Are you at a total loss at buying the best window blinds and where to get them? Before you go shopping, check out this helpful guide that will help you determine which shades are right for your windows. From determining the right measurements to finding the right store, click here to learn everything you need to know.
Getting overwhelmed by all the different types of window blinds out there?
If you aren’t sure what you’re looking for, shopping for window treatments can be a much harder job than it needs to be. Is there a right or wrong type of blind for your house? What color should you get? Does the price really matter?
We’ll help you sort some of those questions out.
Take a look at this window treatment guide to find the best window blinds for your house.
Do You Want Blinds or Shades?
Is there a difference?
Actually, yes. There is a pretty big difference between blinds and shades.
When they are completely closed, they both do the same thing, keep the sun out and block your house from unwanted, prying eyes. But here’s the difference. When shades are closed, they’re closed.
What does that mean?
Shades don’t offer any type of light control when they are closed all the way. Blinds, on the other hand, are made of slats or vanes, meaning they are adjustable.
Want to make the room a little dimmer but don’t want to block out all the sun completely? Blinds let you adjust how much light you let into the house.
They can cover the entire window then they’re closed, let in light while protecting your privacy when the blinds are closed but the slats are open, or leave the entire window clean when they are open.
For the purpose of this article, we’ll be talking primarily about blinds.
Should I Get blinds for Every Room?
This mostly comes down to personal preference and whether or not you want the window treatments in the house to be completely uniform.
Uniformity might sound like the way to go at first, but a majority of houses actually have different blinds in different rooms.
So can blinds be used in every room?
Blinds are not as susceptible to water as other types of window treatments. This makes them a good choice for rooms like kitchens, bathrooms, and other damp areas.
Any rooms where people sleep or that needs to be kept dark are better suited for blackout curtains, especially nurseries or young children’s rooms.
But that doesn’t mean blinds are limited to those areas. They can work well in any room you choose to put them in.
Different Types of Blinds
Blinds can either have verticle or horizontal slats, so one of your first blind choices is what kind of slats you want.
Sliding glass doors usually have verticle slats that split in the middle and open to either side. Windows can have verticle slats that open to the side as well, but you’ll often see horizontal slats that open upward on windows.
And while blinds are traditionally made out of plastic or metal, some can be as well. Wooden blinds give the space a more natural, softer appearance, so if you don’t like the look of plastic wood might be the way to go.
If you like the wood look but don’t want to spend the extra money, faux wood blinds are much cheaper. And the best part is they look almost exactly the same.
Are Colored Blinds a Good Idea?
You can buy blinds in a multitude of different colors, but that doesn’t make it a good idea.
A lot of people think buying colored blinds to match the color scheme of their room is a good choice, but there are a few different problems that come with colored blinds.
- The colored blinds will draw more attention than the window. The window should be what catches people’s eyes, not the blinds. Otherwise, people will stare at the colored blinds instead of the beautiful view outside.
- You can never change your color scheme again. Because the blinds match the color scheme you already have, if you decide to change it, the blinds will look very out of place. The only way to get around it would be to buy new blinds every time you change colors, but that’ll get expensive quickly.
You’re better off choosing a neutral color for your blinds. Then they can look nice without drawing the attention away from the window or forcing you to keep an old color scheme.
Inside or Outside Mount?
The next question that comes with buying blinds is whether you should mount them inside your window or outside your window.
Inside Mount
Blinds mounted on the inside of the window look clean and fresh. They’ll draw attention to the window molding and show off the size of the window.
But in order to mount your blinds inside, your window must be deep enough to fit the blinds (anywhere from 1 inch to 4 inches depending on the type of blind you choose). A window that’s not deep enough doesn’t necessarily mean you can’t have inset blinds, but it does mean they’ll stick out from the window somewhat.
Outside Mount
Blinds mounted on the outside of the window make your windows look longer and wider. So if you aren’t a fan of your window frames, installing outside mounted blinds is a good way to hide them.
These types of blinds can either be mounted on the window molding or even above the window molding. They will also block more light from entering the house (light can creep in around the edges of inside mounted blinds.
And if your window is not deep enough for inside mounted blinds, you may have to choose outside mounted blinds.
Does Price Matter?
When it comes to blinds, you tend to get what you paid for.
So cheaper blinds will be more flimsy and fall apart easier than more expensive blinds. Generally speaking, unless you want to deal with bad blinds, you shouldn’t just choose the cheapest ones.
If you want quality blinds but don’t want to spend a lot of money, check out some of the choices at Budget Blinds.
Buying the Best Window Blinds for You
Take your time as you look for blinds. You may have to look in several different stores before you find the best window blinds for your house. But never settle for something you don’t like. You’ll probably have these blinds for years to come.
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