Windows without any kind of treatment look plain and sad. Without shades or blinds, too many UV rays will be allowed to enter your home and fade your furniture. Plain windows also aren’t the best thing for energy efficiency.
Out of all the different types of treatments available, blinds for windows are the most popular. When most people think of blinds, their mind goes to the cheap-looking plastic ones, but you’ve got other options.
Depending on what style and material you choose, they can match the overall look of your home pretty well.
Check out these tips to learn more about the best window blinds available to you and find out which ones you should use.
Types of Blinds
Again, there are many different types of blinds for windows that you will no doubt see when you start exploring stores like IWS Shutters & Blinds with a view to getting yourself some new blinds. No matter which ones you choose, they come with slats that you can adjust using a cord, or in some cases, a remote control.
All of them work a bit differently and come with their own list of pros and cons.
Vertical Blinds
As the name suggests, vertical blinds extend downward from ceiling to floor. You can buy ones that part in the middle or open from side to side.
They’re a popular choice to go over large windows such as the ones leading out to the patio. If you like the way they look, nothing is saying that you can’t place them over your smaller windows as well.
They come in a wide array of materials, and they’re easier to clean than most other types of blinds.
Venetian Blinds
Venetian blinds are the most popular ones on the market. They come with the classic horizontal slats. Each slat is connected to the other using a string or scrap of cloth.
As you pull on the cord, one slat folds into another. They’re the best match for smaller home windows, but if you want them to cover your large sliding door, it’s not out of the realm of possibility.
They’re easy to maintain. All you need to keep them clean is a dry cloth or duster. Since these blinds are so common, they are some of the most affordable on this list.
They give you plenty of control over how much light makes it into a room. If you want to reduce the glare on your computer screen or cool things off with a bit of shade, all you have to do is adjust the blinds.
Mini Blinds
Mini blinds work a lot like Venetian blinds. The difference is that they are a lot smaller. They’re only about a single inch thick.
Their size makes them pretty difficult to clean. There’s a lot more of them that you’ve got to wipe down. Like Venetian blinds, they’re pretty effective at controlling the amount of light that makes it into a room.
They’re good for homeowners on a budget, or they can be. After a while, mini blinds can get a bit torn up unless you choose a more expensive material.
Panel Blinds
Panel blinds are similar to vertical blinds. Most panel blinds are made with cloth. They have sections that move on a track, allowing you to open and close them.
They are most popular for big glass sliding doors and windows. They don’t work as well for smaller kitchen and living room windows.
They’re safer to use than most other window treatments. They don’t slide along the track using a cord or rod, so there’s no chance of one of your pets or children getting wrapped around anything.
The cloth material is a little more challenging to clean, but it doesn’t collect as much dust as you think it would. Most panels sit a few inches off the ground away from the dust.
Micro Blinds
Micro blinds are even smaller than mini ones. They’re only half an inch thick. With them being so small, micro blinds are pretty difficult to clean.
They’re a good choice for contemporary spaces. When you use the roller to rotate them, they become almost invisible. They make it easy to adjust the amount of light that makes it into your home as well.
Motorized Blinds
Motorized blinds are the next big step in technology. You can connect them to your Amazon Echo or Google Home device so you can control them with your voice.
If you don’t have one of these devices, you can still control them with a phone app or remote. Not only are they easy to use, but they’re aesthetically pleasing.
Like the panel blinds, these don’t use a cord, making them safer to operate. We will warn you that these blinds come with a larger price tag than the other options available to you.
Rolling Blinds
Rolling blinds attach to the tops of your windows. When you’re ready to use them, all you have to do is unroll them from the spool that keeps them tied up. It makes them one of the easiest ones to operate.
They’re usually made with metal rods and durable fabric, so you won’t have to worry about your roller blinds falling apart on you anytime soon.
They look great, and you won’t have to do too much to manage them. A wet cloth will remove any dust from the fabric.
Perfect Fit Blinds
Perfect fit blinds are as advertised. They’re a perfect fit for your window frames. They neatly clip right in, making them easy to install.
They don’t require any kind of drilling, and they come in a wide range of beautiful colors and styles. If you’re interested, you can read more here.
Outdoor Blinds
The inside of your home isn’t the only area that needs window treatments. The outside needs a little TLC too. The slats on outdoor patio blinds sit close together to prevent light from getting in.
That’s not the only thing that the blinds will keep out. Your neighbors won’t be able to see through them to peek in at your family BBQs.
Bugs won’t be able to make it in through the blinds to disrupt your gatherings either. UV rays can damage your outdoor furnishings and fade the fabrics. Outdoor blinds will keep that from happening.
Blind Materials
Now that you know about your style options, it’s time to talk materials. Like the blind styles, the materials come with their fair share of advantages and disadvantages, as well as price points.
Something as cheap as micro blinds can quickly climb up in price depending on what type of material you decide to go with.
Wood
Wood is a popular material choice due to its beauty. It comes in a variety of different stains and colors, so you’re sure to find something with the kind of warmth that will bring out the best in your home.
It’s not wise to install these blinds in rooms that see a lot of humidity. If you put them in your kitchen and bathroom, they’ll become vulnerable to warping and cracks. If you want to get the most out of your wooden blinds, you’ll have to clean them on a regular basis.
Plastic
If you don’t want to spend an arm and a leg on your blinds, plastic is a good option. It’s the cheapest available, but it isn’t very eco-friendly.
Still, if that doesn’t bother you, It comes in a wide range of colors that will look great in your home. It’s not quite as beautiful as wood blinds, but it gets the job done.
Faux Wood
For those who want the gorgeous look of wood without emptying out their bank account, there’s faux wood. Not only does it mimic the look of traditional wood, but it’s a lot more durable.
You can place it in humid rooms without worrying about it falling apart. Since it’s made with synthetic materials, it won’t warp.
Metal
Metal blinds provide the same kind of look as plastic ones. They’re available in a lot more finishes, though. They’re also resistant to moisture, so you can place metal blinds in your home wherever you would like.
The material is pretty thick and durable. The only problem is the fact that, well, it’s metal. By that nature, you’ll have some of the noisest blinds that you can buy.
We don’t recommend putting them in your bedroom or living room if you don’t want to be disturbed every time something causes your blinds to shift.
Choosing the Right Blinds for Windows
Without window treatments, your home can suffer from serious damage. UV light can come in and fade the fabric on your furniture. The warmth from the sun’s rays can also heat your home and drive your energy bill up.
Out of all the different types of treatments out there, blinds for windows are the most popular. Depending on what kind you get, they are a gorgeous, dependable, and economic solution. What’s not to love?
Pick up a set of blinds today, and for more tips that will help you improve your space, visit the Home/DIY section of our blog.