Hello and welcome back for another post in my Interior Decor and Design series. Over the years I have discovered that one of the most difficult decisions in interior design is choosing the best perfect window treatments for your home. More specifically, the dilemma is commonly between curtains and blinds (or sometimes wondering if it’s okay to use both). If you are struggling with this issue, there are several factors to consider that can help ou along in the decision making process. Here are some tips on how to choose the best window treatments for your home. *This post contains affiliate links/sponsored.
Consider Aesthetics
When choosing the right window treatment the most obvious consideration is aesthetics. If you are creating a more minamalist look in your home, blinds offer a clean and simple look due to their minimalistic design. The material used to create blinds can vary from wood, veneer, plastic to fabric.
If you prefer a softer aesthetic, then curtains can also be beautiful in minimalist rooms. Curtains work well in boho minimalist spaces or rooms with more a farmhouse vibe.
Curtain designs can differ in heading styles, fabrics, and lining options, which can create many different kinds of looks that are appropriate for any style of decor. You will also want to consider the rod styles. Check out this Farmhouse Curtain Rod Buying Guide to find the kinds of styles that would suit your taste.
Heading styles normally tells you how a curtain would fall. The fabric choice will also determine the role you want your curtains to play, be it purely for aesthetic purposes or mainly for heat and light control. Furthermore, as curtains usually hang from tracks and rods, they make a visual impact on the overall decorative aspect of curtains as well.
Curtains are often the main type of window treatment in traditional homes or homes with French or English cottage style.
A Stylish Edge
The choice also depends on whether you prefer something with a simple design (meaning ease of incorporation) or something that has more intricate style and may require more thought on how to integrate the look into your existing interior. You will also want to consider the rod styles. Check out this Farmhouse Curtain Rod Buying Guide to find the kinds of styles that would suit your taste.
Mixing and Matching Blinds and Curtains
Can’t decide between blinds and curtains? Use both! Wood or bambo blinds can bring an organic feel to a room with the added benefit of extra privacy, while curtains can add softness, color, pattern or style.
Roman shades are definitely having their day in design. These window treatments work like blinds but the fabric can provide color, pattern, texture and interest to a room.
Warmth
In terms of maintaining warmth, blinds and curtains can both be adequate. The difference lies in whether your priority is warmth or light.
Blinds have multiple designs as mentioned previously, but the best for heat control are honeycomb blinds or thermal lined roman blinds. The former performs the best with its level of insulation, but they may not be as aesthetically pleasing in some rooms.
Venetian, vertical, and roller blinds lose out in this category compared to the aforementioned types of blinds. They are particularly beneficial during the warmer months during summer as its designs allow for partial closure. This means that they allow light to illuminate the room while keeping a fair deal of heat out of the room.
Blackout Curtains (affiliate)
As for curtains, the retention and prevention of heat depend on the thermal lining within the curtains. However, curtains with this heavier fabric can come off as imposing in a small space. Compared to blinds that allow partial light into the room, curtains will completely block off natural light making it a compromise between having natural light or heat.
Installing a double track system with sheer curtains being the outermost layer can solve this dilemma. This allows for the retention of heat during colder days and natural light during the warmer days.
Function
Relating to the above point, blinds function well in managing heat and allowing for natural light to shine through. This is especially so for Venetian blinds whereby their designs allow for daylight to illuminate rooms while reducing the glare from the sun with a simple tilt. The blinds also can be lifted completely to open up the entire window space.
Their functionality is evident in environments of high moisture exposure like kitchens and bathrooms. They also function great as covers for skylight windows. Furthermore, if you have chosen roller blinds, they are multi-functional because they allow for UV protection and privacy protection while at the same time, still allowing for light to pass through. There are also made to measure blinds online for a more flexible option.
Curtains, on the other hand, have a different set of useful functions. Compared to blinds, their mechanisms are easier to work with. They also are great for blocking out light. That being said, a downside to that is that a portion of your window might always be covered with curtains.
While this may not be a problem for large window spaces, it might prove otherwise for tinier windows. There are also sheer curtains for those who want some level of sunlight protection and sunlight but not at the complete expense of depriving the room of natural light.
Cleaning
Cleaning for blinds is usually made much simpler because the materials used for blinds are water-resistant making clean-up fairly easy. This means that a simple wipe down would do the trick in maintaining cleanliness. Depending on the type of blinds, however, it can provide different challenges.
If we are looking at Venetian blinds which are known for their slatted designs, they may be more susceptible to dust accumulation. Thus, they may require constant maintenance with periodic wipe downs or if you own a vacuum, can ease your job considerably. Hence, those who suffer from dust allergies might not find this type of window treatment to be the most ideal. Another tough one to handle might be roman shades as their recommended cleaning method is spot cleaning. You might have to remove the shades altogether which could be tricky if they were professionally installed.
Fabric curtains are best cleaned using the spot cleaning method. That might also mean an occasional safe removal of the curtain. Other than that, simple routine vaccuming can keep curtains from looking dingy.
In conclusion the decision between blinds and curtains should be based on your style preferences, lighting needs, and the overall conditions of the room. Remember that there are plenty of ways to combine blinds and curtains of all styles to come up with a a specific design that will look perfect for whatever space you are trying to complete.
Which do you prefer…curtains, blinds, a combination, or simply unadorned windows? I love hearing from you, dear readers! Thanks for visiting today!
Amber
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