant future, because smart home technology is picking up speed. 

If you haven’t put much thought into the smart home technology evolution, TIME gives you an idea how close so many of us are to live in a home designed for convenience, comfort, and total relaxation. “Swedish research firm Berg Insight says 63 million American homes will qualify as “smart” by 2022, -”

In approximately ten years, the term smart home will be more than we can imagine. Because of advanced AI, many American homes “will be able to truly learn about their owners or occupants, eventually anticipating their needs.” You may already know about all the sensory technology that is currently being used and continually advancing in intelligence. “New sensors will keep tabs on our well-being.”

It’s quite fun to think about what life will be like in just ten years. Your blinds are set to open up as part of your wake up routine, but one morning you’re feeling just awful. Your smart home, equipped with AI sensory technology knows you need your rest. The alarm doesn’t go off, the blinds stay closed, and your phone sends a message to work that you’re sick with a high fever. And, the doctor is notified. Your medicine soon shows up at your door.

Oh, don’t worry about getting up to cook. “Development in robotics will give us machines that offer a helping hand with cleaning, cooking, and more. Total relaxation when you’re home under the weather. You can stay in your “puffy pants,” and keep the world out with your blinds or shades closed. But, if you want to see what it’s like outside, just give the command, and there will be light!

Enjoy the Benefits of Window Treatment Automation

At Just Blinds, we’re excited to offer smart technology to add another step towards living the easy life. We can automate your blinds or shades by using Siri, Alexa, and all kinds of smart home devices and automation. And it’s not just to make life easier, there are other reasons that automated blinds or shades make your home smarter.

No Cords: Safer with a Better Look

If you have curious and explorative young children, you may have already had to hide the cords. With automated blinds and shades, there are no cords. Our cordless, automated blinds and shades will give you the peace of mind to know your children cannot get in harm’s way playing with window treatment cords. For those of us who have four-legged children, hanging cords can also be a tempting toy for a cat of dog.

It’s time to do away with the dangling cords. Automated blinds and shades just look better. How could they not? They have technology’s intelligence built into them. No pull cords necessary!

Better Privacy and Added Security

At night, it’s easy for neighbors to see into our windows when rooms are lighted. With automated blinds or shades, you can push a button before you even walk into a room. Even better, you can have them on a timer to close as the sun is gone for the evening. You no longer need to think about it.

Automated blinds and shades are great for adding another layer of security throughout your home when you’re away. Many of us use timers to turn on and off lights to make it look like someone is home whenever we’re not. Now your blinds or shades can do the same thing.

Life is Simply Easier with the Convenience of Automation

Why not enjoy the convenience of the future now? Let automation technology let the daylight into your home, and shut out the darkness of night. Not to mention, you have an easy way to keep the summer heat out. You can time your blinds or shades to close on those windows where the sun heats up rooms facing east or west.

Just Blinds Excited to Offer Smart Home Technology

Serving our Alabama neighbors in Montgomery, Birmingham, Tuscaloosa, Lake Martin, and Auburn for over 30 years, we’re excited to bring our customers the luxury of smart blinds and shades. Call to learn how easy life is with automated window treatments. It’s simply wonderful.

Expert Advice by Just Blinds

Best Options for Sheer Privacy: Your Guide to Private Sunshine

By Autumn Hooper • January 10, 2025
Sunshine can fill any room with a warm glow. It provides natural light and can even lift your mood. But there may be some rooms where you want both privacy and sunshine at the same time. You shouldn't have to block out the light to enjoy private rooms in your home. For these moments, having the right blinds or drapes can make all the difference. The answer is in sheer privacy, sheer and semi-sheer materials that let in the light without allowing others to see through your windows. This is your guide to private sunshine: how to enjoy your privacy and warm natural light in any room. Why Sheer Privacy Matters There are many situations where sheer privacy is ideal. Bedrooms are warm and welcoming when filled with natural light, but privacy is paramount. Sheer window treatments can also bring sunshine into your living room without broadcasting family activities to the neighborhood. And if natural light helps you stay focused in your office, you can maintain professional security without worries by hanging sheer blinds and drapes so your computer screen is never visible through the window. How can you achieve this perfect balance of sunshine and privacy? There are several types of blinds and drapes that can meet your needs. Woven and Fabric Blinds The right fabric or woven blinds can provide the perfect balance between light and privacy. Woven and fabric blinds are rarely completely opaque. Depending on your choice of material and weave, you can determine both how much light shines through and the level of visibility in your sheer material. Fabric blinds use woven fabric to block visual access through your window while also acting as a diffuser for the sunlight. Woven blinds are made of grass or reeds and provide a similar effect. This can be used to cast gentle glowing light into your room at slightly dimmer-than-normal levels while showing silhouettes or less. Slatted Blinds and Plantation Shutters The most traditional answer is slatted blinds and plantation shutters. These methods use opaque angled slats that open to allow in some light without creating an easy line-of-sight from anywhere that a person outside might reasonably be standing. Slats pointed up or down welcome sunshine from various angles during the day but cannot be seen through until the slats are nearly horizontal. Slatted blinds hang from the top, and the angle of the slats is controlled with a cord system. Today, pull cords and hanging loops are no longer used. Instead, a control wand or motorization is used to enhance home safety and convenience. Plantation shutters are wood structures that are permanently installed or fold out over your windows. The slats are structured and controlled by pushing a ridge bar on the back of the shutter slats themselves. Honeycomb Blinds Honeycomb blinds are a type of fabric blinds that use honeycomb cells to provide greater insulation. Honeycomb blinds are not just energy-efficient, they also provide greater privacy by implementing layered fabric to create the honeycomb air pockets. At the same time, the fabric used can bring in sunshine and act as a diffuser to spread gentle sunshine through your room. The honeycombs themselves also diffuse any silhouettes or shadows that might be seen through the fabric of the blind for greater privacy inside your rooms. Semi-Sheer Drapery If you prefer drapes, you can also select a sheer fabric as the innermost layer for your draperies. The fabric and the folds of the drapes combine to provide both a diffuser for sunshine and privacy. Drapery is the most likely to reveal shadows and silhouettes, but a style with more folds when the sheer layer is closed can obscure shapes and activities within to provide the privacy you need. Private Sundrenched Rooms with Just Blinds If you are looking to enjoy diffused sunshine and keep your rooms private at the same time, Just Blinds can help. Contact us today to explore your options for sheer privacy design with custom window treatments.

2025 Colors of the Year: How to Use Them in Your Home Design

By Autumn Hooper • December 10, 2024
Every year, the leading paint and decorator brands release their Color of the Year. Each organization theorizes which colors will be at the peak of interior design trends for the next 12 months, and the 2025 Colors of the Year have been released. If you want your interior decor to match the mood of the year with the latest magazine-spread designs and eye-catching arrangements, now is your chance. 2025: A Year of Bold and Somber Tones 2025 rings in a year of regally subdued tones. They are at once both bold and somber, creating relaxed yet elevated living spaces through strong colors and muted hues. This is a marked contrast from the light and airy palette created by the colors of the year from 2024 featuring soft pinks, warm honeys, and renewing blues. This year, the leading tones are dark red, deep purple, and dusty neutrals that make a space feel at once both cozy and formal. Stately Reds If you love dark reds from brick to mohogany, then this is your year. Both Behr and C2 have named dark yet natural-tone reds as their colors of the year. They are perfect to make a room feel luxe and stately without the overwhelming quality, making these reds the perfect base color for walls and a great accent in an elegant room. Rumors by Behr - A dusty red that is both light and dark at the same time. This muted town is a smooth, creamy rendition of faded brick that looks perfect with warm colors and red-hued wood furniture. Raku by C2 - A bold, dark mahogany red that looks great for interiors and exteriors inspired by the ancient Japanese tea ceremony. Regal Purples Purple is back in bold refrain for 2025 interior design. Between Violet by Minwax and Purple Basil by Glidden, you have an incredible palette to create the most regal of interiors, from primary colors to accents that pop. We love these rich tones that make any room stand out from the typical warm tones and neutrals that have ruled the roost for a decade. Violet by Minwax - Violet by Minwax is not your typical violet. It is a deep, rich aubergine, the color of royal robes and the most luxurious paint. This majestic color will stand out no matter how you use it. Purple Basil by Glidden - Purple Basil is a dusty reddish lavender that shares tones with charcoal and plum. It is somehow both somber and cheerful, warm yet subdued. Purple basil is a wonderful color for both primary walls and bold trim without overwhelming the space. Relaxed Blues Last year, blues were bright and full of energy with an aqua-green undercurrent. This year's blues are more relaxed, blending well with neutrals whether you're looking for a chill space or a summer tone. Quietude by HGTV / Sherwin Williams - Quietude is the eggshell of blues. It is soft and faintly blue in hue while still giving the light neutral feel of a nearly-white painted room. It has the faint hues of a lightly cloudy sky. Encore 8002 by Valspar - Encore 8002 is a bold, rich blue on the cheerful side of royal blue. It's deep but not dark, embracing what makes blue such a great color for decor. Mapped Blue by Dutch Paint Boys - Mapped Blue reflects green-blue theme of last year but with this year's dusty trend. It's soft and comforting but with a touch of surprise that's not your everyday medium blue. Subdued Neutrals While red, purple, and blue may be our boldest tones, it's neutrals that rule the 2025 Color of the Year list. From deep yet soft Truffle to warm almost-pink cinnamon, you will find a surprisingly gorgeous palette of neutrals to work with as primary, accent, and rich detail tones in any room design. These colors can fall into the background or make your room pop. Truffle by Stainmaster - Truffle is the darkest of the 2025 neutrals, blending honey with charcoal for a warm bold tone that looks amazing in boho or minimalist styles. Mochi by Little Greene - Mochi is a warm medium neutral that naturally supports wooden furniture of all hues. It has undertones of milkey coffee but reflects light in a way that still brightens a room. Caramelized by Dunn-Edwards - Caramelized is a tone that approaches boldly from the cheerful side, reminding us of dessert landscapes and faintly orange sunset skies. Cinnamon Slate by Benjamin - Cinnamon Slate is a soft neutral that is just this side of dusty pink. It's described as a dreamy, velvety purple and brown that can add subtle richness to any space. Mocha Mousse by Pantone - Mocha Mousee is a sophisticated neutral that reminds us of soft earth and smooth wood. Using the Colors of the Year to Inspire Your 2025 Interior Design These colors aren't just for paint, they can be used to enhance every element of your space. One of the best ways to introduce diversity and annual color trends into your home is through blinds and drapes. Choosing the perfect blinds can update your style to magazine-worthy arrangements for every year and season. Find the latest colors and styles at Just Blinds today.