Author: admat

5 Practical Renovations For Your Atlanta Backyard

As you are contemplating the fall season chores, you have a sudden thought – can I do more with my backyard? Can I build a structure to increase the quality of life in my home? Or perhaps you think it’s time for an upgrade to an existing patio or deck? There are few renovations that can improve both your life and your home’s value. Here are five ideas to give your backyard a facelift, while still providing a practical purpose.

 

Atlanta Backyard Landscaping

Landscape Your Backyard

Atlanta Backyard Fence IdeaThis is a great place to start when giving your backyard a makeover. Planting trees can provide practical considerations like natural shade and windbreaks, as well as adding an aesthetically pleasing touch, not to mention brilliant colors in the fall. The artistic use of large stones, flower beds, plants, and shrubbery can really bring your backyard to life. You can even color match some flowers and plants to coincide with the color of your leaves in the spring, summer, and fall.

Build a Beautiful Fence

Presenting a stylish fence to the neighborhood will certainly make your neighbors happy, as well as provide privacy from the outside world. You can find fencing to match the color and style of your home and even place gates where you want them. You can even add a small attached trellis or two to enhance your landscaping ideas.

Atlanta Outdoor Kitchen

Build an Outdoor Kitchen

Hosting social gatherings and events would be so much more refreshing if you could hold them outdoors. Turning part of your backyard into an outdoor kitchen provides a year-round place to enjoy the company of friends and family while appreciating the feel of an open-air environment, provided you also weatherize your kitchen with a covering of some kind and a set of either motorized patio shades or motorized retractable screens, depending on where your kitchen is located. These accessories will ensure you have some control over the climate inside the protective area, as well as shading you from the sun and keeping the bugs away while you prepare and eat your food.

Build a Patio Deck

This idea can turn an otherwise boring yard into a lively entertainment area. There are many sizes, styles, and colors to choose from, as well as convenience options like built-in seating, barbeques, refrigerators, and even wine coolers to store your favorite vino.

Build an Outdoor Seating Area

If space is limited, you can always design and build a seating area for small get-togethers. It doesn’t cost much to set down outdoor stones or tiles for flooring and place an outdoor furniture set atop it. Use the above-mentioned motorized patio shades or motorized retractable screens idea to give you a sense of seclusion.

There is so much more you can do with your backyard area. It is typically the most overlooked and underused area of a home. All it takes is some imagination and a desire to improve your home so that you can enjoy where you hang your hat to the fullest extent as you kick back and look out on a job well done.

Atlanta Outdoor Patio

Everything You Need to Know About Window Treatments

How your windows look can make or mar your home. Suitable treatments can go a long way to beautify your house and give it an alluring appearance. Window treatment involves a set of decorations, modifications, or covers used to regulate the extent that a window performs its functions.

Window Treatments Canton Georgia

Window treatment originated from Egypt, Persia, or China. Since 3100 BC, the Egyptians invented curtains made from papyrus. The main aim was to protect them from the desert heat and provide privacy.

During 1100 AD, the Persians invented the Venetian curtains. The Europeans adopted it in the 1700s. Gowin Knight has the patent for the first dwarf Venetian blinds.

The ancient Chinese made window blinds using bamboo. Since the origin of window treatment, it has evolved over the years.

As Avalon Management in Canton explains, windows treatments add style to the room, camouflage unpleasant views, control the amount of light entering the room, control room temperature, provide insulation, control air circulation, and offer privacy.

Before you choose a window treatment, you should ask yourself the following questions:

  • What function will it serve?
  • What options do I have?
  • What are the measurements of my window?
  • Will it be aesthetically pleasing?

Canton Ga contemporary apartment

What functions will it serve?

When choosing a window treatment, first and foremost, you should know the functions you want the treatment to perform. If you know this, you will be able to get the right type of treatment for your home.

If you want your window treatment to regulate the temperature in your room, you should choose cellular shades because they have excellent insulating properties.

If you want to protect your fabrics and furniture from sunlight, solar shades are a good option. They prevent damaging sunlight from entering your home but allow you to see through them.

What options are available?

If you have visited a home improvement store, you will be dazzled and overwhelmed by the different options of window treatments that are available. The spectrums available include blinds, drapes, shades, shutters, curtains, valance, swags, screens, pelmets, and cornices. Each of these has different subtypes.

Shutters are costly, and a few finishes and sizes are available. Making your shutters custom fitted for your windows gives it a better appearance.

Blinds are the most affordable. They are made of woods or plastics arranged into slats. When mounted outside the frame, blinds make small windows look more massive. Inside mounted blinds make your windows have a clean look.

Atlanta living room area

Shades are a little more expensive than blinds. They are made of fabrics and are available in different levels of opacities. Varieties of shades are roman, rollers, and honeycomb.

Drapes have flexibility in price depending on the material, pattern, size, and color. They are hung on a rod above the windows.

What are the measurements of my windows?

When you decide on the type of window treatment for your home, the next step will be to take the measurements of your windows.

For inside mounted blinds and shades, take measurements of the narrow widths at the top, middle, and bottom of the window. Also take measurements of the length from the right, middle, and left sides.

For outside mounted blinds and shades, add 1½ inches to the width and the length.

Shutters use a similar measurement process with blinds but add ⅛ inch to the longest width and ¹/6 inch on both sides to the narrowest with.

If you choose to use drapes, you will need to know the length of your rod. To do this, measure the width of your window and add about 3 to 8 inches on either side.

Another thing you should know before using drapes is the length. You can get it by measuring the distance from the point where the rod will be hung up to 1 inch above the floor.

Canton Georgia window blinds

Will it be aesthetically pleasing?

When it comes to window treatment aesthetics, your preference matters. But the following tips are useful and should be considered.

  • Drapes and shades: Choose a neutral shade or something close to the room’s dominant color. This will make your window treatments blend in. Contrasting shades can be used to highlight window features too.
    If you choose to use shades that have patterns, ensure to match one of the colors to your accent color.
     
  • Shutters: if you are using shutters, the woodwork in your room should match your shutters.
     
  • Blinds: Pure white blinds are beautiful. But if your room has a neutral shade as the dominant color, you should match it.

sofa in living room Atlanta design

The bottom line

Window treatments cannot be overlooked because they enhance the beauty of your home, regulate temperature, and provide you with privacy.

Before you choose a window treatment, there are pertinent questions you should answer. Answering these questions will help you choose the right window treatments for your room.

4 Window Treatment Ideas For Atlanta Patios

Sliding glass doors are often the preferred choice when it comes to opening the home to the patio area. Although it’s great to be able to view your yard and gardens from inside all year long, you still want to fit these doors with treatments that shade you from the sun and afford you a little privacy. When you are looking at window treatments for your patio entrance, keep these ideas in mind.

shutters for sliding doors Atlanta, Georgia

Shutters. You may think this sounds like a rather unconventional idea for a sliding door, but they are a classic choice that provides excellent energy efficiency. There are many options available today, including non-wood possibilities that are low maintenance and add value to your home, as they are permanent fixtures. Atlanta shutters also create a lovely beachy look, as they are a traditional window treatment in many areas near the water.

privacy sheers for sliding doors

Privacy sheers. These products are designed for sliding glass doors and offer a sort of hybrid, with features of vertical shades and sheer drapes. This treatment is composed of soft fabric vanes with a sheer face fabric. They diffuse natural light when tilted open and come in a room-darkening option as well. The variety of privacy sheer styles available gives you many opportunities to create ambiance while providing a perfect transitional area to your patio.

motorized outdoor shades Dunwoody GA

Motorized outdoor shades. This trending Atlanta window treatment idea is perfect for the modern home. The outdoor shades enclose your patio while allowing you to open it up to the great outdoors with ease. Patio screens of all kinds are available to help you design the perfect patio that suits your style while increasing the comfort of your home by shielding you from the sun and keeping out bugs.

vertical blinds for sliding doors

Vertical blinds. There is a reason that this window treatment option is one of the most common choices for patio doors. They come in a range of styles, textures, and colors that nearly every homeowner loves. Their contemporary style is popular among modern homeowners and will enable you to adjust your view and privacy easily.

No matter what Atlanta window treatments you choose, the desired result is the same—protection from the sun and your neighbor’s prying eyes. As you select from these window treatment options, always keep your tastes in mind, as this is a part of the home you will look at every day.

Beat the Summer Heat in Your Own Atlanta Backyard Oasis

Enjoying time in the great outdoors has almost become mandated due to the Covid-19 epidemic. Whether you prefer fresh powder on the slopes in the dead of winter or a blazing sunny beach in July, nearly everyone has an outdoor activity that gives them solace from the trappings of their busy daily lives. The Georgia summer is upon us now, and the warm temperatures and longer days have set the scene for relaxing in the backyard to the music of chirping birds and the comfort of a warm breeze. Make the most of your at-home getaway this year by creating your refuge to escape the sun and mosquitoes while spending time outside.

outdoor space with motorized screens

Here are a few great ideas to start you on the way.

Shady Spots Can Be Easy and Economical

If you don’t have an Atlanta screened-in patio or a space with a pergola, you can still have an attractive and comfy shaded area in your yard. There is a vast selection of easy-to-install canopies available online and at stores everywhere. Some are enclosed with screens to keep the bugs out, and others are open, but either way, you will appreciate the shade on the hottest days. For a more creative approach, consider building your covering by using a boat sail and attaching it to three posts in the ground. This one will make your friends and neighbors wish they had thought of it first!

Brunch Under Your Patio Umbrella

One of the fastest and most popular ways to get a little shade while enjoying an outdoor meal is the use of patio umbrellas. Umbrellas come in an endless array of colors, styles, and sizes. Some are simply larger versions of a rain umbrella, with a pole that fits through the hole in your patio table or a portable weighted base, while others are enormous contraptions that cover an entire patio. No matter which variety you choose, patio umbrellas are a timeless backyard staple that will last for years if taken care of properly.

patio umbrella

Invest in Screens to Protect You for Years to Come

Installing patio screens is the best investment you can make in an in-home oasis to shield yourself from bug bites and UV rays while providing an extra layer of privacy. Screens allow the fresh summer breeze to keep you cool as you while away the day in your beautiful yard. Motorized outdoor shades will enable you to reap these benefits at the push of a button and offer the option to open your patio up if you wish. The best part about Atlanta outdoor shades is that they are compatible with most smart home automation systems, and can be operated with ease.

retractable screens on beautiful Forest Park porch

With these simple ideas in mind, it is very easy to create a perfect outdoor oasis with all the comforts of home. Be sure to start soon and enjoy the summer while it lasts. Contact Peachtree Blinds of Atlanta today @ (770) 664-0027 to discuss the perfect backyard shade solution.

Make the Most of Your Summer With a Motorized Screen

The summer swelter is beginning to ramp up across the country, especially in Georgia. With sunny days and rising temperatures ahead, now is the time to be making your seasonal preparations. Many people are facing the prospect of more time in their homes this summer, providing the perfect opportunity to make the space as comfortable as possible. A motorized patio or porch screen may just be the home accessory you never knew you needed, providing protection from the elements while allowing you to enjoy the great outdoors.

Patio Screens Atlanta Motorized

What Can A Motorized Screen Do For You?

Motorized screens are retractable patio shades that allow you to seamlessly screen in your outdoor living space with the touch of a button. They provide ventilation and protection from the elements (think: UV radiation and mosquitos).

Motorized screens offer the best in pest protection, solar/UV radiation protection, and privacy. A versatile addition to your exterior spaces, motorized screens and patio shades serve several purposes. Transform your outdoors with the click of a button with a motorized shade.

Patio Screens Summer 2020

Exterior Motorized Shade Applications

One of the best things about motorized screens is their versatility. Install them in any of your exterior spaces, including:

  • Screened porches or patios. Instantly create privacy and shade on your outdoor patio by installing Atlanta porch shades. A stationary screen may offer protection, but it also prevents you from enjoying the outdoors to the fullest. With a retractable shade, you can enjoy the best of both worlds with the click of a button
     
  • Garage doors. We often do home improvement projects in the garage that require ventilation. An Atlanta motorized garage screen door allows you to complete all your outdoor projects with adequate airflow while keeping pests outside where they belong.
     
  • Privacy screens. A retractable screen can help you enjoy the great outdoors while retaining some of your privacy. Enjoy a soak in your hot tub or read a book in the outdoors uninterrupted. When you’re ready, simply click a button to open up to the world again.
     
  • Your four seasons room. A motorized screen allows you to use your four-seasons room as intended—through all months of the year. In the summer, you can enjoy the evening breeze without the buzz of mosquitos or even weather a summer storm. In colder winter months add a vinyl shade in tandem with your solar mesh to close off the harsh elements.

Motorized Vinyl Shades Georgia

Benefits Of An Atlanta Motorized Screen

There has never been a better time to add a motorized screen to your Georgia home. The benefits are numerous and include:

  • Weather protection. Porch shades can provide protection from harmful UV radiation, rain, high wind, and more.
     
  • Pest protection. Enjoy evenings outdoors without the need for irritating insect repellent.
     
  • Privacy. If you want to enjoy your porch in solitude, a patio shade provides privacy with the click of a button.
     

Make Your Summer Screen Your Own

Motorized retractable screens come in a variety of styles and formats to fit your needs and personal flair. We can customize your screen based on:

  • Size. We can customize our screens to fit your porch, patio, or four-seasons room.
     
  • Style. We have options to hang with tracks or cables, whichever best fits your enclosure style.
     
  • Décor. We help you personalize your screen by matching it with your own personal home decorating style. The best screens blend seamlessly with your style such that they are virtually invisible. We offer our screens in numerous color and texture options to fit your personal flair.
     

Many Atlanta residents are preparing to spend more time at home this summer. As such, now is the perfect opportunity to consider an investment in a patio or porch screen. By adding protection, privacy, and style, a motorized screen is the perfect investment of form and function. It may just be the summer accessory you never knew you needed. Contact us today to learn more about motorized screens and installation or setup an appointment to get started.

Choosing the Right Plantation Shutters for Your Georgia Home

Plantation shutters are phenomenally popular additions to American homes from coast to coast. They’re functional, versatile, and beautiful with the right interior design choices to match. If you’re interested in adding plantation shutters in your home, you should take your time and think carefully about what type of plantation shutters would work best for you. There are two main types of plantation shutters: poly plantation shutters and wood plantation shutters. While this may seem like a simple choice, there are many variations of these two options that you should consider carefully.

Faux Plantation Shutters in Atlanta, Georgia

Poly Plantation Shutters

Poly plantation shutters feature affordable and highly durable poly-wood construction. This composite material offers several benefits with a few minor drawbacks, so it’s important to weigh your options carefully.

When it comes to the benefits of poly plantation shutters, this option receives top marks in durability. Poly materials are incredibly durable and will hold their finish very well. In fact, poly plantation shutters will hold their color for their entire lifetime. They’re also highly resistant to moisture, making them ideal choices for homes in humid climates or garages that tend to collect moisture. Poly plantation shutters will not warp when placed in areas with high humidity.

While poly plantation shutters are incredibly durable, this durability comes at the price of the shutters being very heavy. It’s very important to have your poly shutter panels sized correctly if you choose this material for your plantation shutters. The excess weight puts a great deal of strain on the frames holding the shutters in place, and they can eventually fall out of alignment if they are too heavy. Make sure the company you choose to install your poly plantation shutters sizes them appropriately so this doesn’t happen.

Poly plantation shutters are also more affordable than their wooden counterparts, so they are perfect options for remodeling projects with tighter budgets. However, affordability does come with the drawback of limited color choices. Poly plantation shutters are only available in white and off-white, so homeowners that want different colors should consider wood plantation shutters instead.

Wood Plantation Shutters in Atlanta

Wood Plantation Shutters

Wood is timeless and looks fantastic in all types of homes, from traditional Cape Cods and Victorian homes to modern homes with contemporary layouts. Wood plantation shutters are typically more expensive than their poly-wood counterparts, but they offer a wide range of benefits to account for the higher cost.

The primary benefit of choosing Atlanta wood plantation shutters is the sheer number of design options available with this selection. You can paint and stain wood plantation shutters any color you can imagine. As long as you follow appropriate painting procedures and seal your paint correctly, you can install wood plantation shutters that will flow beautifully with any type of home décor.

Wood plantation shutters are also lighter than poly plantation shutters, but they are more durable. This option will last quite a long time, and the only real drawback is that painted wood plantation shutters may require occasional repainting. Keeping them painted and sealed properly will also help lock out moisture, and wood plantation shutters are more vulnerable to moisture than poly plantation shutters.

Which Type of Plantation Shutters Are Best?

Ultimately, the cost difference between wood plantation shutters and poly plantation shutters is not extraordinary, and many homeowners will prefer the flexibility in design options that come with wood plantation shutters. However, poly plantation shutters are affordable and look great in many types of homes, so they can be the best option for home-flipping or rental property owners looking to spruce up their rental properties quickly and cheaply.

Peachtree Blinds specializes in Atlanta plantation shutters. We have helped homeowners all over the Georgia area design and install beautiful plantation shutters of all types, and we can help you choose the best fit for your home. If you’re interested in plantation shutters but aren’t sure which type would be the best option for your home, contact Peachtree Blinds of Atlanta today and our team will be happy to help.

The Screened Porches of 2020

So many Georgian’s are stuck in their home dreaming of the vacation they would have had. Due to the Covid-19 situation, the summer of 2020 points to evolving homeowner expectations, it may be the frequency with which locals are integrating screen porches, patios, and outdoor kitchens into original landscaping that artfully marries the house to its setting.

Marietta Georgia motorized outdoor shades, screens

Gone are the days of the minimal outdoor footprint; today’s homeowners want to express themselves—which is why the traditional house is becoming more personalized. Atlanta homeowners want outdoor rooms and spaces that are wired for entertainment, useable for seven or eight months of the year, and so easy to maintain that the usual repair and replacement tasks are mostly eliminated.

Screen porch construction has become much more advanced with a vast range of products and technology available. Most of these technologies are designed to fit right into an existing home automation system. And with the popularity of Alexa and Google Home, voice control is expected.

To satisfy this more demanding criteria, Peachtree Blinds constantly stays on top of a new generation of weather-resistant materials, absorbing and applying fine building techniques that will shape non-traditional materials into designs perfectly suited to the home’s style and setting. As the standard has risen, so, too, the need to stay ahead of the curve.

The Motorized Porch Shades of 2020

One of our inovating products that has become extremely popular are our motorized screens from Universal. Motorized retractable screens are not necessarily new but the technology surrounding them is constantly evolving. From rain and wind sensors that lower or raise the screens when the weather is not cooperating to home automation integration and iphone or android device control. We also install many Alexa and Google Home controlled screens.

Motorized Retractable Screens Georgia

Vinyl Motorized Shades

Vinyl outdoor shades are available in clear vinyl for windows or see through applications as well as colored or printed designs. These shades utilize the same technologies, tracks and motors as the motorized screens above, all while allowing for a true 4 season room. Needles to say these vinyl screens have become very popular with Atlanta area restaurants and other outdoor commercial venues but they also work great for residential applications.

Atlanta vinyl motorized screens for porches, patios, decks

Can Draperies Be This Simple And Yet Look So Elegant?

Beautiful custom drapesThis weeks installation took place in Chateau Elan in Braselton, Georgia. Keeping with today’s theme of “Farmhouse Plus”, these 100% linen panels are the perfect finishing touch. Manufactured by Fabricut, these panels were sewn with a 3 finger pinch pleat.The panels take on a sleek, tailored look that is modern but sophisticated and warm to the eye. Linen = COZY!

The Dining Room has a Duo-Drape where approximately 3/4 up from the bottom is a deep blue to add a little pop to the room. Notice the placement of all the rods which was done strategically to keep the illusion of height in tact.

The hardware is a simple 1 1/8″ diameter rod by Kirsch Hardware in a oil rubbed bronze finish. The ends are decorated with simple blunt end caps.

Custom draperies can be installed in approximately 4 weeks from date of order. 1,000 of colors and patterns are available! Contact Peachtree Blinds of Atlanta today @ (770) 664-0027.

 

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Motorized Outdoor Shades – Lake Oconee, Georgia

This weeks motorized outdoor shade installation took place at Reynolds Plantation at Lake Oconee, Georgia. The screens were produced by Universal Motion Screens of Dallas, TX. The customer’s primary goal was to block the bugs and gain more enjoyment from their deck with an awesome view of the water. Powered by Somfy motors, the client will have the ease of a multi-channel remote which will allow them to operate the screens individually or as a group. The screen mesh is produced by Phifer who manufactures Pet Mesh; a 10 year warranty screen material that won’t rip, tear, or mildew.

Retractable porch screens Lake Oconee, Georgia

A single window was covered with a 95% solar mesh to help reduce the incredible amount of heat that was reflecting off the water. When the screen is down it reduces the temperature coming into the house by a whopping 16 degrees!

On the outside patio you will also notice Retractable Screen Doors installed on a set of custom French Doors produced by Mirage Screens. Mirage Screens offer the same resistant pet mesh which will keep the look and consistency in tact with the rest of the patio / deck area. Mirage doors are made to retract slowly to prevent injury and a safer retraction that won’t slam or pinch fingers.


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Install of Week March 1 – Motorized Screen Enclosure

This screen enclosure project took place in Lake Oconee, Georgia and incorporated many facets of screen products.

US Motion Screens covered the larger spands which measured over 18 feet wide. The decorative caps at the top and bottom of the columns where removed to allow placement of the tracks. Once installed, Peachtree Blinds installers returned that same molding to it’s original form. The power cord was strategically placed to be hidden from everyday view. Powered by Somfy motors this homeowner can utilize a multi channel remote to operate the screens.

Smaller areas were covered with ScreenEze, a patented system that provides fixed screens for large areas. Built on site by our installers ScreenEze can cover areas up to 150 square feet. Notice how tight the installation turned out! No waves or wrinkles.

For fast and easy access into the house Mirage retractable screen doors were installed. These invisible screens roll up and disappear when not in use allowing a clear view through the glass door. Mirage doors are made to retract slowly to prevent injury. The result is a safer product that wont pinch fingers of children or scare pets.

This combination of products is ideal for any homeowner on the lake!


SunPro motorized patio screens

Service Areas Window Covering & Porch Shades

  • Georgia

    Atlanta, Midtown, Calhoun, Sugar Valley, Eton, Chatsworth, Dalton, Tunnel Hill, Redbud, Resaca, Plainville, Adairsville, Sonoraville, Fairmount, Ranger, Ludville, Rydal, Cartersville, Waleska, Rome, Buckhead, Dunwoody, Canton Plantation Shutters, Sandy Springs, Decatur, North Druid Hills, Brookhaven, Roswell, Marietta Plantation Shutters, Smyrna, Vinings, Fair Oaks, Kennesaw, Sandy Plains, Alpharetta, Acworth, Woodstock shutters, Johns Creek, Northcross, Duluth, Berkeley Lake, Peachtree Corners, Fair Oaks, Holly Springs, Milton, Oak Grove, Allatoona, Mountain Park, Crabapple, Suwanee, Dahlonega, Ball Ground and other surrounding Metro Atlanta areas.

  • Tennessee

    Chattanooga motorized patio shades, East Ridge, East Brainerd, Ridgeside, Collegedale, Apison, Ooltewah, Tyner, Lookout Mountain, Cleveland, South Cleveland, Wildwood Lake, McDonald, Old Fort, Conasauga, Ocoee and other Southeast Tennessee cities

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