Blinds vs. curtains for your home

Is It better to have Blinds or Curtains in The home?

When it time to buy new shades for our place, there are a lot of options to explore. Considering which one to choose for your home, blinds vs. curtains, there are some factors to consider. They both offer benefits that are valuable. It depends on the kind of home you live in, your sense of style and comfort. Although they both provide shade and privacy, the feel they give off in a home is different for both.

Aside from DIY home projects that are low in cost and high in value, good home decor is another part of uplifting our space. The kinds of covers we have for our windows makes a difference on how the place feels. Here are some factors to consider before investing in blinds or curtains for your home.

Different Kinds of Blinds

There are several different kinds of blinds to choose from. Based on the size of your window you may need:

Tall Vertical Blinds

These blinds are usually 5-10 inches away from the ceiling and extend down to an inch above the floor. The material of the blinds can either be:

Polyvinyl Chloride Vertical Blinds

Polyvinyl chloride vertical blinds have a soft smooth feel. They are low in maintenance and easy to clean. They can withstand the most wear and tear and last for a long time. These style of blinds are most commonly seen in rental properties. They are simple and out of the way, but look a little cheap and do not have a welcoming feel to them.

Aluminum vertical Blinds

Aluminum blinds are also easy to manage, but they get damaged a little easier. The aluminum quality is more flimsy and they can break or get twisted. Also popular on most rental properties, these kinds of blinds can last a long time as long as they are managed in good hands. Otherwise, expect them to only last about 5 years. In your own personal home, they will probably last for 15 years and be okay. It all depends on whose hands are touching it.

California Shutters

These style of blinds are sleek, practical, simple, modern and safe. They look good in a home and give a good open for light and full close for darkness function. This style is a bit simple but timeless. It looks very clean, but it leaves no room for flow, making a space full of shapes and nothing soft. In order to soften a room up it will take furniture, paint and art to make the difference.

Colonial Shutters

Colonial shutters are similar to California shutters. Modern and sleek, they give off a fresh open feel. The shutters swing open inside the home to patio doors that open to the outside.

High Polyester Content Material Blinds

These blinds have a cloth-like appearance, but they are not made of cloth. They are a polyester material that resembles a fabric giving it a softer look for a room. They are easy to manage and simple to dust off and clean. However, they wear over time and their look can be somewhat outdated.

Bamboo Blinds

A newer trend to having blinds in the home is choosing soft bamboo blinds. Nature friendly and energy saving, these blinds help from heat going out. They look good and are easy to clean but are also fairly simple and often come in a natural brown colour tone only.

Kinds of Curtains

Drapes

There are a variety of drapes to choose from. You can opt for a light material, covering up a limited amount of light or a heavier material that can make a room pitch black. The heavier the material, the most expensive the drapes. Then there is style, colour, texture, material and appearance.

All these points are a factor into making a decision when it comes to the level of comfort you are going for. Drapes can be very expensive, but look grand, and for the most part, very nice. As long as the style is relevant with the times, they seem to look very good.

Sheers

This is what goes behind the drapes. The sheers are a light soft material, usually with a subtle patter in the fabric. It is not meant to stand out. Its purpose is to be an in between for the neighbours having direct access into your living room and a little cover from them being able to see exactly what you are doing.

5 Factors To Consider: blinds vs. curtains for your home

Condo or house?

For those living in a condo, the square footage of your space is less than what it is for someone living in a house. It is rare to see a condo with curtains. Oftentimes with rentals and even with purchased units, people will have large blinds in their space. It is only when you visit a house that you might see curtains over blinds. 

Children

Are there small children living in the home? Children like to run around and play with things, oftentimes it is with anything nearby. Having curtains in a home with small children may not be the most practical idea. There is a greater chance of the curtains getting dirty over blinds. 

Personal Preference

What is your own personal preference when it comes to the two? Do you feel better having curtains or blinds? Some people love blinds. Others prefer the look of curtains instead. Both kinds of window coverings give off a different feel. Blinds give off a more cold energy and curtains are a bit more warm and cozy.  

Modern Age

The trend today is to go for blinds over curtains. They are easy to manage and take up a little less space. In this modern age, blinds seem to be the trend. They are easy to clean and low in maintenance. The new style of everything is a bit more exact, with nothing out of order. However, the energy is somewhat cold.

Blinds are most commonly one colour and a fairly generic style in all homes. Whereas curtains range in a whole variety of styles, colours, materials and designs. Curtains may not be the trend today but they give off a more warm and comfortable feeling in the home.

Fire Hazard

Blinds are closer to the window than curtains in the sense that they do not flare out. They are not in the way whereas curtains might be. Blinds are usually made of either polyvinyl chloride (PVC) or aluminum while curtains are some form of high polyester content fabric. This can catch on fire easily and one needs to be careful to not have them if they pose a fire hazard.

Overall the choice you make depends on your lifestyle. It is a personal preference that suits your budget. Depending on how much activity is happening in your home, the level of maintenance needed and how it looks all factor into what is the best option for you.

Coming soon, a cost savings home upgrade related to blinds vs. curtains for your home.

November 11, 2022