Frequently asked questions

Custom blinds are made to the exact size, fabric, colour and operating style of each window, rather than bought off the shelf. That means a precise fit, a cleaner look and the right light control for each room. ShadeMates guides you through the choices, measures professionally and installs everything for you.

It’s simple: book a free consultation, we review your windows and goals and bring samples, we take precise measurements, you approve your selections and estimate, then we install. You get expert guidance at every step without any pressure.

For daytime privacy with light, zebra blinds and light-filtering rollers work well. For complete privacy — especially at night or on street-facing windows — blackout roller shades or blackout-band zebra blinds are best. We match the fabric to how private each room needs to be.

Zebra blinds are a roller shade with alternating sheer and solid fabric bands. Aligning the sheer bands gives a bright, filtered view; overlapping the solid bands gives privacy and glare control — day-and-night flexibility from a single shade.

A roller shade is one continuous fabric set to a fixed light level (filtering, solar or blackout). Zebra blinds use two layers of alternating bands so you can adjust between sheer and private within the same shade. Choose zebra for adjustable day-and-night control; choose roller for the cleanest look and a specific fabric like solar or blackout.

Light-filtering (soft, diffused daylight), solar/sunscreen (cuts glare, heat and UV while keeping your view), and blackout (blocks light for sleep and media). We help you choose the right fabric per room.

A solar (sunscreen) shade uses an open-weave fabric that reduces glare, heat and UV while you can still see outside. It’s ideal for sunny living rooms, home offices and commercial glass where you want to cut glare without losing the view.

Blackout roller shades give the cleanest, most complete darkness. Blackout honeycomb shades add insulation, and zebra blinds with blackout bands keep a modern look. For maximum darkness, use an outside mount or side channels to reduce light at the window edges.

The fabric blocks essentially all light. Thin light lines can appear at the edges of any shade — an outside mount, wider coverage or side channels minimizes these for near-total darkness.

For tall or hard-to-reach windows, homes with children or pets, large banks of windows, and anyone who values convenience — yes. Motorized blinds remove cords, reach difficult windows and can move automatically on a schedule.

Most use a quiet rechargeable battery tube that lasts months per charge. Solar-assisted charging and hardwired motors are also available depending on the window and install.

Yes. We fit smart-home-ready motorized shades that support scenes, schedules and voice-assistant control through a compatible hub. Because platforms vary, we confirm compatibility with your specific system during the consultation.

No. ShadeMates measures every window professionally as part of the process. Accurate measurement is what makes custom blinds fit cleanly and operate smoothly, so we take care of it for you.

Yes. We handle the full installation, including mounting hardware and making sure each shade is level, aligned and operating correctly before we finish.

Small measurement errors cause light gaps, uneven shades and poor fit. Professional measurement accounts for mount type, obstructions, sill depth and window squareness so the finished result looks and works right.

It depends on the number and size of windows, the product and fabric you choose, whether they’re manual or motorized, and installation requirements. Our pricing page has an estimate calculator for a rough range; a free consultation gives you an accurate, itemized quote.

Yes. ShadeMates offers free consultations and estimates. You’ll see clear pricing before you commit — no obligation.

Motorization adds the motor, power source (battery, solar or hardwired) and any control accessories or hub. Many customers motorize only their tall, wide or hard-to-reach windows to balance convenience and budget.

Yes — offices, clinics, retail and property managers across the GTA. We specify glare-reducing solar shades, privacy fabrics and motorized systems consistently across every window and coordinate installation around your schedule.

Yes. We standardize on one coordinated fabric and hardware spec so the look stays consistent floor to floor, and we can phase installation to suit an occupied space.

ShadeMates serves Vaughan, Concord, Toronto, Richmond Hill, Markham, North York, Mississauga and the wider Greater Toronto Area for both residential and commercial window coverings.

We review your windows and goals, bring samples so you can see and feel fabrics in your own light, answer your questions, measure, and prepare a clear estimate. There’s no pressure and no obligation.

Call us or use the Book a Free Consultation form on the site. Tell us a bit about your project and city, and we’ll arrange a convenient time.