What to Choose: Curtains or Blinds?
Witness the face-off as you read the pros and cons of these two popular window treatments
How we dress our windows must ideally be decided according to the characteristics and functions that the treatment offers, and what our room requires. Of course, how it looks matters a great deal too. Curtains are decorative materials (usually fabrics) that are suspended from the top as a screen to obscure light or block air drafts. Blinds are sheath-like coverings (of fabric, jute, metal or wood) that can be pulled down from a roller or channel. Both curtains and blinds have their own set of benefits and drawbacks. Let us cover important aspects that can help you pick the right option for your windows.
Choices and options
Curtains: We are spoilt for choice
They are available in countless styles and ranges of fabrics that can complement most interior styles. Sheer curtains can give a light minimalist look, printed ones can look great in a themed decor and heavy ornamented ones are great at bringing a sense of luxury.
Blinds: They are available in many varieties, too
Blinds can be fabricated from cloth, aluminium, plastic, wood and even jute fibre. All these alternatives make them suitable for both traditional and contemporary decor settings.
Take a look at curtains in other spaces
Curtains: We are spoilt for choice
They are available in countless styles and ranges of fabrics that can complement most interior styles. Sheer curtains can give a light minimalist look, printed ones can look great in a themed decor and heavy ornamented ones are great at bringing a sense of luxury.
Blinds: They are available in many varieties, too
Blinds can be fabricated from cloth, aluminium, plastic, wood and even jute fibre. All these alternatives make them suitable for both traditional and contemporary decor settings.
Take a look at curtains in other spaces
As energy savers
Curtains: They can be energy efficient
Heavyweight curtains are great buffers for light and sound. This makes them great for home theatres and rooms that front a busy road. Some fabrics that are thermal-backed can be used in very high temperature conditions.
Blinds: They can make a difference in your bills
Thermal blinds can save in electricity bills, while still not looking too heavy or blocking off all light. Particularly in small spaces, honeycomb blinds work like insulators to keep the room cool in summers and warm in winters.
Curtains: They can be energy efficient
Heavyweight curtains are great buffers for light and sound. This makes them great for home theatres and rooms that front a busy road. Some fabrics that are thermal-backed can be used in very high temperature conditions.
Blinds: They can make a difference in your bills
Thermal blinds can save in electricity bills, while still not looking too heavy or blocking off all light. Particularly in small spaces, honeycomb blinds work like insulators to keep the room cool in summers and warm in winters.
Care and maintenance
Curtains: Regular maintenance, but it’s easy
All fabrics need regular vacuuming and washing to help keep up their form. Although lightweight curtains can be slid off the rod and washed in the machine, heavier ones demand the extra effort of timely dry cleaning.
Blinds: Comprehensive cleaning is not easy
Apart from frequent wiping or vacuuming, the detailed cleaning routine requires expert help. All the parts needs to be dismantled and washed separately, and then reassembled.
Curtains: Regular maintenance, but it’s easy
All fabrics need regular vacuuming and washing to help keep up their form. Although lightweight curtains can be slid off the rod and washed in the machine, heavier ones demand the extra effort of timely dry cleaning.
Blinds: Comprehensive cleaning is not easy
Apart from frequent wiping or vacuuming, the detailed cleaning routine requires expert help. All the parts needs to be dismantled and washed separately, and then reassembled.
How they work in small spaces
Curtains: They take up space
I wouldn’t recommend curtains for tiny rooms. As they fall to the floor, their gathers occupy visual space, and can make the room appear more layered and therefore smaller.
Blinds: They fit perfectly
Blinds are built inch-for-inch in line with the window opening, resulting in a clean and austere look. They can be positioned within the window recess – this way they don’t cover any extra floor area.
Curtains: They take up space
I wouldn’t recommend curtains for tiny rooms. As they fall to the floor, their gathers occupy visual space, and can make the room appear more layered and therefore smaller.
Blinds: They fit perfectly
Blinds are built inch-for-inch in line with the window opening, resulting in a clean and austere look. They can be positioned within the window recess – this way they don’t cover any extra floor area.
As screens against light
Curtains: Often need layered treatment
A particular kind of curtain will filter light only in one particular way. For rooms that need multiple light-filtering preferences, layered curtain treatments (installing more than one treatment to a single window) need to be installed. This means added expense.
Blinds: They control light well
Venetian blinds have slats, either horizontal or vertical, tied together on a single cord. The cord lets the slats tilt through various angles. These blinds can be adjusted to let in varying amounts of light or block it, according to need and the time of day.
Curtains: Often need layered treatment
A particular kind of curtain will filter light only in one particular way. For rooms that need multiple light-filtering preferences, layered curtain treatments (installing more than one treatment to a single window) need to be installed. This means added expense.
Blinds: They control light well
Venetian blinds have slats, either horizontal or vertical, tied together on a single cord. The cord lets the slats tilt through various angles. These blinds can be adjusted to let in varying amounts of light or block it, according to need and the time of day.
Child-friendly and pet-friendly?
Curtains: Are favourable for homes with kids and pets
Curtains are simple to use and can be washed repeatedly in case of rough use.
Blinds: Not recommended for homes with kids and pets
Children and pets may mishandle the cords, slats and tassels and hurt themselves in the process. Blinds also tend to get dismantled easily with rough use. Some plastics used in making blinds are said to emit harmful gases, making the indoor air toxic. So do your research well before opting for a particular material for the blinds.
Curtains: Are favourable for homes with kids and pets
Curtains are simple to use and can be washed repeatedly in case of rough use.
Blinds: Not recommended for homes with kids and pets
Children and pets may mishandle the cords, slats and tassels and hurt themselves in the process. Blinds also tend to get dismantled easily with rough use. Some plastics used in making blinds are said to emit harmful gases, making the indoor air toxic. So do your research well before opting for a particular material for the blinds.
Life expectancy
Curtains: Are long lasting
With an initial choice of good quality material and minimal post-installation care, curtains stay good for a long time. They are relatively durable.
Blinds: Some do not last very long
Aluminium and wood blinds tend to discolour or warp if kept in damp conditions. Also, if the hardware and slats are not installed properly and subsequently handled gently, they start to distort and ultimately break.
Read more:
A Guide to Choosing Curtains
Which Window Blind is Right for You
Tell us:
Which side are you on? Let us know in Comments below.
Curtains: Are long lasting
With an initial choice of good quality material and minimal post-installation care, curtains stay good for a long time. They are relatively durable.
Blinds: Some do not last very long
Aluminium and wood blinds tend to discolour or warp if kept in damp conditions. Also, if the hardware and slats are not installed properly and subsequently handled gently, they start to distort and ultimately break.
Read more:
A Guide to Choosing Curtains
Which Window Blind is Right for You
Tell us:
Which side are you on? Let us know in Comments below.
Curtains: Easy, can be inexpensive
Fabrics can be fashioned without much hassle to make modish curtains. You can buy ready-made curtain fabrics or customise them according to your design requirements.
With no complex fittings and hardware, installing curtains can be taken up as a DIY job as well. Some automated kinds of bigger sizes do need professional help, though.
Curtains are comparatively cheaper than plastic or wood-based window treatments. Installation costs are much lower as well.
Blinds: Need extra effort for installation, high on cost
The various parts of the blinds (fabric or material, cords, headrail, and so on) need to be customised separately for each window size. Unlike curtains, the installation and repair of the various parts require skilled labour, which comes with extra costs.