Window blinds add decorative touches to a window and enhance the décor of any room in addition to allowing the light in or blocking it out when you need to have a dark room. There are basically two main styles of blinds to choose from – soft blinds, such as Roman shades and hard blinds, such as Venetian blinds. Both kinds can be purchased from home improvement stores, but you can easily make your own soft blinds at home.
Buying ready-made blinds is a much cheaper and less time consuming option than ordering custom-made blinds. You will find that they are available in a wide range of colors and sizes that fit standard size windows for every room of your home. Knowing the difference between the different types of blinds and the purposes they serve will aid you in choosing the right window blinds for your needs.
Roller blinds are generally used on their own without toppers or side panels. However, they do tend to be plain. They are best used with short toppers that provide a decorative touch to the top of the window and hide the window facing. This type of window blind is very functional and when used with lace curtains, it looks very graceful. Even if you can’t find a roller blind to fit the size of your window, they are very easy to cut using only a pair of scissors for the fabric and a hacksaw for the roller.
Roller blinds are made from plasticized fabric that really blocks out the light in a room. They are most useful in bedrooms, especially children’s bedrooms and for rooms in an attic where the window is located in the slope of the roof. They come in a wide variety of colors, both plain and patterned.
Lace or voile blinds are made from stiffened lace. They not only add a graceful element to a room but do a good job of blocking some of the light from coming into a room. They do provide privacy because while they don’t block out all the light, someone on the outside will not be able to see in through them.
The most flexible type of window blind for your home is the Venetian blind. They work in different ways to control the amount of light that comes into a room. They come in a wide assortment of colors and sizes. While dark colors are available, it is best to avoid these because this style of blind gets dusty very easily and needs to be cleaned on a regular basis. Dark colored blinds show the dust and are hard to clean.
Vertical blinds are the most common type of blind for large windows and patio doors. They are made of stiffened fabric or of plastic and come in an array of colors. They can open from the side or in the center to expose a major portion of the window. In addition, the slats can be fully opened to allow lots of light into the room or slightly closed to maintain privacy and a little light.