Interior Design
What You Need to Know About Window Blinds
Familiarise yourself with the options for window blinds
Choice and variety are now fundamental expectations. When I was a kid, coffee came either black or with cream and sugar. Nowadays I could fill a small dictionary with the list of coffee choices at my nearest Starbucks. In fact, I need a dictionary to explain all the different choices.
When it comes to window treatments, the choices have proliferated in a similar way. Having this kind of selection should be a blessing, not bewildering, so here are the options sorted out and defined to make the process easier for you.
When it comes to window treatments, the choices have proliferated in a similar way. Having this kind of selection should be a blessing, not bewildering, so here are the options sorted out and defined to make the process easier for you.
The width of the slat will be your first decision. Blinds generally come in one of three standard sizes: 1.2 centimetres (0.5 inch), 2.5 centimetres (1 inch), and 5 centimetres (2 inches). The 1.2-centimetre slat is the most popular, because it gives homes a contemporary feel. The 2.5-centimetres version is a compromise between the narrowest and the widest blinds; they take less labor to manufacture than the 1.2-centimetre slats, and so are slightly less expensive.
People who want an old-world look generally choose the 5-centimetres slats, which are reminiscent of older-style Venetian blinds. The slats can be arranged horizontally, like these …
People who want an old-world look generally choose the 5-centimetres slats, which are reminiscent of older-style Venetian blinds. The slats can be arranged horizontally, like these …
… or vertically, like these. Vertical blinds are designed for wide window expanses and sliding glass doors, because they stack off to the side, rather than at the top of the window. But bear in mind that an aluminium vertical blind makes quite a commercial statement.
However, verticals are available in a wide and wonderful array of materials, including sheer fabrics that greatly mitigate the contemporary look.
One of the first questions my clients would ask after choosing their style of blinds was, “Shall I colour my blind to match [see Becky frown] my room?” My answer was quick and unequivocal. If you plan to never change the colour scheme of your room, and if you are OK with the blind’s being more visually prominent than the window, then by all means, pick a colour.
On the other hand, if you want a long-term, classic blind that will neither become dated nor offend a potential buyer, choose a neutral colour closest to the colour of the window trim. You can never go wrong with that approach. Your blind should rarely (I am just barely avoiding the word “never") be the determining factor in your room’s palette.
Another choice you will have to make is how your blind raises and lowers. Will it be top-down? Bottom-up? Or a combination of both? Privacy and light issues will be the determining factors in this decision.
Tips and tricks for getting windows spotlessly clean
Tips and tricks for getting windows spotlessly clean
Wood blinds – even faux wood ones – are another popular option. Wood brings a softer, more organic feel to windows than an aluminium blind does. If you go this route, realise that faux wood has a couple of advantages over the real thing: It can be substantially less expensive, and it’s not as susceptible to moisture issues, which makes it a great choice for bathrooms, kitchens and clammy climates. If you are going to use a painted wood blind, you might as well go faux. Nobody will be able to tell the difference.
The wood blinds shown here, by the way, have a top treatment that conceals the roll and clutch – always a good idea!
The wood blinds shown here, by the way, have a top treatment that conceals the roll and clutch – always a good idea!
You will often be offered some kind of decorative cloth-face tape for your wood blinds. The tape is meant to discourage light from peeking through. But be sure to consider the vertical stripe effect that – as you can see from this room – the tape can often produce. If you love that, fine. If not, go for the least intrusive tape possible.
Then there are woven woods. Now, strictly speaking, woven woods are shades, not blinds. What’s the difference? Whereas blinds are hard and slatted or vaned, shades are soft and are usually constructed from materials on a continuous roll, with no adjustment for light.
But because woven woods are made with a hard material, I am going to lump them in with blinds. Woven woods come in multiple styles, including grasses, reeds, jute and bamboo, like the ones shown here. Bamboo is a relatively sustainable product, which makes it one of my favourite choices.
But because woven woods are made with a hard material, I am going to lump them in with blinds. Woven woods come in multiple styles, including grasses, reeds, jute and bamboo, like the ones shown here. Bamboo is a relatively sustainable product, which makes it one of my favourite choices.
Woven woods bring a distinctly organic texture to a room. Their nubby feel makes them relaxed and comfortable looking. They enhance and warm almost any decor, from modern to country. (Can you tell woven woods are my favourite blind?)
Woven woods tend to filter light, as they are not generally opaque. Linings can be added to the back for light control, but understand that when you opt for that, you will see the lining from the exterior of your home, not the wood.
Here is a caveat: Blinds are like most other products. You get exactly what you pay for. Inexpensive blinds may seem like a “why not?” choice, but consider whether they are coming from a country that regulates lead content in their products.
Also consider the weight of each slat. Will it ding and bend if you look at it cross-eyed? I am all for comfortable interiors that embrace scratches and dents, just not in my blinds. Are the cords feeble and easily breakable?
The bottom line is: Don’t be penny wise and pound foolish when purchasing blinds.
TELL US
What kind of window treatment do you use in your home? Share them in the Comments below.
MORE
A Complete Guide to Curtain Styles
Also consider the weight of each slat. Will it ding and bend if you look at it cross-eyed? I am all for comfortable interiors that embrace scratches and dents, just not in my blinds. Are the cords feeble and easily breakable?
The bottom line is: Don’t be penny wise and pound foolish when purchasing blinds.
TELL US
What kind of window treatment do you use in your home? Share them in the Comments below.
MORE
A Complete Guide to Curtain Styles
Blinds are wonderfully adjustable; the slats are able to stay tightly closed for privacy and light control, or tilt open to allow just the amount of light you choose. When they are pulled up and stacked at the top of the window, they leave an unobstructed view.