November 20, 2013

Window Treatment Wednesday: Creating a Hypoallergenic Environment

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Palm Beach ™ polysatin shutter repels dust!

Window Treatment Wednesday: Creating a Hypoallergenic Environment

Just a few years ago I developed seasonal allergies. What a pain—the itchy eyes, stuffiness, blowing nose—not fun to deal with. I never thought about how my window treatments could make my allergies worse or better until I heard about the topic from Minneapolis window coverings expert Shannon Scarrella.

Shannon explained that because mold and dust are some of the worst allergens in our homes, the right window treatment can make a big difference. Although any material can attract dust, products that are easier to clean are your best bet if you have allergies.

“Roller shades are a nice option,” says Shannon. “Many of the materials today can be cleaned with mild soap and water. If curtains or drapes are your thing, choose fabrics that are washable. Hirshfield’s Shop at Home and certain stores carry a line of fabric from ADO, and we have the ability to create window treatments, roman shades and vertical sheers with this collection.”

The drapes that came in my house are dry clean only—so guess how often they get cleaned? I can’t remember exactly when it was, but I do recall it being expensive! ADO fabrics are machine washable, allowing you to keep them clean and free of dust that makes allergy sufferers sneeze and their eyes itch.

If you really like horizontal blinds, there are a couple of good things to know about them. Faux wood blinds can be easily wiped down and come in larger slat sizes, so there are fewer slats to clean. Hunter Douglas shutters and faux wood blinds are soil and dust resistant (meaning that they do need some minimal cleaning but have been treated to repel dust), and their Palm Beach shutters have panels that are removable for cleaning.

Shannon says, “It’s impossible to make something 100 percent dust proof, but you can look for products that are easier to maintain or have been treated to minimize soil and dust. No matter what you prefer, regular cleaning is always recommended—make sure that what you select can be cleaned easily.”

Since Frank and Elizabeth Hirshfield opened their first store in 1894, it has been our mission to do the best job possible meeting customer needs and solving customer problems. Hirshfield’s. People and products you can trust.

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I have come to rely on the staff at Hirshfield’s Design Resource for their fabulous customer service and variety of products. The service is always friendly, timely and professional.

As a designer, their advice on window treatments is forever appreciated, and they are always able to show me something new in the displays and samples. They provide quick and accurate estimates, measurements and suggestions when I am struggling with a budget. The final product and installation has been nothing but flawless on every project.

I truly value what they continue to bring to our design community!

Pamela Kilian
Simply Designed

Want to give a shout out to Madi. Madi took a pretty awful experience and made it right for us. We had ordered cordless blinds and over half of them did not work right or hang right. Madi helped us return all the blinds and reordered a new product for us which we are very happy with. Madi was persistent in helping us get the issues we experience resolved.

She is always so warm and friendly and definitely puts her customers first. Thanks Madi you are a gem! Also want to add that my overall experience with Hirshfield's in St. Cloud has been an excellent experience. They made things right and put their customers first!

Kim Kaluza

Greg is amazing! We have worked with him throughout the years on both existing homes and new builds and we could not be happier. One of the things I appreciate about Greg is that he gets us to really think about how we will use our space, not just now but in the future when the kids get older. This has honestly has saved us from making some pretty big design mistakes. Finding durable fabrics and pieces is important to us while we have a preschooler running around, yet on the other hand, our teens have a different use for the space.

He is able to make it all work together seamlessly by understanding the space and its function. He has a fresh and distinctive feel to his work and builds in a variety of styles. I HIGHLY recommend working with Greg out of the gate, you will not be sorry. I honestly don't know what we do without his help;)

Kim Strout
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