When it comes to choosing window coverings for your home, there are various options that you can choose from. In addition, you have the option of going with traditional blinds or shades.
While they both provide different benefits, you need to ensure that whichever one you go with will work best for your needs and lifestyle. This blog post will discuss some factors that should be considered when deciding which type of window covering is right for your home.
Seven factors to be considered when deciding window covering type:
Privacy
Blinds vs. Shades: Blinds offer total privacy when they are drawn since the blind’s hardware is typically covered, so you can feel comfortable knowing that no one will see inside your home when these window coverings are closed. Blinds and shades Ottawa is considered a good option for bedrooms and bathrooms where homeowners might not want their neighbors or other people in the surrounding area to notice what they are doing inside their homes.
Shades can be a great option if you don’t want complete privacy since most shades have an open slat design, which means that someone outside of your home can see whatever might be happening on the other side of your window.
Light control
Blinds vs. Shades: Blinds can be pulled up or down to allow more or less light into your room, but shades will only provide a certain level of opacity since they are not attached from above as curtains do. Therefore, blinds can work better if you want full control over the amount of light that comes into your room.
Shades can be a great option if you want to block out some light from entering through the windows in your home.
Window frame type
Blinds vs. Shades: Blinds are generally attached at the top portion of your window frames, so they won’t work well if you have different types of windows in your home. They might not be compatible with older homes with unique or ornate window frames since blinds cannot easily blend into these styles. Blinds Installation Ottawa can help with any installation queries.
Shades can be installed on most window frames since they are typically placed within the structure itself. You will need to make sure that your windows have a track for installation purposes, but this is pretty standard across all types of shades and blinds.
Window frame color
Blinds vs. Shades: Blinds come in a variety of colors and styles, but they cannot blend into darker window frames that have unique or ornate designs to them since the blind’s hardware is typically visible from outside your home. Therefore, you might not be able to find the right style for this type of window frame. However, you can get Ottawa Blinds and Curtains to help enhance your living space!
Shades can be a great option if your windows have unique or ornate styles to them. However, shades are typically only seen from the inside, so they may blend into darker window frames better than blinds would.
Ease of use
Blinds vs. Shades: Blinds are attached at the top portion of your window frames, so you will need to pull them down or up when required by using a cord typically placed near the edge of your windows. This can be difficult for some homeowners since raising and lowering the blinds requires significant strength and effort.
Shades are much easier to use since they sit within your window frames, so you can easily push them up or pull them down by using a cord typically placed near the top of each shade for this purpose. It does not require as much effort on your part when compared with pulling down or up blinds.
Energy efficiency
Blinds vs. Shades: Blinds do not offer light control to let in more solar heat than closed shades. Therefore, blinds might be less energy efficient than shades since there is no way to block out this excess heat when it enters your home during the summer months or if you live in a warmer climate.
Shades can be great if you want to block out the excess heat from your home during the summer months or other warm seasons of the year since they offer light control and reduce this additional energy coming into your room, which will save on both heating and cooling bills.
Maintenance
Blinds vs. Shades: Blinds will need to be cleaned periodically since they are typically dusty and dirty if you don’t get them professionally washed regularly. If you do not, dust can accumulate over time, affecting how your blinds look or perform when used, making it harder to open and close them.
Shades can be cleaned as needed, so there is no need for an annual professional cleaning like you might have with blinds. However, it should be easier to clean your shades than your blinds since multiple layers of dust will not build up over time due to the lack of space between each layer that will accumulate dust.
In conclusion, you will need to decide if shades or blinds might be the best fit for your home and which factors are most important.