Group 6 1 minute Read

blackout shades

Lauren Zerbey

Today is our 7th wedding anniversary! Seriously, where does the time go?

(Oh, remodeling a house together. That’s right.)

Anyhow, I’m not totally sure what the traditional 7-year gift is, but I think it might be blackout shades.

No? Crap. Sorry about that Kyle.

At any rate, we finally ordered and installed shades for the new basement bedroom (no more cardboard!).

When we replaced our windows on the main floor a few years ago, we did quite a bit of research on different shade options. To keep a light and airy vibe (and show off our sexy window jamb detail) we wanted simple roller shades in a translucent material that would allow filtered light in while still providing privacy. We scoped out both local and online companies and ultimately ended up with The Shade Store. They had the best selection for the best prices (although we’ve been proud owners of IKEA’s roller shades in the past, they don’t make ones larger enough for some of our windows).

So when it came time to outfit the basement bedroom, we knew we’d need something custom that had blackout capabilities (for sleeping guests and movie-watching). Fortunately, The Shade Store had several options so we ordered a handful of swatches before selecting the perfect blue-gray for the space.

The mounting hardware has also improved in the years since we ordered our main floor shades and now comes in a nice brushed silver option. Due to our window jamb depth and 2×4 walls, the mounting hardware does stick out a bit from the face of the finished drywall, but it’s not enough to be annoying. (Yes, because we installed them within the jamb there is a tiny bit of light seepage around some of the edges but again, not a deal breaker for us.)

The room feels more complete now, despite its lack of actual furnishings. Of course, now that we’re used to having the TV in our living room we’re unmotivated to move it downstairs. I think this is all part of Kyle’s ploy for a bigger TV and the eventual realization of his man cave.

Uh-huh. I think that’s the 8-year gift.

Note: The Shade Store provided us with a trade discount on our recent order. They didn’t pay us to say nice things about them, we’re just happy with the product and service we’ve received and wanted to share it with you guys.