Window shades have become a rather popular type of window treatment in recent years and there are many variations to choose from. Bamboo shades and honeycomb shades are both great ways to cover your windows, but one may work better for you than the other depending on a few factors.

Bamboo shades are moderately priced and highly attractive. They are also made from a natural material, so they are eco-friendly and completely safe to have in your home as far as air quality is concerned. Bamboo shades will also match your decor perfectly if your home has wooden floors or rattan carpets. But, like every window treatment, bamboo shades do have a few disadvantages. Bear in mind that when you rollup a bamboo shade to open it, the liner will show. Also, all types of bamboo shades are controlled by a cord-pulling system which can present a danger for small pets and children.

Honeycomb (or cellular) shades have become very well-liked recently as they are well-known for increasing home energy efficiency. This is because honeycomb shades are designed to stop heat loss and gain through windows. This is not only good for the environment; it’s good for your wallet as well. But, the shades need to be installed a certain way to get the full benefits. If they are installed as close to the window as possible with both sides of the shade held close to the wall, it creates a sealed airspace that makes it very difficult for the hot or cold air to escape through the window.

There, however, are a couple of disadvantages to honeycomb shades, the first being that the accordion style of the shade may not fit with the rest of your home décor. The accordion style design is a major component in how the shade provides energy efficiency, so there is really no way around this. The other disadvantage is that honeycomb shades do not provide the same amount of light control as some other window treatments do.

Both of these types of window treatments have the advantage of being “green” as bamboo shades are made of natural materials and honeycomb shades promote energy efficiency. The major catalyst in deciding between the two is really going to be your home’s unique décor. One simply may just look better than the other. But, with this information, you’ll hopefully be able to make a better informed decision when you choose your window treatments.

Decorating a bedroom for a youth can be very challenging. You need to give specific thought to the furnishings in your child’s bedroom since it needs to meet the child’s tastes and interests. It is best to start with a single furnishing that serves as the foundation for your theme and then build upon this to come up with a room that your youth enjoys.

The home furnishing that you choose for the foundation of the youth bedroom should be neutral. This way you can change the rest of the room to meet the interests of the youth. The walls, ceiling and floors should all remain neutral so they don’t have to be changed as the child grows. If you need to decorate according to the youth’s style then you can add wallpaper or rugs.

If you are focusing on a boy’s room then you have several home furnishings to choose from. If the youth likes sports then you can design the furnishings around a specific sport or have generalized sports theme. Other times a boy may enjoy themes such as cars, trucks, jungle animals. There is no shortage of themes that can peak a boy’s interest.

For a girl’s room it is also important to choose home furnishings that match their unique interests. Often popular themes for girls include dance, teddy bears, tea parties, dollhouses, flowers or butterflies. Often you can build upon a girl’s bedroom with lacy or frilly accessories.

When you have a neutral foundation in your youth bedroom it is easy to change accent pieces as the interest of your child changes. You can replace bedding and accent rugs as the child grows. You can even change the wallpaper as necessary. It is a good idea to install shelves along the walls so your child can change them with decorations and items that interest them.

It is important that you design a room so it can be easily changed. Children’s interests are going to change as they grow and you want to make sure their home furnishings can change as well. When a child feels comfortable in their room they will be able to express themselves and grow.