Hot and Humid in the South: How to Stay Cool This Summer Indoors and Outdoors
June 11, 2024

Southern summers are hot and humid. Unfortunately, the air inside your home could be just as muggy and oppressive as the air around it. Although heat pumps and air conditioners provide combined temperature control and moisture regulation, they're rarely enough on their own for optimum comfort. In the interests of curbing your carbon footprint and your home energy bills, the following are several easy and efficient ways to keep cool this summer, both indoors and out.


Tips for Staying Cooling Indoors

You can limit the work that your cooling system has to do by creating a naturally cool and naturally cooling environment. Not only will this lower your HVAC-related energy use, but it will also reduce stress on your heat pump or air conditioner. You'll have fewer performance issues like icing, short-cycling, and overheating. Maintaining an efficient home could even extend the lifespan of your cooling equipment.


Leverage Your Window Treatments Wisely

Keep your blinds, curtains or other window treatments closed throughout the hottest portion of the day. However, for this tactic to work, you have to close them before your home has already taken in solar heat. It's always best to have light-blocking, heat-blocking, or blackout window treatments rather than lightweight sheers. Adding plantation shutters to the exterior of the building will tighten your home's envelope, keep more of your conditioned air inside, and greatly improve your home's curbside appeal.


Seal Up Air Leaks

Weatherstripping isn't just for preventing heat loss in the winter. It can also keep your living space cooler and drier in the summertime. Add weatherstripping to your windows and doors and seal up air leaks in general building materials. If you haven't done so in a while, you can also add more insulation to your home or upgrade to insulating materials with higher R-values. Having an efficient and tightly sealed home envelope will allow you to create and maintain the indoor climate you want irrespective of what's happening outside.


Keep Hydrated

Don't wait until you're thirsty to reach for a cool drink. According to Harvard Health, thirst is one of the first signs of dehydration. Staying hydrated is easier when you take small sips of water throughout the day rather than gulping down large quantities at once. 


Wear Loose, Breathable Fabrics

When properly hydrated, the human body is effective at cooling itself. It does so by sweating. Wearing light, loose, breathable fabrics supports your body's natural cooling abilities. For the highest level of comfort, choose natural fabrics like linen or cotton that wick moisture away from the skin.


Set Your Ceiling Fans to Rotate Counterclockwise

Set your ceiling fans to rotate clockwise in the summer months. Doing so will push a cooling breeze down and make your living space feel much colder than it actually is. 


Hit Your Hot Zones With Cool Compresses

Cool down fast by applying cold compresses to your hot zones. Try placing one on the back of your neck, on your forehead, or in your armpits when overheated. You can even put your sheets or your pajamas in the freezer for several minutes just before going to bed.


Consider the Need for Additional Humidity Control

Heat pumps and ACs extract excess moisture during each cooling cycle. They convert this into condensation and route it out of homes via attached condensate drains. However, this is largely done to optimize operating conditions for heat pumps and ACs rather than for benefit of human users.

Humid air feels hotter and heavier than dry air. If your home feels excessively humid even when your HVAC system is on, consider adding whole-house dehumidification equipment as an integrated HVAC accessory.


Let Your Home Breathe at Night

When the sun sets and the daytime temperature drops, open a few windows and let fresh, outdoor air flow in. This is a great way to get rid of old, stale air and the trapped contaminants it contains.


Pets Matter, Too!

Don't forget about your feline and canine companions. Excessive panting and bright-red tongues and gums are signs of overheating. Keep your pets' water dishes full and let them experience the rapid relief of cold compresses, too.


Tips for Staying Cool Outdoors

On the hottest and most humid days of the year, staying cool outdoors can be a special challenge. Fortunately, there are many innovative products and strategies that make things a bit easier. 


Invest in Cooling Towels

Purchase a few cooling towels. These work much like cold compresses, but they're portable and perfect for wicking moisture away from the skin.


Opt for Light-Colored Garments

Ditch your dark-colored duds and opt for light-colored garments instead. Summer is hardly the time for an all-black ensemble. Black absorbs heat while lighter colors reflect it.


Pack a Cooler

Don't leave home without a few icy beverages in tow. There are many soft-sided, personal coolers that will help you stay hydrated while out and about.


Bring Rechargeable, Portable Fans Along

Whether solar powered or supporting USB-charging, there are lots of portable fans to choose from. You can find options that attach to your head, hang just around the neck, or clip onto books and cellphones.


Know When to Say When!

The best tip for staying cool in the summer months is knowing when to say when. When outside humidity and heat become unbearable, know when to throw in the cooling towel and make your way indoors. To shop a fantastic selection of light and heat-blocking window treatments, get in touch with Just Blinds today!

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.