Some design choices are about style. Others are about how you live in a space. For Oyster Manor’s third-floor master, we needed both.

That’s why we partnered with Alva to install blackout shades from their Coastline Woven Wood Shades collection – a choice that solved real guest frustrations while delivering the elevated look our home deserves.

Why Shades Matter in a Vacation Home

Guests often notice the little things: the way morning light filters through a window, the ease of adjusting blinds in the middle of the night, the quality of a room’s finish. In the third-floor master, we heard feedback about the morning sun peeking through a small, unusual hallway window – right into the eyes of anyone in the king bed. Charming? Yes. Restful? Not so much.

We wanted a solution that was:

Light-blocking enough to let guests sleep in,
Cordless and silent so parents could adjust blinds without waking a baby,
Beautifully neutral to complement custom cypress ceilings and grasscloth furniture,
Durable and seamless so we wouldn’t spend time fixing cords and gears.

That’s exactly what Alva delivered.

From Broken Cords to Effortless Design

Before Alva, our blinds were a constant frustration. The cord gear would fall off track, the valence needed constant adjusting, and pulling them up required noisy, clunky yanks. Guests – like you – deserved better.

The cordless, blackout Alva woven wood shades changed everything:

One quiet motion lowers or raises the shades, no tugging or noise.
Perfect fit with zero light leaks, thanks to Alva’s professional calculations and adjustments.
Blackout liner that keeps the Florida sun outside until guests are ready to wake up.
Custom dimensions that handled our unusual window size effortlessly.

Now, when guests comment, it’s about how well they slept – or how much they love the look – not about a cord that broke again.

Why We Chose Alva Over Others

There’s no shortage of shade companies, but here’s where Alva stood apart:

They focus on what matters. Other brands tried to offer endless options, but none perfected the basics. Alva’s fabrics felt elevated, refined, and unique.
Quality in the details. Their woven woods and linens didn’t just look good online – they felt different, with textures that matched a high-end coastal home.
No international delays. We didn’t want long manufacturing or slow overseas shipping. Alva delivered quickly.
Guides that make it easy. From online ordering to tutorials, every step was clear. We felt supported from start to finish.
Customer service that feels like a partner. Every interaction was collaborative – exactly what you’d expect from a high-end retailer.

The Result: A Bedroom Guests Love

With the Coastline blackout shades in linen, our third-floor master now feels as restful as it looks. The neutral tones blend seamlessly with cypress ceilings and grasscloth furniture, while the blackout liner ensures deep, uninterrupted sleep.

Guests love:

Waking up when they want – not when the sun decides.
The quiet ease of cordless shades.
The cohesive, calming aesthetic that doesn’t distract from the room’s design.

And we love knowing we’ll never spend another afternoon wrestling with broken blind cords.

Why We Recommend Alva

Not all shades are created equal. Some are cheap afterthoughts, chosen by builders or landlords to fill a gap. Alva is different. Their mission is to create well-crafted window coverings in thoughtful ways at accessible prices. And they succeed.

We chose Alva because they made the process easy, the product beautiful, and the result transformative. If you’re considering an upgrade for your own home, we can’t recommend them enough.

Explore Alva’s full line at helloalva.com and discover what it feels like to finally get shades right.

Stay Where Every Window Is Thoughtful

At Oyster Manor, luxury isn’t just in the linens or the views – it’s in the details that let you rest, recharge, and truly unwind. With Alva, even our windows reflect that philosophy.

Book your stay and experience the difference blackout, cordless Alva shades can make.

Better Sleep, Better Design: Alva’s Coastline Woven Wood Shades in Our Master Retreat