In 2021, Health Canada enacted new regulations for window coverings in order to keep children safer. The new rules, which came into effect in May, ban the sale of long-corded draperies and blinds.
Cord pulls can now be no longer than 22 cm (eight and a half inches), and the perimeter of loops created by reachable cords can’t be greater than 44 cm (17 and a half inches).
For cottage owners with tall windows, this presents a challenge. “With some windows as tall as 10 feet, how are you going to get to the top to pull a short cord?” asks Lisa Venus, co-owner of Muskoka Smart Homes. There is also a challenge for wide windows, as the rollers must also adhere to new regulations for weight and support.
“This is a really good time to think about motorized window coverings from Lutron. With their cordless automated systems, there is less need to worry about the safety of your family. With a push of a button, you can adjust your blinds or shades and control them remotely,” she says.
“You can program the system to see you off in the morning, tuck you in at night, or rise and lower while you’re on vacation. Lutron shades come in a wide array of fabric types, with over 1,500 fabrics to choose from,” she says. “They can be dual sided for when you need the outside to conform to condominium rules, for example.”
Fabrics come in a wide variety of options, from blackout room-darkening materials that you might want in your baby’s room or a media room to those that are fire-rated, have noise reduction co-efficient technology or can reduce heat and UV solar transmittance. Some fabrics that have 100 percent fibreglass composition are essentially waterproof. They can also be integrated with your lighting and sound controls for the ultimate in ambience creation.
The shades themselves also come in battery-powered solutions for areas where there isn’t the ability to run low-voltage wiring to power them.
Lutron window coverings come with a five-year full cost of product warranty, and a further three years of partial warranty that is transferrable by owner. They also provide 24/7 customer support.
“If you’re building or renovating, the time to plan your window coverings is when you order your windows,” says Lisa. “People sometimes leave this decision until the windows are installed, but custom shades can be challenging to manufacture. This is a big investment and it’s crucial to plan ahead.”
“Come to our showroom and see and hear the nearly silent difference these motorized window coverings make.”
TEXT KARI KLASSEN | PHOTOS ANDREW FEARMAN
