Custom Window Shades in Traverse City, MI
Fabric That Works as Hard as It Looks
Since December 2018, the U.S. window covering safety standard has required stock blinds and shades to be cordless or have inaccessible cords, and motorization removes cords from custom windows entirely. M22 Blinds & Window Treatments installs motorized blinds and smart shades throughout Traverse City, MI, Acme, and Elk Rapids, covering roller, cellular, Roman, and sheer styles.
Automation only feels effortless when the setup is done right. We plan motor placement, power, and connectivity before ordering, then program schedules, scenes, and remotes during installation so everything works on day one. Our 30+ years in window coverings guide every single recommendation we make. Reach out through our contact page to plan your system.
Custom Window Shades Designed for Your Home
Cellular Shades
Honeycomb pockets trap air between the room and the glass, adding a real layer of insulation through cold months. Single-cell and double-cell options, along with light-filtering and blackout fabrics, let you tune warmth, privacy, and brightness for each space.
Roller Shades
A single panel of fabric rolls neatly onto a slim tube, disappearing almost completely when raised. Solid colors, subtle textures, and patterned prints suit modern interiors, and cassette headrails can hide the roll for an especially clean top edge.
Roman Shades
Soft horizontal folds stack gracefully as the shade lifts, giving dining rooms and bedrooms a tailored, upholstered look. Flat, hobbled, and relaxed fold styles are available, and optional liners add privacy, room darkening, and extra protection for delicate fabrics.
Solar Shades
Screen fabrics filter harsh sunlight and reduce heat gain while preserving your outward view. Different openness levels control how much light passes through, making these shades a smart fit for sunrooms, west windows, and rooms facing open water.
Woven Wood Shades
Natural bamboo, reeds, jute, and grasses create warm, organic texture that pairs beautifully with cottage and lakehouse interiors. Each shade shows slight variation in color and weave, and privacy liners can be added when you need more coverage after dark.
Pleated Shades
Crisp, single-layer pleats offer a lighter, more economical profile than cellular styles while still softening incoming daylight. Their compact stack suits smaller windows and doors, and a wide range of colors and textures helps coordinate with existing decor.
Why Choose Us for Custom Window Shades
Swatches Judged at Home
A fabric that looks ivory in a showroom can read yellow beside your paint. Holding swatches against your walls and trim in morning and afternoon light shows exactly how each color and weave will behave once the shade is hanging.
Opacity Matched to Each Room
Living areas often want diffused brightness, while nurseries and media rooms need darkness. We match sheer, light-filtering, and room-darkening fabrics to how every space is actually used, rather than applying one uniform opacity throughout the entire house by default.
Lift Options Explained Plainly
Cordless, top-down/bottom-up, continuous loop, and motorized lifts each suit different windows and households. You get a straightforward explanation of how each one operates, how often it needs attention, and which windows benefit most from an upgrade over standard controls.
Two Respected Brands Under One Roof
Carrying both Hunter Douglas and Alta Window Fashions widens your choice of fabrics, textures, and operating systems. Comparing two strong product lines side by side helps you land on the shade that fits your style and your priorities best.
Snug, Edge-to-Edge Fit
Precise inside measurements keep side gaps small, which improves privacy and helps insulating shades perform as intended. Where frames run out of square, we recommend mounting adjustments so light leaks stay minimal and the shade still operates smoothly.
One Contact Through Every Step
From the first swatch to the final adjustment, you work with the same person. That continuity keeps fabric choices, measurements, and installation details consistent, and it means any follow-up question reaches someone who already knows your windows well.
Comfort You Can Feel at Every Window
The right shade changes more than the view, quietly holding winter warmth and softening summer glare. M22 Blinds & Window Treatments brings that everyday comfort to homes throughout Traverse City, MI, matching fabric, opacity, and lift systems to each room. Explore swatches in your own light, compare options without pressure, and choose only when you feel completely confident. Schedule a complimentary in-home consultation through our contact page whenever you are ready to begin.
FAQs - Frequently Asked Questions
What cell size should I choose for cellular shades?
Larger cells suit tall windows because the shade stacks proportionally and looks balanced, while smaller cells fit compact windows with shallow frames. Double-cell construction adds a second air pocket, which improves insulation and sound softening in colder rooms.
What is the difference between light-filtering and room-darkening fabric?
Light-filtering fabric softens and diffuses daylight while still brightening the room, and it provides daytime privacy. Room-darkening fabric blocks most incoming light for sleeping or screen viewing, though small gaps at the edges can still let some light through.
How does a top-down, bottom-up shade work?
This design lets the shade lower from the top and raise from the bottom independently. M22 Blinds & Window Treatments often recommends it in Traverse City, MI bathrooms and street-facing rooms, since you keep privacy below while daylight enters overhead.
Which Roman shade fold style should I pick?
Flat folds show off patterned fabric and look crisp and modern. Hobbled folds cascade in soft layers even when lowered, creating a fuller traditional look, while relaxed folds curve gently at the bottom for a casual, slightly undone effect.
Do woven wood shades provide privacy at night?
Unlined woven wood shades let silhouettes show through once interior lights come on after dark. Adding a privacy or blackout liner behind the weave solves this, keeping the natural texture visible from inside while blocking views from outside.
How are pleated shades different from cellular shades?
Pleated shades use a single layer of folded fabric, while cellular shades form hollow pockets that trap air. That structure makes cellular styles better insulators, whereas pleated shades offer a slimmer profile and a lighter, more budget-friendly option for smaller windows.
Can shades be installed on French doors?
Yes, shallow-mount shades fit directly on the door panel and use hold-down brackets so fabric stays put when the door swings. M22 Blinds & Window Treatments measures each Traverse City, MI door carefully to clear handles and keep the panel moving freely.
Can people see through solar shades at night?
Solar shades offer daytime privacy because the exterior is brighter than the interior. After dark, when lights are on inside, that effect reverses and people can see in, so many homeowners pair solar shades with draperies or a secondary shade.