Blinds, shades, curtains—no matter what you call them, window treatments are essential in a commercial building. They’re so ubiquitous that we sometimes don’t even notice that they’re there.
You may be familiar with residential window treatments, but commercial window treatments sometimes have different functions than the ones we use at home.
Here’s what to look for in commercial window treatments.
Different than residential
There are differences between the window treatments needed for commercial buildings and those for residential buildings. One key difference between commercial and residential buildings with regards to window treatments is that there are likely interior glass walls to consider as well as windows facing the outside world.
Safety
There are different regulations around safety for commercial window treatments than residential. Whether you’re installing them in an office, a restaurant, a retail shop or any other commercial environment, window treatments need to be first and foremost safe for your customers and employees.
The first thing to consider is building codes. Check with your state and local municipalities to make sure your desired window treatment will follow all guidelines. An experienced professional installer will have this information for you.
You should also consider how the window treatments will function in an emergency. After all, what is the benefit of commercial window treatments that are beautiful but also highly flammable? Or that completely block doors, windows or other emergency exits in an impassable way?
Comfort
In addition to safety, you also want to make sure your commercial window treatments create a comfortable environment. This includes taking into account things like light control, window position and room environment.
For example, windows that face west or east will get the most amount of sun, and you may want more sturdy window treatments to better control how much light and heat enters a room. You also may want window treatments that allow for total blackout no matter the time of day. The color and style of your window treatments will also go a long way toward determining how much natural light is let into a space.
Design
Another benefit of commercial window treatments is that they can be custom designed to complement an existing room. This includes aspects like color, pattern, fabric and functionality.
For example, window treatments should either match the color scheme perfectly or be a complementary hue within the palette. Patterns can be a good alternative to a solid color, especially when a room has wallpaper with design elements to it. Vertical blinds may be a good complement if the room or wallpaper has other vertical design elements to it.
Finally, fabric can play a big part in commercial window treatment design. Fabric can absorb sound, which can be helpful in larger spaces with a lot of people—but fabric window treatments are also harder to clean.
While this is a good primer, there are more things to look for in commercial window treatments than presented here. For the best professional and experienced design and installation of commercial window treatments, contact Eastcreek Designs, L.L.C. today.