Home remodeling: common blind types, advantages, and disadvantages

If you're thinking about remodeling your home, there are several design aspects you need to consider before you begin. One of the most important is the use of light. In addition to wanting to keep light in, you'll also want to keep it out. There are numerous ways you can accomplish this task. Window treatment options range from simple sheer drapes to old fashioned roller shades to ultra modern curtains that provide privacy without blocking out light.

Blinds are popular choice. There are many reasons why. First of all, most kinds of blinds are easy to install. All you need to do is screw holders into the wall and then you can gently nudge the blinds in between them. This is far easier than the often tricky and precise installation required by more elaborate window treatments. Another reason blinds are popular is because they come in a wide variety of colors and types. Customers can chose from a huge palate of shades. They can also decide how wide they want the individual slats to be and even if they prefer them vertical or horizontal.

Perhaps the most important reason blinds are so often chosen is because they allow someone to choose exactly how much light to let into the room. Keep them up to allow all light from the windows into a room. Keep them half open to get some light but prevent excessive glare. Close the slats completely for total privacy. There are disadvantages to using blinds. Cheaper blinds can make a room look dull and dowdy. Unless you carefully fit the blinds to the window, they may hang over the top and look very sloppy. If a single slat gets damaged you might need to replace the entire set.

Fortunately, many of these disadvantages have been overcome. Blinds today not only come in many colors and styles but can be precisely fitted to any window. The most common styles are aluminum, wooden and vertical. Aluminum blinds are probably the most frequently seen. This variety consists of strips of aluminum held together by strong string. Aluminum blinds typically come in three sizes that indicate the width of the individual slats. Slats are normally about an inch wide. The biggest advantages of regular aluminum blinds are cost and durability. This is probably the least expensive window covering selection available.

Blinds that have slates measuring less than one inch are often called miniblinds. Miniblinds are an excellent choice if you want a designer look for your room. The small size of the blinds gives the appearance that the slats have blended together. Minis are very pretty. The primary drawback is cost. Even basic styles are at least twice the price per square foot as standard aluminum blinds. Microblinds are another option to consider. This kind of blinds has very small slats, as small as half as half an inch wide. Microblinds are another attractive but expensive option. Both miniblinds and microblinds may also not be as durable as normally sized larger blinds.

Aluminum is not the only material used for blinds. Blinds are also made from wood. Like aluminum blinds, wooden blinds can also be purchased in several different widths. While the choice of color is usually not as varied as with aluminum blinds, you can often find a nice selection of colors. This type of window covering offers the purchaser the advantage of beauty and durability. The warm, rich tones will completely nearly any decor. This is a particularly good choice for an older home with wooden moldings or a newer home with lots of detail. Unfortunately loveliness comes at a price. Most wooden blinds are at least double the cost of comparable aluminum counterparts.

Another type of blinds found in most home decor stores are vertical blinds. As the name implies, vertical blinds are blinds where the slats are arranged vertically rather than horizontally. Vertical blinds are available in a variety of colors and materials including fabric. Vertical blinds are sleek and handsome. They work well in rooms done in a contemporary style. Vertical blinds are especially useful if you have a room with odd-shaped windows. They can fit where more traditional designs would not. Again the main drawback is cost. No matter what your personal style, with a little bit of research you should find blinds that complement your taste perfectly.