All posts by Drew Lowery

Stained Wood Shutters

Stained wood shutters are this week’s  “Job of the Week”  here at Villa Blind and Shutters.  

These shutters are from Norman Shutters, and are their Normandy Wood Shutters Series.  There are a very large number of stains to choose from.  Cathy felt the match was  pretty close to her kitchen cabinets.  And her daughter wanted a Black color, which turned out pretty nice with her Burnt Red walls.

Job of the Week Photos

Here are a few more Design ideas using Stains and interesting colors from our Photo Gallery.  So consider using stains and colors for your wood plantation shutters.   Read More.

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Stained Wood Shutters

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Please give Villa a call today for your In Home Design Consultation at 951-847-7708.

 

Office Window Coverings

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Office window coverings from Villa Blind and Shutter look great and have money saving features as well.  Our Designers have the expertise to guide you and help you choose the perfect products.  Villa has installed shades in large buildings to small restaurants, dentists offices to plush Hotel Lobbies.  We have installed Shutters, Solar Screens, Blinds and Silhoutte Sheers to name a few.  We carry full Licenses and Insurance.

Roller Shades and Solar Shades

Roller Shades are the most popular office window covering, primarily because they allow a view through and block bright light.  Seeing through is important in restaurants where the patrons want to keep an eye on their parked cars.  Big office windows can be easily covered by Rollers whose sizes allow for tall and wide windows.  Rollers swatches are marked with the percent of View  through, for example a 1 percent is almost a solid mesh and a 12 % lets you view through quite easily.  Loft_set1_C_-038 (1)

Horizontal Blinds

Horizontal or Vertical Blinds are an affordable choice and offer great light and privacy controls.  The bright sun can easily be controlled for your restaurant or retail storefront.  Office spaces with really large windows often choose Vertical Blinds.

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Window Treatments

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Full Window Treatment

Full Window Treatment

Shutter Design Options

Shutter design is a process.  At Villa Blind and Shutter we call choosing from the many options a Shutter Design Process, because we take you literally through every choice available and offer suggestions for your particular Window opening.  Every house is different.

Choosing the right frame is one of your most important choices.  Today I want to explain the Frame we recommend when you have beautiful window casings on your window, and want the shutter to be inside of those beautiful casings.

The solution is a Hang Strip, as shown below.  See the view from the front photo., looks great.   No frame at all showing.  Many dealers suggest simply hinging  directly to the window jamb and utilizing a light block directly behind the panels.  That works if the window opening is perfectly square.  But using the Hang strips to hinge from offers a better solution because you can make adjustments for those out of square window openings.

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These Photos are of the Norman Shutters on display at the Showroom in Santa Fe Springs.  You are invited to come to the showroom on appointment only from a Norman Certified Dealer, like Villa Blind and Shutter.

Learn More About Shutter Design

Norman Shutter Certification

 

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Norman Shutter Certification by Norman Window Fashions, is a new Dealer Program recently launched, and Villa Designers were there, and are now Norman Certified.

What that means to you the consumer is that you will be receiving the best possible designs, installations and pricing.  These photos below were taken Tuesday from the new Santa Fe Springs Showroom, which is now open to the public by invitation from a Certified dealer, like Villa Blind and Shutter.  An appointment is needed as the Villa Sales person needs to show you around and make certain a training class is not in progress.

 

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Learn More About Norman’s Woodlore Shutters

Call Villa Today For a Free Design Consultation

@ 951-847-7708

Shutter Dealers

Shutter Dealers in Corona come in all shapes and  sizes,  By that I mean in a vast variety of business models and size, licenses,  the products offered and their price points, as well as  time in business.

So let this be an About Us Page, (Read More )…….with a little more narrative on the subject.

  • First we like many others are a Shop-At-Home business model where we Bring the Showroom to you.  Our van has all the Hand Samples and Color Books.  Saving our cost of a Showroom saves you money.
  • We have a State Contractors License, which is required by California State Law.  Working without one  is illegal.  Many dealers are working illegally.
  • Collecting tax is required as well.  We call these dealers without a Board of Equalization Sellers Permit Trunk Slammers!  They are here today and gone tomorrow.  Good luck getting warranty service from them.
  • Installer Certifications.  We are Certified as Master Installers from HunterDouglas and Norman Window Fashions.  It is not hard to do a great installation if you know what you’re doing.
  • Quality Products.  When we opened our doors in 2008 we offered 14 product lines.  Now after 8 years in business we know where the best Values are, not the lowest price, but the best quality mixed with low price.  That is what you want  is it not.
  • Best in Customer Service.  We answer our phone, even in the evening.  You want to talk to people, not leave messages.  We are proud of our customer satisfaction, we fix any issues that might come up.
  • Great Pricing.  Businesses needs profit to stay in business, but fair and competitive pricing is what we offer.  And no games, we show you how we get to the price by breaking everything down for you.

 

Wood Shutters

Wood Shutters or Not Wood Shutters, that is the question I get every day here at Villa Blind and Shutter.  Let’s talk about that question, all the for’s and against.  Both sides are equal in most people’s mind, so we will start by saying a great company should offer both, which we do.  In our Shutter Design process we show both panel samples, the Wood (also called the Basswood) and the Composite (also called Hybrid) so that you can see, touch and feel each.

The Onyx Basswood Plantation Shutter Vs. the Norman Woodlore Shutters.  Both are like young children to me, I love them both equally.  I can only make comments and help you determine the best material for you and your home.  Some customers have made these comments on the finish.  The Onyx with its beautiful painted finish has a high gloss look that is smooth and looks like fine furniture.  On the other side people often say the Norman Woodlore has a coating that looks less shiny, they like the dullness.

One thing is certain, you will not see the difference Online looking at Photos.  Invite a Villa Designer over for a Free IN-Home Design Process and written Estimate.  And put some coffee on, I like mine Black.

Wood Shutters

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Woodlore Shutters

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Schedule your In-Home Design Process and Free Estimate Today.

Shutter Design

Shutter Design is a very important part of your shutter experience and overall satisfaction.  Your Designer is responsible for everything from materials, mounting options, panel configurations, color and most importantly the manufacturer of your new shutters.

We know all the shutter companies explain the basics to you.  Louver sizes and how many panels are the first decisions offered to you.  From there many designers just do the same thing over and over, without considerations that you may need to know.

This article will not make you an expert, nor is it trying to.  Instead we want to warn you of some common mistakes.  Villa offers a Shutter Design Process to cover all your options.

Common Mistake #1

  • Using four panels when two could be used.  For those windows 58″ to 72″ the choice between two and four panels need a little consideration.  The negative of using 4 panels is that the sides of the panels, called Stiles, create a 4 inch Vertical blockage of light and view through.  This can be easily avoided by using 2 panels.  Many times composite and vinyl shutters can not be made 36 inches, so your designer will tell you that you have to go 4 panels on this window.  Well, not with  Basswood.Shutters samples
  • This is a perfect example of how great a two Panel can look, not busy like the four panel right above.  Our Basswood shutter can go up to 48 inches is width!
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    Onyx Basswood Shutter in Newport Beach

    Common Mistake #2

  • The Traditional look of shutters can be outdated.  The Standard Tilt Bar can be improved  on by the Hidden Tilt, as seen above.  Also, splitting the top and bottom louvers is a great innovation.  We call this a SPLIT HIDDEN TILT.

Shutter Design

Great feature when Privacy is needed!

Shutter Design is Villa’s specialty.  Call for your FREE In-Home Shutter Design consultation:  951-847-7708

Learn More about Shutter Materials here.

 

Plantation Shutters

Plantation Shutters from Villa Blind and Shutter are custom made.  Villa designers start the process by guiding you through a comprehensive overview of your many choices of frames,  panel configuration and options.  After designing the perfect shutters for your home, our designers will review all the details and quote your job, offering the best possible price based on the size of your order.  if you decide to proceed a legal contract is prepared, one which meets the California State Contractors requirements, and all the details are written out clearly.  A deposit is taken and your order will be placed after your three day right of cancellation.  Most shutters require a 5 week delivery time.  After this period you will be contacted to determine your best install time and date.

We hope this information is helpful.  Your satisfaction is at the heart of everything we do, from the design to the final install.  Upon completion we help you inspect the job for any imperfections in the shutters or the install.  We will install a shutter with a flaw, on the rare occasion, take a picture for the factory to see, and reorder the shutter.

Plantation Shutters

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Learn More About Plantation Shutters

 

Norman Green

Norman® Green

One Planet, One Step at a Time
At Norman®, we believe that green is not a marketing slogan but is our everyday way of doing business. Everything we touch, from materials that go into making our products to the manufacturing processes involved, we have the environment and our consumers’ safety in mind.

  • No VOC’s (Volatile Organic Compounds)
  • No harmful chemicals
  • Lead-free formulation
  • Eco-friendly materials used in Normandy® shutters & blinds and Woodlore® shutters
  • CARB (California Air Resources Board) compliance