curtain or blinds - Primo Blinds - window blinds guide to curtain 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.

Function
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.

Cost and Maintenance

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.

The use of window blinds seems to be more cost-effective alternative. Made of anodized aluminum, it is way cheaper than curtains. The material also reflects heat effectively and is absolutely maintenance free—except for an occasional vacuum cleaning to keep the dust off its sheets. So, if one tires of it after a few months, owners simply discard it, and install a new one. Some would opt to take it out, wash it, reinstall or simply transfer it.
Designs come in different sizes, whether vertical or horizontal, and again in varying colors and prints to match the interior of the room. Popular manufacturers of window blinds include Hunter Douglas, Kirsch, and Levolor.

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 is a better option for you.