Window treatment suggestions ...

I had these done 1.5 years ago in a 3-bedroom glass wall apt by:

Distinctive Window Treatment Plus

Tel. 718-768-9340, 212-620-5261
Fax 718-768-4839
www.distinctivewindows.com

My costs:

A) Location: Great Room, Master Bedroom Suite, Guest Bedroom,
Library, Kitchen
Solar Shades – Spec 5% Open

Quantity: 13
Net: $5,746.00

B) Install, Measure, Coordinate:
Labor: $1,950.00 $7,696.00

Motorized Option:

C) Motorization: (includes 13 motors and 6 transmitters or switches) Net: $11,075.00

D) Labor: $1,200.00

Total (with option): $12,275.00

Keep in mind that fabric roller-shades are nearly impossible to clean. They will get dusty, and if you open your windows to let in fresh air regularly, eventually after just a year they will get sooty as well.

I have all my windows covered with sheers. Simple, elegant, and all that's required for cleaning is tossing them in the washer twice a year. They're practically dry when they come out of the washer, so just hang them damp, and they dry wrinkle-free.

What else is nice about sheers is even when closed, you still get the view. They soften the look of the room, and provide near-maximum light through. But at night, they provide enough privacy so people can't see inside.

http://www.beyond-blinds.com/bella/images/stories/galleries/hanover/002.jpg

Matt: in some of these new floor-to-ceiling windowed condos, there is no place to hang the curtain rod. And it's not esthetically pleasing.

I have seen those lines that are actually like a heavy wire but I've never understood how they attach to the wall. Anyone? I love sheers but with a light on in the room at night, I have trouble believing that nobody can see in.

You attach the rods to the ceiling.

Like http://www.curtainfair.com/94005.htm, but they come even shallower.

I just installed them. The are great.

Matt:
living in condo(gone rental) space and have the floor to ceiling issue as well. how much did the sheers cost? where did you buy them?

cfranch, I have some pretty standard window sizes in my prewar building, so I bought two pairs of 60-inch length sheers for the living room, and two pairs of 96-inch length sheers for the bedroom. Bed, Bath, & Beyond -- $25 per panel (you need two panels per window), so it ended up being about $200 to cover four windows. When I first moved in, the plan was just to get something up there to cover the windows for privacy, and that I'd add proper draperies once I got settled in. Three years later, I'm happy with just having the sheers up -- adding draperies on top of the sheers would cut down on the light and the view. They have a "finished" look by themselves.

How tall are your ceilings? You might luck out at BB&B with even longer lengths -- I seem to recall seeing 101-inch sheers, and given the number of apartments in the city with high ceilings and glass walls, I'd be surprised if they didn't at least carry the 120-inch lengths. Of course, custom sizes can always be ordered. You might want to also consider www.factorydirectdrapes.com -- their prices are higher but you can still cover a window for under $150.

Pure white voile fabric (smooth, no texture) is what I used in the bedroom. I chose beige voile for the living room (I have gold walls), and the afternoon sun filtering through the beige sheers, bathes the room in a beautiful golden glow.

what about the shade store? i got solar shades. they are relatively inexpensive...about $450-600 per window..and installation is about $250 - 500/measure and install...or if you're handy, it's easy to install yourself. i got them for my condo...and they install from the ceiling.

Wow jill24 -- I'd like to live in your world for a day, where $600 per window shade is "relatively inexpensive".

http://www.smithandnoble.com/sn/home.jsp

You surely won't believe this, but there's an installer putting in my new cellular total-light-block blinds (Christopher Lowell) as I type this message. [Upper East Side] Very happy with the smith+noble products and the installer, called M&M Installation, is great. S+N takes care of all the installation and measuring arrangements.

I've ordered from www.smithandnoble.com 2x with marvelous results, although I used a local installer.

As much as I also love the Smith and Noble products, their main disadvantage is that they're fabric and difficult to clean. Vacuuming helps, but doesn't remove all the dust and soot particles that accumulate (particularly if you open your windows on nice days). After just a couple of years, I needed to replace mine because they got so dingy. After that, I couldn't justify spending hundreds of dollars per window on something I'd end up throwing away after less than a handful of years.

It's not clear whether your "one" room is one of two or one of six, but it's worth considering asset price here, I think. If you're living in a $3MM+ apartment, I would definitely spend to get motorized shades, at least in the living room, because that's what the technology standard for new condos is and it's what buyers "expect."

ali r.
{downtown broker}

I used Manhattan Shade for Hunter Douglas motorized roller shades. I had 4 panels done & it cost $4500. http://www.manhattanshadeandglass.com/. I've heard Shade Store is good (& probably cheaper). http://www.theshadestore.com/

Ali, I agree with you on motorized shades....I have them in my apt.(walls are almost all windows) and can't be happier...just a flick and they are up and down.

nycmatt...if you're looking at the other estimates....for example, 4 panels for $4,500, then the shade store would be half as much!

i had three different window estimates and the shade store turned out to be the cheapest option for me. yes, $450-600 is a lot but for solar shades, it was the least expensive i could find!

big oops!! i ordered a few months ago so my memory is lacking...i meant to say shade store is $150 - 200 per panel, NOT $450-600 per panel.

I have three windows and my total order cost was $450 but other estimates quoted me $650 - 850!!!

15-27K to put up moterized blinds! I'm in the wrong biz. For most that should be a 3 weekend project costing no more than 2K. but i guess these suppliers add 13-25K of value add?

PS: I cn come round and X10 all your light switches for a few dollars less, these switch cost $5 (or ($30 for the Insteon/ZigBee/Z-Wave variety) but they will all be on a remote control like your blinds, but I need a 5000% mark up to get out of bed ($250 a switch, to cheap, better make that 10,000% markup).

BA_DA_BOOM, I know someone in Meier building who spent $50,000 on motorized shades for the place! When you see how expensive these things are, you start to realize why you don't see them in every apartment.

No matter what you decide, DO NOT USE EMPIRE. They will sell you cheap blinds at a 500% mark up, and their "next day installation" usually means, eh, 3 to 4 weeks.

So I've gotten quotes and I'm going with the $2500 option which includes 8 panels (wasn't planning on putting one in the kitchen but changed my mind) and installation. Vendor did another unit in the building and I saw the work and was pleased with the quality. Thanks to all for your input and I'll let you know how it turns out.

Ali R. - How I wish I could afford a $3m condo (mine is about half that) but the vendor actually recommended AGAINST the motorized shades.

Avataram...how i wish i could afford a $1.5m condo...

avataram,

let me know how your installation goes (we are moving, also a far cry from $3 MM, and will have to treat our new windows).

I don't like motorized shades either -- I think they are a little wasteful of energy, and especially hypocritical in "green" buildings -- I'm just letting you know that buyers like, and at some price points expect, them.

But feel happy that you're doing the environmentally-friendly thing!

ali r.
{downtown broker}

My wife and I purchased from the Shade Store and have been very happy with the solar shades. I am pretty much non-handy and we installed them pretty easily which also helped to keep the cost down.

motorized shades are great if u can afford them. It gets really old walking around a large room trying to roll up 7 different shade panels and making sure they're all even and stuff. That's why people opt for motorized. I really wish we had done them in the bedroom. Nice way to wake up in the morning: sun at the press of a button.