For years window shades were limited to top-mounted, pull down operation only, like the old paper roller shades of yesteryear, but one of the newest trends in window treatments are shades featuring panels that can be raised or lowered from the top or bottom and positioned precisely within a frame and rail system. You can expand the panel to cover the entire window or compress from top and bottom to form a strip to precisely block that particular beam of sunlight reflecting off your TV while maintaining the proper amount of light in the room. It’s a simple concept, but the effect can be amazing, especially when combined with the right colors, materials, textures, and designs to complement your home’s decor and design scheme.
Most top down bottom up shades work through a simple cord mechanism and two top rails mounted on top of each other with the shades or window blinds sandwiched between. The first rail is called the mounting rail and can be attached to either the inside of your window frame or outside the frame, depending on your preference and the interior design theme and look of your home. The second rail is called the floating rail and clicks into place in the mounting rail. When you’re ready to lower or lift your shades or window blinds, this floating rail can be disengaged by pulling on the cord or on a tab in cordless options to move the position of the shade panel and clicking it back into place to hold the position of the shade.
Top-down, bottom-up window shades and blinds can create a stunning effect in your home and give pinpoint control over light diffusion, and Desert Window Wear is the Tucson area’s authority on the ups and downs of top down, bottom up window shades.
Advantages Of Top Down, Bottom Up Shades
Top-down, bottom-up shades are an excellent choice for those concerned about harmful UV rays. Depending on the time of day, you can position your shades in precisely the right way to block the desert sun’s harmful rays while still allowing in plenty of natural light. In your living room, if the evening sun is shining in your eyes or making it difficult to watch TV, you can cover your windows entirely or raise the shades from the bottom to allow in some light without it being intrusive to your activities. And in a bedroom or bathroom, a top-down, bottom-up shade can be adjusted to let light in from the top while still maintaining privacy at the bottom. Unlike traditional shades that only open from the bottom, this design allows you to customize the exact position of your shades for the highest possible levels of privacy, light control, security, and comfort.
Also, a fantastic array of color, material, texture, and design choices available for top-down, bottom-up shades, and Desert Window Wear offers many options from numerous manufacturers, including the legendary Hunter Douglas line, famous for their innovation and cutting-edge designs. Shades provide so many choices in fabric, color, and design, but there are some popular design and material favorites, and our experienced design consultants are happy to help in your research.
Roman Shades
Roman shades are one of the most popular types of window coverings. Roman shades present a visibly smooth surface when closed but stack when open for a sculptural look that adds distinctive charm. Some roman shades feature cellular construction for added insulation and energy efficiency. Roman shades offer smooth and quiet top-down, bottom-up operation and easy integration with home automation systems, making them the perfect choice for modern smart homes.
Cellular And Honeycomb Shades
The cellular design works by trapping air in honeycomb-like cells and creating a layer of insulation between your window and your room’s interior. Whether they’re lifted from the top or bottom, this shade creates natural diffused lighting in any room and adds a unique style blend of straight, clean, vertical blind-like lines with a softer, lusher, more pillowy vibe. Top-down, bottom-up cellular and honeycomb shades are a great style and functionality choice, plus they’re one of the most energy-efficient window coverings available.
Woven Wood Shades
Woven wood shades are probably the most popular window treatments we install because the colors, textures, and weaves go so well with the South Western, Tradition Western, Desert Chic, and Spanish Mission styles popular in Southern Arizona. They also add a needed organic, natural touch to contemporary, modernist, and minimalist design schemes and a soothing, elemental tone in any setting. Our Hunter Douglas woven wood shades are made from a unique blend of sustainable woods, grasses, and bamboo. These materials have excellent light-diffusing properties and can be used to create the perfect atmosphere in your home, and with the top-down, bottom-up operation, motorization, and smart home automation, your control over the light will rival that of a Pink Floyd concert.
