Pet Friendly Window Treatments: One Room Challenge Week 5
Cats Versus Curtains. Although this may sound like the title to an adorable and hilarious video, I am sorry to disappoint you. Week five of the one room challenge is about problem solving and solution seeking for our client’s home and her three feline companions.
Not my clients actual cats, to protect their identity ;-)
When I initially began discussing window treatments with my client, I had recommended curtains. They add wonderful texture and softness to a space and can be a very budget friendly option. My client shared that in the past her cats had destroyed curtains in her previous home and that curtains were a no go. We discussed roman shades and bamboo shades as two options that would still be affordable and more cat friendly. My client shared that she loved the look of interior wood shutters, while I agreed with my client that they are really beautiful and functional, they are also really expensive, and her budget did not allow for that cost (especially since the window treatments will be carried throughout the entire house as none of her windows had any current treatments).
There are less expensive non wood shutter options out there however the quality often does not last and the shutters need to be replaced after a few years due to sun damage, cracking, growing mold and mildew, and breakage due to general wear and tear. There are also wood shutters that are moderately priced however these are sold in only a few select sizes that would not work for this client’s home due to the wide variety of window sizes many of which are over 5 feet wide.
Lowes Allen + Roth Faux Wood Shutter
There is also the cost of installation to consider. Most older homes do not have perfectly square window openings, so attempting to install the shutters yourself may require lots of shims and or sanding down of the wood to get these to fit into the window frame. Plus, the amount of time it would take to accomplish this since neither myself nor the client had ever done this. This is a great tutorial on how to tackle this project if you so choose.
https://www.thisoldhouse.com/walls/21016492/how-to-hang-interior-shutters
Now we arrive at the place in a project that many designers are familiar with. This is a strange occurrence known as “the client’s budget magically grew” to accommodate something they really want. I soon got a text from my client stating, “I bought the shutters, they will be coming to install them in October”. Shocked as I was, I asked where the client purchased them from and how much they ended up costing. “About $9,000” was the response. The cost per window varied anywhere from $632 each for the smallest window, to $1310 for the largest, which included installation. While I really hated being right about the expense, I was happy to see that my client investing in her home and taking the initiative to get the outcome she truly desired. During a later discussion the client informed me that she had purchased the product and installation from Koloko Shutters and Blinds. My client selected Hunter Douglas Palm Beach Polysatin in Bright White. These shutters come with a lifetime guarantee. You can read more about this great product here. https://www.kalokoshutterblind-kona.com/hunter-douglas/shutters/palm-beach
Hunter Douglas Palm Beach Polysatin Shutter
My client is happy to report “I love them, these are the best investment I have made to my house”. Here are some of the unexpected benefits she also found after the shutters were installed. First the home is much cooler now. Due to the shutters reflecting light (since there were no window treatments on most of the windows) the house has been substantially cooler inside. Second the shutters are also great at noise cancelation especially when fully closed or nearly closed. My client stated she is no longer being woken up in the early morning by the neighborhood roosters, definitely a common issue here in Hawaii. Third she has better air flow in the home because she can keep the windows open even when she is not home, and not worry about the cats trying to break through the screens and escape. The shutters are a perfect barrier between the cats and the screens, which roman shades and bamboo shades would not have provided.
Shutters installed in clients living space.
Koloko Shutters and Blind installed them quickly and did an amazing job. I will certainly be referring future clients to their business as they did an excellent job all around. I am thrilled the client found a great solution to her unique window treatment needs and am excited to continue sharing with you the guest room as we head into week six of the one room challenge.
Guest Bedroom Window with Shutters
Follow this link https://www.oneroomchallenge.com/orc-blog to explore all the spaces being created by my fellow ORC guest participants and the featured designers. For those on social media use the hashtag #bhgorc and #oneroomchallenge to watch the transformations, DIYs and creative solutions in real time. Thank you to Better Homes and Gardens and One Room Challenge for hosting this event.
Fall 2021 One Room Challenge
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