What do brownies have to do with window blinds? I'll get to that in a minute. But first, tell me I'm not the only one who has learned to live in a house with all sorts of minor inconveniences that would only take moments to fix, but somehow live on, only to be contemplated when they don't work.
For instance, I spent years with a cheap, mostly broken, can opener. Not the end of the world, certainly, but there were moments that I just wanted to chuck it out the window. Then each time I wrestled a can open and went on with life, I forgot all about it. Finally I invested a few minutes on Amazon, and just a few dollars, and found the same can opener I grew up with that never failed. Voila! Problem solved. I've never had a moment's consternation since, at least over opening a can of corn.
That's how it's been lately with my kitchen window blinds. The slat opener (is there an actual name for that little stick that you rotate to open the slats?) broke off probably two years ago, so every morning and evening, one of us runs our fingers up or down over the slats to open and close them. If it's me, all I can think of each time is, "I really need to dust these blinds." Which is frustrating. But not frustrating enough to do anything about it. Certainly not dusting!
But then Levolor asked if I would be interested in reviewing their Custom Size Now cordless blinds. It's a great concept: You just measure your windows and head over to Lowe's where an associate will cut them for you, for free, while you wait. Here's where the brownies come in.
This weekend, I was getting ready to go to a dinner party with friends, and had just popped a pan of brownies into the oven (that's the extent of my fancy preparations), when I just couldn't stand it anymore. I knew if I didn't do something about those blinds right then and there, they would never get fixed. So I set my timer and hopped in the car.
At Lowe's I had no problem finding the blinds. They had a whole display dedicated to them, along with a neat example of how the cordless part works. You just pull up or down on the bottom bar of the blinds and they glide up or down. No more cords dangling everywhere! If I were redoing a house for a family with pets or young children, the cordless feature would be a must-have. And for my kitchen window, it just cleans up the whole look. Bonus!
I chose the Premium Faux Wood Cordless Blinds, to match my new white cabinets. I knew I wanted the look of real wood, with the durability and cost of a high quality faux wood. When I gave my window measurements to the salesperson, she knew exactly what I needed. She grabbed the nearest size blinds, set them in the specialized cutting machine, dialed in the measurements and they were done in two minutes flat. It was pretty cool.
And I still made it home in time to take the brownies out of the oven! Our dinner party hosts were very impressed. Not just with my brownies, but with the story of how they didn't get burned while I was buying blinds.
Soon I'll be posting a full review, where I'll show you how easy they are to install, and how great they look in my window. Maybe I should make another pan of brownies for that...
In the meantime, if you're looking for blinds, check out the Levolor selection on Lowe's website. Or just pop in to your local Lowe's and ask for Levolor Custom Size Now blinds.
My pledge to you: While this is a sponsored post, all opinions are my own. I only accept sponsored posts from brands that I trust, and I'll always give you my honest opinions. (Y'all know I have plenty of those to share!)
normaleverydaylifeblog says
We have some blinds that bother me and if I ever get around to changing them, I'll definitely consider these. I've been wanting room darkening blinds upstairs for a long time. Going to have to see if they have something similar in that line. Thanks for sharing!
Meredith says
I know what you mean, it's great to have a sunny room, but sometimes you want to be able to control the light. Levolor says these have their "Lightmaster" feature for light control, privacy, and easier cleaning. I can't wait to see if that last part is true! 🙂
Jeanette @ Snazzy Little Things says
These look great I may have to run out to Lowes to see what my store has, these are very high quality. Thanks for sharing!
Meredith says
Thanks for visiting Jeanette!
DesignedDecor says
No way were you able to bake brownies and shop at the same time. I burn things when I am in the other room let alone out shopping! I completely understand how we tend to live with broken things, it seems easier until we actually fix them and wonder why did I not do this long ago! Can't wait to see the blinds in your kitchen!
Meredith says
Me too! I've never been so focused on getting in and out of store on time. I'm still surprised I didn't set the kitchen on fire!
Sarah @ Little Red Brick House says
I can't believe you were back in time for the brownies! That is amazing, LOL. Why do we always put the simplest fixes on the back burner? I am so guilty of this. 🙂 I can't wait to see the new blinds all set up!
Meredith says
Thanks Sarah, me too!
Wendi @ H2OBungaloww says
Love your brownie story! Love the blinds as much and I can't wait to try them out myself:)
Meredith says
Thanks Wendi! My only problem is now I want them for my other windows...
hellolittlehomeGinnie says
Totally amazed by your brownies vs. Lowe's shopping trip! You are super fast, and now I'm craving brownies;) I'm looking forward to seeing how they look!
Meredith says
Me too! Is 10am too early to start on dessert?
Jeri Walker-Bickett (@JeriWB) says
Thanks for bringing these blinds to my attention. I've had natural wood color blinds on my front windows for years, but our tenant managed to get soda all over one side, but at least it's the side that faces the road 😉 Plus, the cats just LOVE blind cords. I've also wondered about the blinds that are actually inside of the window.
Meredith says
Ugh, there's nothing worse than a soda explosion! I had one in my garage, and I'm still finding specks here and there. These blinds are great for cats, or to be more specific, they're great for cat owners!
Lauren Shaver says
Yuuuum. I want some brownies now. Haha I love the cordless Levolor blinds. I have them throughout my house and they are da bomb! Can't wait to see how yours look in your newly remodeled space!
Meredith says
Thanks Lauren! I think this post should have been sponsored by the brownie mix people too! 🙂
Lala says
Anything that allow cooking in the same day, deserves my direct attention.
Meredith says
Ha! So true! 🙂
Ken Dowell says
I hope your cordless blinds work better than mine. The ones I bought, which are fabric, look great but when you go to roll them up, once you go more than halfway you have to keep going up and down to get them to open all the way. On the other hand i have this really cool blind in the bathroom that will open from either top or bottom. So you can open the top half to let light in but leave the bottom half closed so you aren't exposing yourself.
Meredith says
Yes, the top-down option is nice for privacy, when you want to let some light in, but still retain your dignity in front of your neighbors!
Gretchen@BoxyColonial says
Is there really any occasion that DOESN'T call for another pan of brownies, really? Enjoyed your post and looking forward to seeing the blinds in action!
Meredith says
So true Gretchen! Glad to meet a fellow brownie enthusiast!
Candice says
Did you know you can make brownies in a slow cooker? That might be handy when you go shopping in the future! Stopping by Bloggers Brags Pinterest Party to let you know that i pinned this post.
Meredith says
I did not know that! I'll have to try the crock pot method next time...any excuse to make more brownies is a good one. 🙂 Thanks for stopping by!