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A Guide to Blinds and Shades: Which Should You Choose?

  • By Admin
  • 29 Apr, 2020
Home Interior With Modern Pool — Salt Lake County, UT — House Of Drapery & Blinds

Whether you have purchased a new home, moved into a rental property, or want to spruce up an old space in your home, you should consider different window treatments. Look below to find tips for choosing the best window treatment and to explore the benefits of both blinds and shades for your space.

Consider Important Questions

When you decide on a new window treatment there are many things to consider:

  • Who uses the room?
  • Do you want to color coordinate?
  • What amount of light do you want?
  • What color or quality of light do you need?
  • Is style or functionality more important for your space?
  • What is your budget?

Certain types of window treatments are best for certain goals, so research which type is best for your wants and needs. Blinds are shades are two of the best options, so read on to learn more about these two options.

Learn About Blinds

Blinds are window coverings that you can open or close. They normally come in either vertical or horizontal panels. They also come in a variety of material including wood, faux wood, aluminum, and plastic.

Wood and Faux Wood

Wood blinds create a warm, soft glow in any room, which can be great for art studios, kid's rooms, or family rooms. However, if you live in a place with high humidity, they may not be your best option as the humidity can limit the life of your blinds. In that case, you may want to consider faux wood blinds. These have the same look and feel as wood blinds but are more resistant to dampness.

Aluminum

Aluminum blinds take the least amount of maintenance and can come in a variety of colors. These work particularly well in children's rooms as they can withstand mischief and mishaps. You can also color coordinate with any theme your kids want to rock in their room. Aluminum blinds also work wonderfully for any pet-friendly homes because they won't get easily torn up, broken or marred by wild dog tails or curious cat claws.

Plastic

Plastic blinds are perhaps the most common type of blind and the least expensive. They are easy to break and crack however, so they are not the best choice for a household with young kids or rowdy pets. These blinds work well for older couples and homes with older kids.

One final consideration is that blinds tend to cost less and offer you more control over the amount of light in your home, but they offer less customization than their shade counterparts.

Learn About Shades

Shades are a solid panel of material that you can pull up or down over your window and come in various styles.

Roller Shades

These shades are easy to use and offer natural light. They are a fabric that can be rolled up or down with a cord or pulley. You can choose from different colors and types of fabric to match your room. They are very common, stable, and easy to use. They are a general shade that look nice in any room and are very durable.

Cellular Shades

Cellular shades (also known as honeycomb shades) offer the most functionality. They provide terrific insulation from frozen winter nights and hot summer sunshine. You can choose from sheer to dark material. The dark fabrics will offer total privacy when shut all the way. They are less stylish than other window treatments but are great for spaces you don't need to show off, like children's bedrooms or studies.

Roman Shades

Roman shades offer you more options for customization. Roman shades are a fabric that lay flat when down and then fold into raised pleats when pulled up. Just like other shades, you can choose from a wide variety of materials to match your décor. Sheer materials let in more light while solid colors block more. Roman shades add a homey but sophisticated look to any room are great for living rooms and dining rooms.

We hope this guide will help you in your home improvement endeavors. To see the many options we have for shades and blinds, please visit our website!

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When you're about to become a new parent, the décor of your nursery often becomes a big focus. Many new parents choose themes, such as circus or nature, while others employ a color scheme. As with any other room in the home, the window treatments help finish the look. However, you also need certain functionality in the nursery.

Keep reading for tips to help you choose window treatments for your baby's nursery.

Keep Safety in Mind

Your first priority when choosing anything for the nursery is safety. Granted, newborns don't interact much with their surroundings, but you'll probably keep your nursery décor even once your baby reaches the crawling stage. With that in mind, you want to choose window treatments that are safe for your baby.

For one, avoid drapes that reach to the floor — you don't want your baby to become entangled in them or to pull them down. For the same reason, consider cordless blinds. You can even choose motorized blinds, which operate with a switch or an app. Finally, avoid any trim or accessories small enough to become a choking hazard.

Look for Ease of Operation

Your next focus should be window treatments that are easy to operate. Once you become a parent, ease of operation will become paramount. You will often have a baby cradled in one arm, so you want items that are easy to operate with the other hand.

So, when looking at window treatments, avoid any that require both hands to operate, such as corded shades or heavy drapes. Pay attention to the overall function, too. For instance, if you choose shutters, make sure they operate smoothly.

Look Into Blackout Blinds

Another practical focus is the level of light control. In many rooms, you may favor a filtered light. Design-wise, you may like this level of light for your nursery, too. However, keep in mind you'll eventually be putting your baby down while it's still light out — you don't want the sunlight to keep your baby awake.

To that end, look into blackout blinds. They affix to the window frame snugly, and they completely block the sunlight from coming in. If you want the option of the filtered light, look into layered window treatments. You could hang semi-transparent curtain panels for when your baby is awake.

Opt for a Neutral Background

You may want window treatments that provide a neutral backdrop. So, you might start with the blackout shades as your base layer and add sheer curtains in a neutral color. White is popular, but you could also opt for a beige or greige neutral.

This approach works for a couple different situations. For one, a current trend is to move toward natural materials and décor. So, you may choose a lot of neutral colors and soft materials anyway. The approach also works in the opposite circumstance. If you already have a lot of bold colors in your décor, you may not want to add to it with your window treatments.

Stick to Your Décor Vision

Your décor vision will help you make most of the design choices. For example, you may choose the material based on a theme or general target ambiance. If you like the idea of an all-natural nursery, you may look into bamboo shades or linen curtains. If you want structure in your treatments, you might look into wood blinds or even shutters.

A décor theme will definitely drive your choice in nursery window treatments. Besides thematic curtain panels, Roman shades are one of the easiest ways to inject pattern into your window treatments. You can also find roller shades with designs on them.

The other design driving force is your color palette. Many parents adhere to the traditional gender-based palettes, but many opt for bright, gender-neutral palettes. Either way, window treatments in your target color palette can serve as the centering force of your entire nursery décor. You could even start with a pattern in your draperies and carry the palette through the rest of the room.

Try some of the above tips to help you choose window treatments for your nursery. When you're ready to explore your options, consult with House of Drapery & Blinds.
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