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Home Design Makeover Ideas

The 5 Minute Fan

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Now that I’ve been feeling the heat with summer in full swing, I have been looking for ways to keep cool.  After a trip to a local lighting store I noticed an innovative product by Hunter called the 5 Minute Fan.

The 5 Minute Fan is a wonderful product designed so that even a novice can install it.  After uninstalling a previous fan or light fixture it takes only three steps until you are in business. Unlike other ceiling fans, the Hunter Douglas 5 Minute Fan comes 90% assembled in the box.  This saves you extra steps and time.

The 5 Minute Fan Installation

The first step is easy! All you have to do is install the mounting bracket and connect the wiring.

Next attach the blades.  Hunter Douglas fan has an “EasyLock” blade installation system which significantly lowers the attach time.

The last step is inserting light bulbs and installing the glass shade.

While installation is easier with the 5 Minute Fan than more traditional ceiling fans, keep in mind that you still need to turn off the breaker, test the circuit and wiring connections in addition to the steps mentioned above.  Being safe is always worth the extra time!

No matter your skill level if you can read and follow directions the Hunter Douglas 5 Minute Fan is definitely quicker and easier than any other ceiling fan out there.

Considering Extra Wide Window Blinds

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If you have extra wide windows you might think your chooses for window treatments are limited, but there are more styles out there then one would think! It just takes a little more thought and a little more thinking outside the box! Here are 3 popular styles for extra wide window blinds:

Vertical Blinds – These blinds are available in wider widths than another other blind out there.  And because of the large 3 1/2″ vane it spans a larger window without a bunch of little blinds.  Also these blinds can stack to one side making them the #1 choice for sliding glass doors because the stack can go on the opposite side of the door.  Vertical blinds are available in a variety of colors and textures as well fabric and vinyl slats.

Sliding Panels – These blinds work similarly to vertical blinds.  They have a track at the top that slides the panels to the left or the right.  Also, Sliding Panel blinds are available in a variety of colors and fabric textures.  These are often used as room dividers and are available in pretty large sizes.

Vertical Cellular Shades – Bali and Hunter Douglas are dominating the window treatments in this field.  Vertical Cellular Shades are exactly as they sound: cellular shades turned so the lines are vertical instead of horizontal.  Also a nice alternative to the traditional vertical blind, these are popular because of their insulating factor and because they blow around and make a bunch of clatter noises like vertical blinds.

Multiple Shades on 1 headrail – Most companies offer to make your window treatment so that it has one long headrail but separately operable shades.  This helps give a cohesive look at the top but gives you lighter weight shades that can move up independently of one another.  This style is very popular with large picture windows that have sliders on the sides.  This way you can move up only the shade that is in front of the window section you are opening or closing.  This is also a way to get the look you want on the wider windows.  What was only available up to 72″ can now be twice as big.

As you can see above,  you are not limited to one or  two styles for extra wide windows and anymore.  With a little research you can have what you want!