Tuesday, July 3, 2012

Blinds Vs. Curtains: Which Are Right For Your Home?


Whether decorating or re-decorating your home, there is one debate that surfaces time and time again; curtains or blinds? Whereas curtains were once the staple choice of any home, the versatility and relatively easy maintenance of blinds have seen an increasing number of homeowners adopt them. What the debate really comes down to though is what is right for your home and what you want from your window covering. Here are a couple of things to take into consideration when making your choice.

Size and length
In terms of size, blinds and curtains offer two completely different options, with blinds often perfectly fitted to the size of a window whereas curtains often hang lower for stylistic reasons. Consider your options practically; if your window is directly above a kitchen sink, for example, then curtains have the potential to dangle into the water, damaging them. This makes blinds the better choice.
For longer windows, such as patio doors, then curtains are probably a safer bet as a blind may be too large and heavy to operate. Bedrooms often present somewhat of an issue with sizing, particularly with children; whilst they may want long fairy princess curtains, children have a habit of pulling on curtains and taking down the entire rail with them! If your child is particularly susceptible to this, opt for some cheap Velux blinds!

Design
Elaborate patterns and designs are often associated more with curtains than blinds – think the grandeur of floor length curtains and the wealth of floral patterns available. Blinds, on the other hand, are most commonly associated with Venetian offerings – that is horizontal slats kept together with tape. Classy, but not stand-out.
That’s not to say blinds can’t be elaborately designed however, especially roller blinds. Roller blinds can be patterned in just about any fashion you can imagine; burberry, plaid or even leopard print! They can also come in a range of odd materials, such as suede and leather. Perhaps best of all, some companies will customise roller blinds with your own pictures and images, offering a one-off, truly unique blind.

Maintenance
It’s all well and good picking an elaborately designed curtain or blind that suits your window perfectly, but what about a couple of years down the line. Maintenance issues are often overlooked when making the choice between blinds and curtains, which often leads to regrets later on.
Curtains, on the whole, are quite difficult to keep looking their best.
Like carpets, they are subject to the wears and tears of daily living and a spillage can lead permanent stain. Washing curtains involves taking them down and putting them in the washing machine (or hand washing them), which can be a time-consuming process as you unhook the curtain, wait for it to dry and then put it back on again. It also leaves your rooms exposed to the outside world!
Blinds, on the other hand, are relatively easy to maintain. Cleaning a Venetian blind, for example, is as easy as taking a wet cloth and duster to the slats. Roller blinds are slightly trickier to clean, but as they are usually fitted to a window perfectly, the chance of spillage or any such damage is low. Blinds are susceptible to breakages if mistreated, but a well-maintained and looked after blind will last you quite a while!

 Achim Lu3664Wd04 - Luna 2 Inch Vinyl Blind - 36 X 64 Inches - Woodtone