Which Is Better? Blinds or Curtains?

Which Is Better? Blinds or Curtains?

Which Is Better? Blinds or Curtains? This is a question of many homeowners as they think of the right treatment for their bare windows. Yes, It can be a difficult decision to make. But we are here to help you decide on which is the right window treatment for your beautiful home. We will be listing down the pros and cons of blinds and curtains to guide you in choosing between the two.

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Blinds

Window Blinds, also as window shutters, Venetian blinds or can be roller shades. is a typical window blinds are made up of slats, either vertical or horizontal. Roller blinds, however, can be made of fabric sheet. You can choose materials like wood, plastic, metal or fabric blinds. Window blinds manoeuvre with either a manual or remote-controlled system. Blinds are suitable in bedrooms, living spaces and even kitchen and bathrooms.

Pros and Cons of Blinds

Aesthetic

Wooden Venetian Blinds
Wood Venetian Blinds in Living Room

Window blinds provide simple, clean aesthetic and made from a range of materials including wood, veneer, plastic and fabric. You can choose from wide design options depending on your taste or preferred interior style. Use wood blinds if you want warm, natural mood. On the other hand, plastic or fabric blinds offer a more modern look. The disadvantage of using blinds is that Venetian blinds are often seen as old-style than modern curtains and roller shades.

Maintenance

Venetian Blinds accumulate dust easily so you need to clean each of the slats manually. You may need to wipe down the slats regularly especially if you open your windows. But, roller blinds are more convenient to clean because you can just remove the fabric and wash it down.

Light Control

Blinds provide more sunshade control; block off sunlight totally, or adjust the slats accordingly to the desired amount of light coming in but still getting airflow. This can be controlled manually or through remote control. Roller shades come also in different shade percentage or openness. Therefore, blinds can be more flexible in controlling the light.

Cost

Cost of blinds depends upon the quality, materials and size. Blinds can cheaper than made to measure curtains and of course, if you use expensive fabrics. But generally, this can also vary. A custom made and sized blinds can cost higher than ready-made curtains. Due to the reason that fabric costs cheaper than hard blinds.

Curtains

Curtains, sometimes known as drapery, is a fabric intended as window treatment to block or obscure light. There are many types of curtains; depending on the style and use. Curtains are not suitable in bathrooms and kitchen because it is unhygienic, oil and soap may damage and stain the curtains and also, exposure to fire is a big risk.

Pros and Cons of Curtains

Aesthetic

There are almost unlimited styles, fabric and lining options that you can choose from with the use of curtains. For example, you can use sheer curtains or plain curtains to achieve minimalistic and airy interior. You can also choose the heading style which dictates how the fabric falls. Heading styles varies from a more traditional to a much modern look. With curtains, it is flexible to create styles depending on the interior look you want to achieve.

Maintenance

Unlike blinds, curtains are less labour-intensive to clean. Wiping can be easy for blinds but you can just wash it in the machine or dry cleaning the whole curtain fabric to look like new again.

Light Control

Sheer Curtains - Which Is Better? Blinds or Curtains?
An example of sheer curtains

In terms of light control, curtains can’t do much as the blinds can. You can opt to use thicker fabric to totally block the sun but will block the airflow. Or, choose sheer fabric for light to come in. Curtains are effective at blocking harsh sunlight however when closed, you can’t maximize the airflow.

Curtains are also a good solution in keeping your house warm during the winter season. Thick drapes can help in maintaining the heat inside thus saving more energy.

Cost

As mentioned earlier, made to measure curtains are more expensive. Moreover, fabric choices can also affect the cost. In order to save cost, (which is cheaper than blinds) you may use cheap fabric like polyester or if you want a premium looking but cheap alternative, use faux silk. Or, if you have standard sized windows, buy off the shelf curtains.

Conclusion

Affordability and practicality wise, choose curtains. If you are not really into light control function, curtains are the best option. But if you are into flexibility and durability, go for blinds.

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