My 4-year-old daughter's bedroom is wonderfully bright and sunny, but I am having trouble choosing the right kind of window blind for the two windows in her room. The windows are average size and the bottom of the window is about 24 inches from the floor. Help!!

Lorraine, Ottawa

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Lorraine,

Children's bedrooms can be a challenge as there are so many things to consider - safety, light control, ease of use, and room décor. Here are my suggestions:

1. Roller shades are always a very versatile option as they provide excellent room darkening qualities and can be raised out of sight when not needed. They also use a lifting chain that does not pose any safety concerns. Choose a colour that complements the room's décor and add a fabric topper that will soften the look and hide the top of the blind.


2. Pleated shades in room darkening fabrics will block most of the light and their fabrics will soften the window. Choose an easy lifting system option, as they do not have long cords that dangle and pose safety concerns. The colours for pleated shades range from soft pastels to bold jewel colours - I'm sure you will find a colour and fabric that will enhance your daughter's room.

3. If you want to keep the room cool in the summer and warm in the winter, consider cellular shades as they have superior insulation qualities. Like roller and pleated shades, they also provide excellent light control when you choose a room darkening fabric. As with the other shades, you may want to consider adding a small fabric topper that will hide the blind's headrail.


I hope these suggestions give you some direction.

Happy decorating!