(Entertainment-NewsWire.com, October 28, 2015 ) Toledo, OH -- "While you're improving the appearance of your home, take an extra step and improve the security of your home by covering the windows next to your front door." That's the advice of Rose Heckman-Hinkle, owner of Bellagio Window Fashions in Toledo, OH.
Although simple to do, can something so basic as this really be effective? Heckman-Hinkle believes there is some value to such simple advice.
"Many homes have sidelights - the long, narrow windows that are next to a door, especially the front door. A sidelight serves main two functions: they provide additional light into a home and they allow a way to look out and see who is at the door. The problem is that if you can look out through these windows, someone on the outside can look inside your home!"
The decorator offered some statistics to support her statement:
1) 34% of home break-ins occur through the front door, according to crime statistics reported by the FBI 2) 40 percent of home burglaries do not involve forced entry. 3) Investigations have shown that burglars look for homes that have easy access, where they can get in and out quickly. 4) Most burglaries occur between 10am and 3pm (a time when parents are most likely to be at work and kids at school)
So, a precautionary step may be in order for many. And apparently, there are plenty of ways that the front door windows can be covered. Heckman-Hinkle commented: "Windows adjacent to the front door are very common, so there are a number of options available. In many cases, you can get window treatments that will match those throughout the rest of your home, especially if you have blinds."
Clearly, manufacturers of blinds and shades have custom sizes that may be ordered.
The window treatment company owner added, "We always check to see if a client has sidelights and, if so, suggest they order the sidelight blinds when purchasing window blinds for the other windows in their home. This way we can get a color match and by taking exact measurements we can be sure the blinds can be made to fit their windows."
In most cases, we're also usually able to have a small valance put over the door window blinds to make the match of window treatments even more complete. The difficulty with sidelights is that other types of hard-treatments such as window shades and especially specialty shades such as Trilight shades, Window Shadings or Silhouettes (TM) from Hunter Douglas (TM) have limitations as to how narrow the shade can be made. In those circumstances, narrow curtains on a small curtain rod can be a viable option; just make sure that the fabric is thick enough to provide the privacy you want", she added.
Bellagio Window Fashions of Toledo installs a variety of different types of custom window treatments for homes and businesses in the Toledo area. And installing blinds or shades on all windows throughout a home is a common practice for the window coverings dealer.
Heckman-Hinkle continued: "We have clients in Toledo, Ohio but also in all of the surrounding towns such as, Perrysburg, Maumee, Sylvania, Monclova, Ottawa Hills, Bowling Green and Rossford. And, of course, the Toledo Metro area also extends into Temperance, Lambertville and even Monroe in southeaster Michigan, which we also service. Clients will usually follow our advice get their sidelight blinds installed with the window treatments in the other areas of their home. But, at times we'll have clients decorate their home in stages and have us come back to include the windows that were not initially included."
A quick check of local crime reports supports her claim that, from time to time, there are strings of break-ins in areas immediately surrounding many major cities.
The local decorator concluded, "And getting curtains or blinds for sidelights is very inexpensive, so we just think it's a smart move. It's just a matter of remembering to have those windows covered."
About Bellagio Window: Bellagio Window Fashions provides custom window treatments and window coverings including Curtains, Blinds, Draperies, Shades, shutters and valances. They have been serving homes and businesses in the Greater Toledo area since 2003. Bellagio Window Fashions is the "Elite Dealer" for Alta Window Fashions in the Toledo OH area. Serving new construction Perrysburg Ohio, Maumee, Sylvania, Monclova, Bowling Green and all of the greater Toledo Ohio region.
