When you're redecorating your home, the style of window dressing you choose is very important if you want to get the right ambiance and look for a room. The usual choice is between curtains and blinds, but how do you choose? Here's a helpful comparison to help you decide.
Curtains
If you're looking for an opulent and stylish feel in a living room, curtains can certainly fit the bill. The choice of fabrics and styles is almost endless, from shabby chic, budget draperies to floor-sweeping, silk damask complete with tails and swags -- curtains will certainly make your windows a talking point.
Both curtains and blinds make a good practical window dressing. Both block out light and provide insulation in cold weather and protection from the sun's heat and damaging UV rays in the summer months. Many people have different weights of curtains for the different seasons, depending on the function they want. Privacy is also very important and both options will help to provide this.
As regards maintenance, there's not a lot that can go wrong with curtains. You will need to clean them from time-to-time, but many fabrics are easily machine-washable, and a weekly run over with a vacuum cleaner hose and soft brush attachment will be sufficient to prevent dust from building up.
Curtain installation is pretty simple if you have a few basic DIY skills. All you have to do is put up the curtain rails or poles, and then fit the hooks to the curtains if required.
Blinds
Blinds are generally considered more functional than flashy when it comes to home décor. They are undoubtedly the best choice in practicality for bathrooms and kitchens and can be 'dressed up' by combining them with curtains if you want a more decorative look for living areas and bedrooms. Blinds are the natural choice when it comes to home office windows as they give a smart, business-like feel.
There are plenty of different materials to choose from, ranging from fabric and vinyl to plastic, metal and wood.
One advantage that blinds have over curtains is their versatility. Where curtains can be either open or closed, blinds can be slatted to give light whilst still preserving privacy; they can also be raised slightly to allow for ventilation through an open window, or raised completely to allow maximum light.
Blinds can be a hassle when it comes to maintenance and cleaning. Certain materials like plastic and metal can hold static which attracts dust, and slatted blinds will need weekly vacuuming and wiping down to keep them clean and fresh. To clean roller style blinds, you'll have to take them down and wash them. There may also be issues from time-to-time with operational functionality, as the pull-cord mechanisms used for most styles of blinds will break and need repair or replacement over time.
Although you can measure-up, fit and install blinds yourself, it's usually better to ask a professional to do the job for you, especially if you have oddly-shaped or very large windows, and this could mean incurring extra cost.
In conclusion
Both curtains and blinds have advantages and disadvantages, and it's really a matter of personal taste and practicality considerations that will help you to make your final decision. Armed with the ideas in this article, a stroll around your local blind and curtain store, such as Aussie Curtain Call Interiors, might help you to focus your mind on what would be the best option.
