Roman Blinds

Even more lavish and majestic than wood blinds are the Roman blinds. Roman blinds offer homes a glamorous look reminiscent of mansions or large estates.

The Roman blinds are said to have originated from the Roman domes hence the moniker. During the era of the Roman Empire, roman blinds were made of damp cloths hanging over a window to prevent heat and dust from entering a room.

Today Roman blinds, although no longer wet, serve the same purpose. Like the Roller blind, Roman blinds are drawn to open the room to light and a view of the outdoors. It is also lowered to shut off light and give room privacy.

Both flat fold Roman style and tear drop style make a statement giving your home a royal look. The Roman blinds have a timeless appeal and may be used in almost any room in your home including the kitchen and sitting room.

Thicker materials may be used for the living room, the sitting room or the library to have more privacy while thinner or sheer materials may be used to maintain an open and inviting look. Just as Roman blinds come in a multitude of fabrics, there is also a wide array of colors to choose from.

Roman blinds are operated with a cord lock system- cords that are stringed through ringlets or eyelets at the back of the fabric- and are very easy to manipulate. One just has to be careful in tucking the cords to keep them safe for children and to lessen avoid excessive pulling.

Roman blinds can either be affordable or can cost an arm and a leg. The price varies depending on the fabric used. It is really up to your design choice. Simple blinds are available for those budget-conscious buyers who still want the glamorous look of the Roman blinds. Rich colors like red, especially those with gold thread or trimmings exude extravagance and are ideal for large rooms. Lavish designs coupled with draperies are also available for those who have no worry for cost. You may also add cornices, tussles and other elegant accents to you window to complete the royal theme of your home.

Bamboo Blinds

The bamboo blinds, especially those that come in drapery panels exude understated elegance. Made of bamboo and woven with either rattan, reeds, jute or other natural grasses, this type of blinds often come in neutral colors that highlight the room’s furnishings.

Adding to the bamboo blind’s appeal is its capacity to provide strong insulation and filter light to give a room a muted glow. If you want an inviting and relaxing ambiance, then installing bamboo blinds is the way to go. Bamboo blinds provide even the most modern structures with a rustic feel. Even its colors- deep brown, light beige, olive, chocolate brown, white mesh and others are meant to complement the room’s furniture and give any room a natural look.

Bamboo blinds are a favorite among nature-lovers because it brings the elements of nature into the home. The bamboo blind is also subtle enough to support the designs of Zen-inspired homes. It also agrees with the total look and feel of country homes, seaside homes and even modern homes with wooden furniture because of it clean and crisp look.

Depending on the material used, bamboo blinds can make a room look charming, or delicate, or bold but nevertheless beautiful. Bamboo blinds utilizes bamboo cut into flat sticks. Different looks require varying slat width. Bigger bamboo sticks woven sparingly with grass or hemp looks bolder while thinner bamboo slats look more delicate.

Bamboo blinds are very durable and easy to install but are a little more high maintenance than those made of synthetic materials. They are perfect to install in any part of the house- bedroom, kitchen, and living room. The hems, trims and valence for this type of blinds come in a variety of styles and texture to accentuate the decorative theme of the home.

Faux Wood Blinds

Getting the majestic look of wood blinds is well within your reach with the faux wood blinds available in the market. Made of PVC and wood pulp, the faux wood blinds offer the expensive look of wood blinds but at a much lesser cost.

Because faux wood blinds are made of synthetic materials, they are much more durable and resistant to water and humidity than those made of wood or bamboo. Using faux wood means having the best both natural and synthetic materials can offer.

Because they are very resistant to moisture, this type of blinds is ideal for busy or humid rooms like the pool house, the attic or the basement. They are also the type used in boats, sheds and bathrooms. If they are sturdy enough to use in sheds and boats, it means they will last a long-time when used inside the home. They are also more resistant to weather changes and will provide above average insulation for the home, better than the insulation provided by real wood. They are also more durable and will last in mint condition longer than your bamboo or fabric blinds.

Faux wood blinds serve the whole range of functions- they provide the right ventilation for the room, filter the light, offer privacy and protect the interiors of the home from the harsh elements of the outdoors.

The trick in looking for the perfect wood blinds is choosing the right slat size that will match the size of the window and the function of the room in which the blind is being installed. It should be fairly easy to choose the right kind with the help of a professional.

Faux wood blinds are easier to clean and maintain than those made of natural materials. Because it is made of PVC, it is more resistant to dust and molds, is less sensitive than fabric blinds and sturdier than the vinyl or aluminum blinds.

Faux Wood Blinds come in more colors and textures than the wood blinds. So go ahead and choose one that matches the color motif of your wooden furniture. It also complements other design elements in the home like the carpet, wooden frames and tables.

Choose the Right Blinds for Your Home

Installing blinds is a great way to update the look of your home without spending some serious money. They also insulate your room, gives you added privacy and protect your home from the harsh elements of the outdoors.

There are numerous choices in the market so you will surely find one that fits your home and your budget perfectly. Just keep in mind that different blinds have different characteristics and benefits so don’t buy just any blind on impulse. You must carefully consider each blind keeping in mind the style of your home and the purpose for which you are installing blinds.

One major consideration when buying blinds is the cost. Yes, they do cost less than a total room make-over but some blinds can be expensive especially if you are buying good quality blinds with distinct and advanced features. If cost is no concern, then you can choose whatever blind you fancy but if you are working within a budget then you might consider some of the cheaper options available in the market.

When buying blinds you must consider the over-all theme of your room. Make sure to choose a blind that is appropriate for the design of your home. Bamboo blinds for example complements seaside houses or country homes. And it would be the height of bad taste to install PVC vertical blinds in a lavish Victorian-inspired home.

Energy-efficiency and insulation is another aspect you must consider when purchasing blinds. Cellular shades and plantation shutters are perfect for keeping both extreme sunlight and extreme cold from your home. PVC-backed Fabric vertical blinds also offer great insulation and privacy. If you live in a breezy town and do not experience harsh weather then your regular blinds and shades will do.

If you have a great view out of your window and want to enjoy it then avoid opaque and thick blinds and shades. You may consider purchasing sheer weave shades or shades in transparent fabric. This way you get protection from the sun but do not completely block out the view.

Curtains or Blinds

The selection of a window treatment appropriate to your home or office interiors can come as a challenge. Whether you are organizing the décor of a thousand square foot office or a small bedroom in the attic, the choice between using curtains or blinds is more than just a matter of preference. Your choice should come across function, cost and maintenance considerations.

Curtains are used to obscure the light that passes through a window. Made of fabric, curtains or draperies could either obstruct completely the entry of lightbeams or filter sunlight into a moderate glare, which is dependent on the density of the material.

Curtains are also known for their sound absorbing features. Inside the compact and enclosed interiors of conference rooms, office studios or even the bedroom, one can actually experience irritating echoes or reverberating sound, especially during a conversation; which could trigger mood swings, rise in temper or even nausea. This can however be remedied by the installation of heavy draperies on the windows or on a designated area of the room.

Window Blinds on the other hand, provide a more effective way of controlling the amount of sunlight that penetrates into a room. Composed of attached vertical or horizontal aluminum sheets that function in unison, window blinds can be rolled up to expose the room completely to the sun, adjusted to control the amount of light that seeps in or folded down to a close to completely block off sunlight. This window treatment offers more benefits than just enhancing the form and shape of a room.

Large and heavy curtains are no longer widely used because fabrics, though heat absorbent, tend to be very expensive and sets of it need to be maintained to allow the user to change it regularly, say every fifteen days. The worst part of using curtains is when you need to take them down for cleaning. Apart from incurring charges from the dry cleaners, you might also require professional help in dismantling dirty curtains and in re-installing a newly laundered one.

So which window covering should you use? That would depend on your budget, needs and preference! If you prefer an elaborate look for your room and also willing to spend for it then use curtains. Meanwhile, if you have a more sophisticated requirement for a window treatment or working on a tight budget, then window blinds are a better option for you.

Vertical Blinds

Vertical blinds are going to run from the top of your window down to the bottom of your window, or even to the floor. Vertical blinds can be installed on the inside of the window casing or on the exterior of the window casing, which would put the blinds on the top of the window but on the out edge of the wood.

Vertical blinds should be measured from where you want to install them If you are putting the blinds up on the interior of the casing, you will measure on the inside of the window. If you are putting the blinds up on the upper portion of the outside of the casing, you will need to measure from that point. For example, you have a 60" wide window that measures 40" long.

If you are putting the blinds up on the inside of the casing you most likely are going to need 58 or 59" across and 39" long, depending on the thickness of your casing and the trim on the window. If you are going to put the vertical blinds on the exterior of the casing above the window you are going to need to measure where you want the blinds to cover, and this is going to be about 62" or 64" wide, and will measure about 44" long. If you want to see the casing, you will need less, if you don't want to see the trim, and you don't want to see the casing you will need more.

The length of your blinds will vary. Some people like to cover only the window area of their window with the blind. This is fine if you are measuring the interior or the exterior situations of your window. If you are measuring to have the vertical blinds put on the inside of the casing it is difficult or impossible to have the vertical blinds that will be longer than the window because then the vertical blind will stick out on the bottom and look a bit funny after it is installed.

Think about what you want your vertical blinds to look like in the end. Now if you were to hang a string up there would it hang down nicely or is there something getting in the way? If there is something in the way of the string hanging down straight it is going to be in the way when you put the blinds up as well, so you don't want those blinds to be that long after all.

Measure where you want the blinds to be, and then draw this out on a piece of paper. After you draw it out on a piece of paper, does it look like what you thought it would? If yes, then you are ready to order, if not, you should re measure and think about where you want the vertical blinds to be placed.