Hear from Our Customers
Your AC stops running constantly. That’s the first thing most Allandale homeowners notice after we install quality roller shades—the house stays cooler without cranking the thermostat down to 68.
When you’re dealing with 100+ degree days for months straight, uncovered windows turn your home into a greenhouse. Up to 30% of your cooling energy escapes right through the glass. Roller shades with the right fabric and fit create a thermal barrier that keeps heat out during the day and your energy bills reasonable.
The second thing you’ll notice is the light control. Blackout roller shades give you complete darkness when you need it—for sleeping in on weekends, putting kids down for naps, or watching TV without glare. Sheer options filter harsh sunlight without blocking your view of the neighborhood. You control exactly how much light comes in, room by room.
Then there’s the furniture and flooring. UV rays fade everything they touch—your couch, your rugs, your hardwood floors. Solar screen roller shades block up to 99% of UV rays, which means your stuff stays vibrant longer and you’re not replacing expensive furniture every few years.
We’ve been installing custom window treatments across the Austin area for over ten years. That includes hundreds of homes in Allandale—mostly those classic ranch-style and Craftsman homes built in the ’50s and ’60s that define the neighborhood.
Allandale homeowners care about quality. You’re not looking for the cheapest option—you’re looking for something that works, lasts, and doesn’t require a service call six months later. That’s why we focus on Texas-made products and proper installation the first time.
We’re not a franchise or a big-box retailer. When you call, you’re talking to someone who actually knows your neighborhood, understands the specific challenges of cooling older homes in Central Texas heat, and can recommend shades that fit your windows and your life.
First, we come to your home in Allandale for a consultation. We measure your windows, talk about what’s not working with your current setup, and show you fabric samples so you can see and feel the difference between sheer, light-filtering, and blackout materials. This usually takes 30-45 minutes depending on how many windows we’re covering.
After that, we build your custom roller shades. Everything is made to your exact window measurements—not standard sizes that kind of fit. This matters more than most people realize, especially in older Allandale homes where window frames aren’t always perfectly square.
Installation day is straightforward. We show up on time, install your roller shades or roller blinds for windows, test the operation (especially important for motorized options), and clean up completely. Most installations take a few hours. If you’re going motorized, we’ll walk you through the app or remote control before we leave so you actually know how to use it.
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Every roller shade we install is custom-measured for your specific windows. That means no gaps on the sides where light and heat sneak through. You’re getting a precise fit that actually performs the way it’s supposed to.
You’ll choose from hundreds of fabric options—from sheer materials that soften sunlight to complete blackout blinds for bedrooms and nurseries. For Allandale’s intense summer sun, most homeowners go with solar screen fabrics in living areas (blocks heat and UV while keeping your view) and blackout roller shades in bedrooms.
Motorization is available on any shade. This isn’t just a luxury feature—it’s practical when you have high windows, multiple shades in one room, or you want to set schedules so your shades automatically lower during the hottest part of the day. Most motorized systems integrate with smart home setups, and you can control everything from your phone.
The installation includes professional mounting with the right hardware for your wall type. Allandale homes have everything from original plaster to updated drywall, and we adjust our approach accordingly. You’re also getting a walkthrough of how to operate and maintain your new interior roller shades so they last for years.
Blackout roller shades use a dense, opaque fabric that blocks nearly 100% of light. When they’re down, the room goes dark—no light coming through the material itself. These work best in bedrooms, nurseries, or any room where you need complete darkness for sleeping or watching TV without glare.
Light-filtering roller shades use a semi-transparent fabric that softens incoming light but doesn’t block it completely. You still get natural light in the room, but it’s diffused so you don’t have harsh rays creating hot spots or glare on screens. These are popular in living rooms, kitchens, and home offices where you want brightness without the intensity.
There’s also a middle option—room-darkening shades. These block most light (around 95%) but aren’t quite as heavy as full blackout blinds for windows. Some people prefer these in bedrooms because you get darkness for sleeping but a little light comes through in the morning, which feels more natural than waking up in a cave.
The choice depends on the room and what you’re trying to accomplish. Most Allandale homes end up with a mix—blackout in bedrooms, light-filtering in common areas.
Yes, but only if they’re the right type and properly installed. The Department of Energy found that high-efficiency window shades can reduce cooling costs by 15-25% during summer months. In Allandale, where you’re running AC from May through September, that adds up.
The key is using solar screen or reflective fabrics that block heat before it enters your home. Regular decorative roller shade blinds won’t do much—you need materials specifically designed to reflect solar radiation. When installed close to the window (inside mount or tight outside mount), these create a barrier that stops heat transfer through the glass.
Motorized roller shades can boost savings even more because you can program them to lower automatically during peak sun hours—usually 2-6 PM in Central Texas. This means your shades are always working even when you’re not home, keeping heat out all day instead of just when you remember to close them.
The other factor is gaps. Custom-measured roller blinds for windows fit tightly with minimal space around the edges where heat sneaks in. That’s why proper measurement and installation matter—poorly fitted shades lose a lot of their energy-saving potential.
From your initial consultation to installation usually takes 2-3 weeks. That includes the time it takes to manufacture your custom roller shades to your exact window measurements.
The consultation itself takes 30-45 minutes. We measure your windows, discuss fabric options, and give you a quote on the spot. Once you approve, we place the order for your custom shades.
Manufacturing takes about 10-14 days depending on the complexity and whether you’re adding motorization. Texas-made products sometimes come faster, but we always give realistic timelines rather than overpromising.
Installation day depends on how many windows we’re covering. A typical Allandale home with 8-12 windows takes 3-4 hours. Larger projects or homes with a lot of motorized shades might take a full day. We’ll give you a specific timeframe when we schedule, and we don’t leave until everything is installed, tested, and working correctly.
Most motorized roller shades we install integrate with popular smart home systems like Alexa, Google Home, and Apple HomeKit. The specific compatibility depends on which motor system you choose, but the major brands we work with—including Hunter Douglas PowerView—work with most setups.
The way it works: your motorized shades connect to a hub or directly to your WiFi network. From there, you control them through an app on your phone or with voice commands. You can also create schedules (like automatically lowering shades at 3 PM when the sun hits hardest) or scenes that control multiple shades at once.
If you don’t have a smart home system yet, that’s fine. Motorized shades come with their own remote control and app, so they work independently. You can always integrate them with a smart home system later if you decide to add one.
One thing to know: motorized shades need power. Most run on rechargeable batteries that last 6-12 months between charges. Some homeowners prefer hardwired options if they’re doing a renovation, but battery-powered is the standard for existing homes since there’s no electrical work required.
Roller shades are low-maintenance compared to other window treatments, but Central Texas dust means you’ll want to clean them occasionally. Most fabrics just need a light dusting every few weeks with a microfiber cloth or your vacuum’s brush attachment.
For deeper cleaning, it depends on the fabric. Most roller shade materials can handle spot-cleaning with a damp cloth and mild soap. Blackout fabrics are usually vinyl-backed, which makes them easy to wipe down. Solar screen fabrics are more delicate—you’ll want to use a soft brush or cloth to avoid damaging the weave.
Don’t submerge roller shades in water or take them down to throw in the washing machine. The internal mechanisms aren’t designed for that, and you’ll likely damage the shade or void any warranty.
The other maintenance item is the mechanism itself. Every 6-12 months, check that your roller shade rolls up and down smoothly. If it’s sticking or uneven, there might be dust in the track or the tension needs adjusting. Most issues are simple fixes, but if something seems off, call us rather than forcing it—that’s usually when people break things.
Motorized shades need battery changes or recharging depending on the system. You’ll get a low-battery notification through the app, usually weeks before they actually die, so you have plenty of time.
Yes, especially if you choose cordless or motorized options. Traditional roller shades with pull cords can be a strangulation hazard for young children, which is why cordless designs are now the standard recommendation for any room where kids spend time.
Cordless roller shades use a spring mechanism—you just pull down on the bottom rail to lower them and give a gentle tug to release them back up. No dangling cords anywhere. Motorized blackout roller shades are even safer since there’s nothing to pull on at all. Kids can’t reach the controls, and you operate everything from a wall switch or your phone.
Beyond safety, blackout window blinds actually help kids sleep better. Babies and toddlers are sensitive to light, and even a little bit coming through regular curtains can disrupt naps or early morning sleep. Complete darkness signals their brain that it’s sleep time, which usually means longer, better-quality rest.
For nurseries in Allandale, most parents combine blackout roller shades with the energy-saving benefits. A dark, cool room is ideal for infant sleep, and blackout blinds for windows handle both jobs. The room stays darker and cooler, your baby sleeps better, and you’re not running the AC as hard to compensate for heat coming through the windows.
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