Custom Window Blinds For Your Homes
Custom blinds are aesthetically pleasing and versatile window treatment options. Read how to choose and purchase custom window blinds for your home today.
Purchasing custom window blinds for your home helps provide comfort and visual appeal. Custom blinds are popular with many consumers today. Some consumers are surprised by the multiple types, styles and price ranges of custom blinds on the market. Understanding the different types of window blinds available is a great start to helping you make a purchase decision. Knowing how to choose the right window blinds for the rooms in your home is even more important to the process.
Your home is your most prized and valuable asset and is where you spend most of your time. You take pride in how your home looks both inside and out. Custom blinds are aesthetically pleasing and provide a versatile functionality your home. Nearly sixty percent of U.S. homeowners prefer blinds over all other window treatment options in 2021. Read ahead for a helpful guide on how to choose and purchase custom window blinds for your home today.
Blinds vs. Shades
Blinds and shades are types of window treatments used for visual appeal and climate/light control alike. While both serve similar purposes, they accomplish their respective goals in several different manners. Similarities include how both types of window treatments are available in various styles, types, materials and sizes. Blinds are made of individual adjustable slats, whereas shades are made from one solid piece of fabric/material. Blinds and shades are both adjustable in up-and-down directions. Shades are limited to that movement, however, while blinds also tilt and rotate.
Both blinds and shades provide privacy from passersby looking into your windows. Both treatments allow you to open your windows for fresh air, while simultaneously maintaining your privacy. Blinds offer more flexibility when combining privacy and sunlight, however. Shades are either up, down or in the middle. Blinds also angle up, down and rotate to a horizontal position based on your manual control, needs and preference.
Types of Window Blinds
Assessing the types of custom window blinds available feels like an overwhelming task for some consumers. Having valuable information in one place makes life easier and helps you with your decision process. Listed below are various types of blinds available for purchase and brief explanations about the benefits and uses for each.
Vertical Blinds
Vertical blinds are popular for long and tall windows running from the ceiling to the floor. This type of window treatment is also used for smaller windows when appropriate and/or preferred. Vertical blinds consist of individual slats, which run along the top of the unit on a track. The slide fully opens/closes from side-to-side using a manual control bar, which also hangs from the support system at the top of the treatment unit. The control bar also rotates, which causes the slats to also rotate and let it varying degrees of light. Vertical blinds are made from real wood and faux wood. They are also made from various plastics and polyvinyl chloride (PVC). Materials used to make these blind and the length of theirs impacts overall pricing.
Venetian
The most popular type of custom blinds among consumers today is the Venetian blind. Venetian blinds use horizontal slats instead of vertical. Their most common usage is to treat smaller windows. They are also used for windows of various sizes, however. Venetian blinds offer the benefit of full customization and have multiple features, which are important to understand. Common materials used to make Venetian blinds include wood, faux wood, PVC, bamboo and vinyl. Venetian blinds are available in thin or thick cuts and require a snug fit. This means sizing your Venetian blinds and windows properly is vital to getting the best use of this treatment.
Mini Blinds vs. Venetian
Mini blinds are stylistically similar to Venetian blinds because they also use horizontal slats. Mini blind slats are commonly one-inch thick on average. This type of window treatment is an affordable option but is also prone to cracking and wearing down faster because of the thinner materials used for the slats. Mini blinds are commonly found in rental apartments and are easy to install as a DIY project.
Panel Blinds
Treating patios doors and larger windows are the most common uses for panel blinds. Panel blinds, also referred to as panel glides, glide along a track at the top of the unit in similar fashion to vertical blinds. Panel blinds are made from a wide variety of materials, which gives you flexibility when matching them to your preexisting interior décor. Panel blinds also offer more climate/light control than most other types. Due to their length, versatility and customizable options panel blinds also have higher price points than many other custom options.
How to Choose the Right Window Blinds
Choosing the right window blinds depends on a combination of your preferences and the intended purpose/function of the blinds. The first step in choosing the right custom blinds for your home is to assess their purpose. Aesthetics, privacy and climate/light control are the main reasons to purchase blinds. Once your know the purpose you must accurately measure your windows. Assessing what type of blinds for which your window is suitable is also important. Materials used to make the blinds impact your choice as well.
Get assistance from places such as The Home Depot or Lowes when choosing your blinds. Both these businesses help you select and cut your blinds to the right sizes. Online stores such as Blinds.com, Smith & Noble and many more offer purchasing assistance and frequently discounted pricing.
Cost and Installation Options
The cost of custom window blinds varies greatly based on materials used and design styles. For example, one Mainstays cordless horizontal blind costs only $4.48/blind at Walmart today. One Essential Room Darkening Dual Shade costs $53.58/blind because of its slat thickness and quality of materials. Installation costs vary as well. The Home Depot installs up to ten blinds for $119. Up to 10- 20 blinds costs $199 and 20+ costs $299 for installation. DIY installation is both possible and common for cheaper blinds. Hiring a professional service is recommended for longer more expensive custom window blinds to assure quality and proper functionality, however. Pricing for installation services also vary per service so be certain to ask about costs before committing to custom blind installation service.
