Ok, so you *might* have noticed already, but BIG things are happening!
But first… no, no, no… we’re not changing. Not in any of the ways that are important to you, that is. We’re still the same small, family-owned Vermont business, making the same super-high-quality, super-durable, super-insulating cellular window shades! That will never change.
What has changed? We’ve built a brand new website that will allow us to do MORE for you! And we’ve changed the brand name of our cellular shades. Same amazing shades, brand new name!
Introducing…
We knew you would….
Same, SNAZZY Stylin’ Shades, but with oh so much MORE!
More options! Easier ordering! BIGGER discounts!
You fell in love with our amazing energy efficient Cellular Window Shades…
(We don’t blame ya there…)
They’re stylish, super energy smart and dare we say…..sexy.?
Same Stunning Cellular Shades
And those haven’t changed a bit! I mean, why mess with perfection, right? 😉 But NOW…..we have even MORE shades to choose from! Allow us to introduce you to our ravishing, reliable …drum roll PLEASE…..
New EcoSmart Roller Shades!
Ah-maz-ing, no???
These shades rock AND roll……
Hey… we know change isn’t for everyone. We get it. But let us assure you…
We are the SAME friendly, helpful people you know and love… just working hard to offer you even MORE shading options, an easier way to price and order your shades, and introductory pricing that can’t be beat. Check out the new site today, and let us know what you think!
We have our heads down, and are working as fast as physics allows, to get our super-duper amazing insulating Cellular Window Shades to you and into your windows, so you can save energy for DECADES to come!
Thank goodness Wayne and Garth are not on our team!
Right now our production lead time is about 5 weeks.
Thank YOU for your patience and rest assured, your shades will SOON be providing you privacy, reducing glare and looking OH so stylish. We promise to make it worth the wait!
Check out this winning combination of motorized shades and corded Cellular Window Shades!
Our customer Jim, his life is easy peasy lemon squeezy with our motorized shades. Our Cellular Shades run off of either a battery pack or a 12-V plug-in transformer, and can be controlled by a remote, wall switch, timer, or even with a sun sensor! Or in other words……MAGIC!
Chat with one of our shady gurus today! 877-966-3678
Ok not as many. Do you realize it’s the SAME THING!??!
At this point, only barbarians and some fossil fuel companies think saving energy is a horrible idea.
As a citizen of Earth, it’s the right AND responsible thing to do.
No, no not just for you, but for the next generations.
That’s the conclusion of a study on RESEARCHGATE last year. It states, “Despite a growing body of research, the field is largely unfamiliar to many psychologists and to those working in the environmental field. Here we make a case for the importance of conservation psychology and describe a model for the social psychology of conservation behavior that focuses on situational context, existing schemas, and personal motives. We hope this model will be useful for policymakers and will prompt new psychological research on the topic of conservation.”
Think of this, all of those screens, lights, phones, TVs, all of them that are always going ON and OFF all day and night. That on/off action is thought of as a HUGE energy sucker, while devices that stay on all the time are conserving energy. But its the devices you don’t consider that can reap the biggest energy savings!
So what are these devices? Here’s a look at energy use in the average household along with simple ideas for lowering it:
Water heating: This accounts for around 20% of your energy bill. We all heard the quick fixes, cold-water laundry, short showers, rinsing your dishes in cold water. SOME even go as far as wrapping their tank in an insulating blanket. AWE. You can also switch to an on-demand system to reduce your usage.
Appliances: Those energy suckers take 13% of your home’s energy. Look at your refrigerator annnnd your dryer, both use 2-3 times more power than the rest. This is an awesome trick and doesn’t cost you anything! Stock your refrigerator and freezer FULL. Not necessarily of FOOD, but jugs filled with water. Check your thermometers too! Don’t overwork your fridge. 40° degrees is awesome temp. Ok so your dryer, if you can, line-dry clothes. ( I know, not terribly practical for all of us). Those little lint traps and vents? Keep them CLEAN! When you can, upgrade the model of dryer that has a moisture sensor, and double-spin heavy loads. ?
It’s a CLINKER!
Heating/Cooling: You know it, we ALL know it. This consumes more energy than anything else, around 42%. WOWZA! First thing everyone does is to turn to the thermostat. But what about your thermostat itself? Many thermostats today are smarter and actually require little interaction from our part. Some are programmable to a schedule, while advanced or “smart” thermostats can be controlled from a phone. They can even ‘learn’ your family’s habits and adjust automatically. Spooky, eh? And believe me, there is a BIG difference between 65 and 70 degrees. Just ask my father. But the thermostat is not gonna seal your doors, your windows, all those cracks and crevices that are pullllling ALL of your money right OUT of your home. Caulk those cracks! Seal those crevices. Insulate those windows! Also, replacing old model air conditioner with Energy Star unit, can cut cooling bills by 20% or more!! Remember how we said above, ‘wrapping your water heater with an insulating blanket, same thing goes for your home!
Vampires: No no, not the ones Bram Stoker wrote about. The more deadly “vampire” devices that constantly consume just a little ‘trickle’ of electricity so it can be “instantly-on” for you at a moment’s notice. The average home has 40+ of these energy hogs. Your power cubes, LED indicator lights, cable/dsl boxes, power cubes, and any product that has keypads and LED indicator lights. All together, they are sucking 10% of our homes’ power. Just like humans, it feels good to UNPLUG. Your devices feel the same way. Do you have power strips? GREAT! Connect a bunch of ‘vampires’ and cut them off with one kill switch! Energy savings galore!
Lighting: It’s not as much as you’d think. My parents ingrained it in us kids, ‘when you leave a room, the light goes off.’ I am sure if you stood outside our home, you could track our whereabouts VERY easily. 6% of the average home’s energy is for lighting. Thanks to the advancements in LED or CFLs bulbs, they’ll save huge amounts long run. And that’s what we are talking about. Small investments, cultivating new habits that will save you all year long.
Why are we SO passionate about energy savings? Because living where we do in Vermont…it is always on our minds.
-20 degrees does that to a person.
That’s why we have been handcrafting some of the most insulating window shades on the planet for over 30 years.
Tis true…we asked our amazing shady peeps where they found joy in this most challenging of a year. We also know that by sharing joy, it will spark MORE joy, which will ignite EVEN more joy and soon, we’ll have a joy avalanche that will push us through into 2021!
Our team wanted to share their most joy FILLED photos of 2020 with you. From weddings, to new puppers, to glorious sunsets, 2020 wasn’t all murder hornets, flying snakes and toilet paper shortages.
“Meet Sedona (a/k/a Seddie), my new grandpuppy. My daughter rescued her a few months ago. She has her Thanksgiving treat from grandma on her nose waiting to be told it is ok to eat it. Isn’t she beautiful? She makes me happy!!” – Ginny
“This is Lexy & my ONE and Only sunrise this year on the dock at camp…” -Michele
My husband and I did a very ‘touristy’ thing over the summer. We took a sunset cruise on Lake Champlain and I’m so giddy we did. The sunset made me aware that this crazy world will continue to spin, no matter what. It was profound reminder, this too shall pass away.” – Jody
“In the beginning of the pandemic, after a particularly difficult day and sleepless night I went to my car and saw this. The beauty of it stopped me in my tracks – I literally was able to exhale a breath I hadn’t known I had been holding. It was a gorgeous reminder that we are surrounded by beauty. I slept well that night. “ -Kelly
“Riding with combat vets on the perfect peak foliage day. Freedom and beauty during a time when our worlds where a lot smaller. “ – Amy
“This because I always wanted a deer since I was a kid. No one in my family is a hunter so I never got to learn. As an adult, I had to teach myself. Many years of learning through failures, and this year got my first one and it was one of those “wise old bucks” that are very difficult to take when you are in their house. “ – Greg
“In a year when not many people would say that this was one of the best years of their lives, I am able to. I found so much joy, happiness, and life to be thankful for. 2020 brought me a new home, an engagement, a new puppy, and a wedding! All of these life changes were impacted by the events of 2020; however, a lot of great memories were created along the way that I will cherish forever.” -Kathie
” In August Steve & I went on our Vermont “staycation” to Woodstock – we had a glorious day that included a trip to the Billings Farm and Museum … on the property was this awesome Sunflower House! 10,000 square feet of so many varieties of sunflowers and of course their resident BEES! Loved it !!! “ – Barb
“Here is a photo coming down Mt Mansfield on the way to hike a total of about 15 miles of the long trail to get to Bolton Resort. This was a fantastic Summer and Fall to be hiking, and this hike was the most challenging I did. It was painful, but oh so rewarding. And had it been a “normal” summer I might not have fallen in love with hiking so much.” -Andrew
” It was late winter vacationing in Marco Island, Florida, when all was right with the world.” -Tom
“In March of this year I had the chance to ski with three of my grandsons at Sugarbush. Not long after that we stopped being able to see each other. This is a very fond memory of a fun day!” -Alan
“Moving into our first home on Thanksgiving week certainly gave us something to be thankful for. Looks like a good place to spend 30+ years together.” -Connor
We’re grateful to each and every member of our work family. Each person brings something wonderful to our company that’s uniquely valuable.
Annnnnnd we are grateful FOR our AMAZING customers! Thank you to each and every one of you, near and far for making the most out of 2020!
Look, we’ve ALL been cooped up at one point or another during this pandemic. We have cleaned, organized. We’ve mastered sourdough and finally wrangled all those dust rhinos (mine weren’t cute little bunnies!) from under every piece of furniture.
And as you sit back to enjoy your accomplishments, your eyes gaze out your windows…UGH. Mis-matched drapery, ill-fitting miniblinds you bought to make do, hand-me-downs that were in the house when you bought 15 years ago, or even worse… nothing. Nada. Just heat-sucking, glare-producing sheets of glass! EEEK!
‘MAKE DO’, NO LONGER!
BUT wait, before you RUSH into buying new shades for your home, let us share the top 6 mistakes to avoid when ordering your window treatments online.
GET FABRIC SAMPLES. You’re excited. You’ve made the decision to invest in your home, your comfort, your privacy. YAY! Good for you! Now, take a deeeeep breath and order fabric samples FIRST. Our samples are complimentary. Yes, ordering them, delays the gratification of checking off your ‘to do’ list, but it is SUCH a crucial step. Your phone or computer screen can totally misrepresent the colors. Truth. Light is different in your home, and it has the power to transform colors. So order fabric swatches. They’re FREE. This way you won’t be disappointed that your brandy new shades look ‘too something’.
THINK FUNCTION. We gotta break the news to you…LOOKS are important, but not more important than function. Yes, of course you want them to look fabulous, and they will. Shading dramatically changes the look of your room. But do not pick a shade solely because you like the way it looks. The shade has to WORK for your lifestyle: your new WFH style. Do you have a TON of heat coming into your East-facing windows in the morning? Does the glare make looking at your computer monitor excruciating? Top Down/Bottom up Shades can provide total window coverage or just a smidge, depending on your need. Does your older home have drafts that freeze you to the bone? Our Energy Saving Sidetracks will seal those dastardly drafts! And if you don’t know what kinda shade or fabric will work best for your particular window situ, our shady gurus are here to guide you!
MEASURING FOR SUCCESS. We’ve all heard that adage, “measure twice, cut once.” Well, we say, “Measuring Correctly with our AWESOME instructions” Each shade we handcraft is made to precisely fit each window. And no two windows are the same. Like snowflakes. Never assume they are. It is a dangerous road. When windows aren’t measured properly, it can lead to HUGE light gaps, letting in blinding Sun that you wanted to eliminate in the first place! Now don’t fret. We have super duper helpful videos. We have worksheets. We have step-by-step instructions and if that’s not enough, we’ll connect with you via Facetime (or the like) and walk you through it. We got you. Cross our shady hearts.
Just ask this Pupper, mounting can be TRICKY!
WHERE OH WHERE TO MOUNT? While we’re on the topic of measuring, have you heard about the differences between inside mounting and outside mounting your shades? Whaaaaaa? You haven’t?! Oh my, ok so…. there are two ways to install your shade. Outside (on top of the window frame) is ideal for ultimate light blocking, and for wonky windows (ya know the ones that look more like a trapezoid or parallelogram). Outside mounting also covers those *clears throat* less attractive frames. Inside mounting is the most common. Snug as bug in…ahh window? Yep. You should also consider the depth of your window frame. Is it enough to accommodate all of our insulating powers?! And if not, will you be ok with a tiny under-hanging?
Left: Outside Mount Right: Inside Mount
WHAT’S YOUR M.O.? OMG, so you’ve decided what kinda shade you want. You’ve ordered samples and picked the most perfect color for each room. You’ve measured and re-measure…and it’s time to ORDER! HOLD it, right there, buckaroo. Have you explored all the fantastical shading options? Our ‘standard’ shade is awesome and meets the needs of a lot of homeowners. But there is SO much more to explore. We have cordless shades, ideal for a home with small children or pets. Cordless shades are sleek, but don’t necessarily work for every window. We know of one customer whose husband is 6’5. He sweetly ordered Top Down/Bottom Up shades for his wife’s home office. She’s 5’4. She couldn’t use the Top Down feature without breaking out the step stool. NOT convenient for everyday use. He called us back and purchased an extension pole, and now ALL are happy! There are a LOT of different operating systems(even motorized). You can choose what side you want the cord to be. How much insulation do your windows need? Our double-cell fabric is ideal for saving energy on your heating/cooling. And then there are our Energy-Saving Sidetracks. They aren’t for every window, or every home. But when they are needed, they are TRULY life-altering.
DON’T FORGET PROTECTION. Now, what happens if, perish the thought, something happens to your brand spanking new shade? Animals & kiddos, wild disco painting parties happen. Life happens. We’re human too. We totally get it. Step 1. DON’T PANIC. You simply gotta do business with a company that understands all of this. We have an AWESOME warranty. And our shades last for decades. No, we’re not overstating. Our shades last for 1, 2 sometimes 3 decades. They’re THAT good. So, that’s something super duper important when ordering your shading online. ANYONE can sell you something, but not everyone supports what they sell. Once you order with us, you become a part of our shady family.
HOME OFFICE FUEL. What are we talking about? That magical, warm, rich, *slightly addictive*, comforting, some would go as far as saying their ‘dark lord’….COFFEE! Personally? I quit coffee for 2 years. Nope, didn’t even substitute tea or any other caffeinated products to offset. And I gotta tell ya, my life was empty. I missed my buddy, coffee. Whatever trips your trigger, make sure to enjoy your beverage of choice at your home office. Because there you can make it EXACTLY the way you love it, and not have the barista butcher your name.
Woohoo! We’re back to full production capacity, while carefully following all CDC safety guidelines, of course. As a result, we’re furiously working away at the backlog of orders placed while we were unable to operate (thank you so much for your faith and your patience!!!).
It remains somewhat difficult to determine precise production times for new orders. Our current estimate? Orders placed today will ship in approximately 3 weeks. And we’ve added new staff and taken other measures to try to reduce our turnaround times even further!
As always, please continue to reach out with any questions. And again, thank you so very much for the tremendous support we’ve received!
Well, that time is now, our shady friends. We’ve NEVER offered this kinda discount before. EVER! Our 50% sale was a temporary response to the global pandemic, and it’s not something we can sustain under “normal” operating conditions.
Alas, the sale must come to an end on Sunday 5/31.
The good news? We’re back in full production mode, which is VERY exciting! It was our great pleasure to do what we could to help, and to honor your patience and loyalty to our small Vermont business. Truly!
Thank YOU, our amazing CellularWindowShades.com family! It might sound trite, but we ARE all in this together.
Wait, what was that? You say you need more time?
If you know us at all, you know we want you to be thrilled with your purchase. We want it to be perfect for you. Do you need to order samples, so you can choose your ideal fabric color? Are you worried about rushing your window measurements? Pffft… relax!
Take your time and get things just right!
Simply shoot us an email and we’ll happily extend the 50% discount for you!
(OK, maybe not for months – but for any reasonable period. 🙂 )
In our continuing effort to keep you updated on new developments, here’s the latest…
Our state is still on a promising trajectory, and some industries are slowly opening up more and more. One of those is manufacturing, including our cellular shade production facility!
We’re still limited as to the number of people allowed in the building at any one time, and of course, we’re carefully following all CDC safety guidelines. As a result – and also due to the phenomenal response to our 50% OFF SALE (thank you!!!) – it remains somewhat difficult to determine precise production times for new orders. Our best guess? Orders placed today will ship in approximately 4 weeks. However, as restrictions continue to be relaxed, this could certainly change for the better!
As always, please feel free to reach out with any questions, concerns, install snafus, cute photos of your kiddos and pets, a new recipe you have to share..and again, thank you so very much for your patience and for the tremendous support we’ve received!
We’re building shades again! Our beautiful state of Vermont seems to be past the worst of the pandemic, and some businesses are being allowed to resume operations while still following CDC guidelines for safety.
What that means for us is, we can have a limited number of people in the building at any one time producing and shipping new shades.
Yay! We’re going to make the most of this, with multiple shifts and smart planning, and it should allow us to catch up on orders within a matter of weeks.
As we adjust to this new way of doing things, we should quickly get a feel for more specific time frames for each order, and we’ll provide additional updates as this occurs.
Once again, THANK YOU SO MUCH for the amazing support we’ve received throughout this unusual period. We’re thrilled to be one step closer to delivering beautiful new shades to our faithful ‘shady’ friends!
