Window Fashions that Work: Are Blinds Better than Curtains?

by Mary Butler

When choosing window fashions for your home, you'll probably mull over whether to buy blinds or curtains. Which is the better option? Both have pros and cons, but in today's modern household, blinds offer several distinct advantages, most notably versatility. Blinds traditionally blend well into every décor, typically cost less, and can be easily cleaned to maintain a healthy home.

Decorating with Blinds
Whether you prefer wooden blinds, roman blinds, or more economical vinyl, aluminum, honeycomb fabric, or synthetic blinds, you can find a style to fit every window and room in your house. Blinds can be ordered for a custom fit, come in every color imaginable, and even can be operated via remote control using motorization and specialty track systems--which are great solutions for media rooms and hard-to-reach windows. Roman blinds--which lay flat when down and fold when raised--and wooden blinds are classic choices that are stylish and provide good insulation, privacy, and comfort. Wooden blinds, like a nice piece of furniture, add timeless elegance to any room and can be painted or stained to match wall colors and décor. Roman shades can be further incorporated into decorating schemes, as they come in fabrics, including sheer, weaves, solids, textures, and patterns, as well as bamboo.

Picking Shades that Repel Dust
Cleanliness and keeping a healthy home are always concerns when picking window coverings. Blinds generally outperform curtains in this department, thanks to dust-repelling innovations such as paints that limit dirt accumulation. Blinds can be easily wiped off or vacuumed with attachments designed for the purpose. While some curtains can be thrown in the wash, most can not be easily laundered at home and many are made of specialty fabrics that require extra care. Curtains also generally hang to the floor, and vacuuming yards of fabric is a task that most busy people could do without.

Blinds: A Quick and Easy Design Solution
Bare windows can be hard to live with for too long. Finding the perfect curtains that hang just right and provide the right amount of insulation and sunlight can be a time consuming and expensive proposition. However, great blinds can be quickly and inexpensively purchased online or at any home improvement store and easily installed out of the package.
With crisp, clean lines, blinds are a perfect compliment to modern décor, and if you seek the warmth and comfort of fabric, roman and honeycomb shades provide the ease of use that blinds offer with the luxuriousness of curtains. The best part: if you ever decide to add curtains, they look great and work well with blinds.

Source:
Blinds.com
New Zealand Magazine

About the Author
Mary Butler writes and edits feature articles specializing in home and garden.