There is a whole world of details that go into home design. The right finishing touches elevate a house into your home, tuned to your sensibilities and posed to showcase your tastes.

Paints, window coverings, soft furnishings, and décor accents – all add to the atmosphere of your home, marking the difference between a stark house and a welcoming home. If you wish to refresh your existing home interiors or are looking at furnishings for your new house, you cannot afford to miss out on the most appropriate elements.

Today, we shall focus on one part of the finishing details – window coverings.

There are as many types of window coverings as there are windows – blinds, shutters, shades, curtains, et al., with further options available.

The Basic Types of Window Treatments

Strictly speaking, all window coverings fall under one of the three basic types:

Hard Coverings – Shades, blinds and shutters made of hard materials like metal, wood or plastic fall in this category.

Soft Coverings – Coverings such as curtains and drapes that use fabrics.

A third category is a combination of both hard and soft coverings and is called a layered covering.

Deciding What Suits You the Best

Other than aesthetics, zeroing down on the most appropriate window furnishings for your home depends on several factors, including budget, intent, durability, maintenance, and whether it complements the overall décor.

Let’s discuss the advantages and disadvantages of Blinds, Curtains and Shades so that you have a better idea of what would suit your house the best.

Blinds

A window blind comprises horizontal or vertical slats held together by cords running through the slats. Window blinds can be manually operated or remotely. Horizontal blinds are rotated from an open position, with slats spaced out, to a closed position where slats overlap and block most of the light. Vertical blinds run along a track system which can tilt and move side-to-side.

Blinds are easily customizable, allowing you to control the amount of natural light in your house. Made to order or ready-made, window blinds are available in various styles, materials, colours and patterns.

There are many types of blinds, such as Panel blinds, Zebra blinds, Motorized blinds, Roller blinds, Honeycomb blinds, etc. Perhaps the oldest and the most popular version is the Venetian blind, typically made from overlapping horizontal slats that are lowered and drawn together by pulling a cord.

Learn more: Window shutters vs. blinds, Which one is a better choice?

Blinds are affordable and versatile, and a wide range of options suit various window styles. Newer styles such as Zebra blinds and Honeycomb blinds provide added advantages such as a higher degree of privacy, sound-proofing, insulation and energy efficiency.

The honeycomb shape of the slats in Honeycomb blinds traps air between the window and the room, buffering against heat dissipation.

Blinds are gaining popularity as an optimal and precise light filtering feature and can fit almost any type of window, including skylights and unusually shaped windows.

Manufacturers such as AVA Window Fashions can manufacture a variety of custom window blinds that suit your home’s design and budget.

Shades

Akin to window blinds, Shades are made of fabric that you can pull down to screen a window. The most popular type of Shades, Roman Shades, is a construct of cloth that hangs flat when pulled down and folds into horizontal pleats when raised. Increasingly, other natural materials, such as bamboo, are used instead of fabric.

Where Would You Use Shades in Your House?

Shades provide privacy, UV protection, light control, and insulation like other window coverings. They also look elegant and can be an economical way to add colours and textures to your décor. However, they are not recommended for humid rooms such as bathrooms. The fabric used for the shades can be challenging to clean, primarily as it collects dust quickly.

More information: The Best Bet for a Perfect Night’s Sleep – Blackout Zebra Shades

Curtains

Curtains and drapes are the simplest forms of screening doors and windows, though they can create a casual or a sophisticated feature. Basically, a length of fabric that can be moved by hand or remotely; curtains come in various materials, sizes and patterns.

Choosing curtains for your home depends on the size and shape of the windows, and the fabric can vary according to how much light and privacy is desired. From heavy materials such as velvet to cut drastically back on glare to light-as-air gossamer fabrics that are more decorative than functional, curtains run the whole gamut of styles from stately to whimsical.

Are Curtains a Good Choice?

Curtains are an easy way to add warmth and colour to your home and can be easily cleaned. There is a bewildering range of choices to suit every budget and taste, and you cannot complain about the paucity of options.

However, they are not as durable as other window screening options; fading or discolouration of the fabric due to exposure to light is a common problem. Additionally, they do not suit all apertures or rooms and can look awkward when hung wrongly.

Weighing Up the Options

This article gives you a glimpse at the many options for window coverings that are available for your home.

Curtains, shades, blinds or shutters – choosing the right option is a balancing act between price and function. Look around for inspiration, and ask for recommendations and quotes from several sources.