Choosing the right window coverings affects you and your home more than you think. From insulation to the amount of light filtering in, your choice between Edwardsville blinds and shades influences your home’s comfort and style. Keep reading to learn the difference between Edwardsville shades and blinds and what to consider when choosing between the two window treatments.
Blinds vs. Shades: What’s the Difference?
Shades and blinds help insulate your home while looking stylish and cohesive, but understanding which one you want involves digging into the pros and cons of each. While both blinds and shades provide similar purposes, you can enjoy certain benefits that may not exist or function as well in the other. Some qualities to consider include:
Privacy
Blinds and shades offer privacy but in varying amounts. For example, you can open or close your blinds by turning a rod or lift and lower them with a string. Meanwhile, shades only roll up or down, providing a straightforward form of privacy control.
For the greatest amount of privacy, choose shades over blinds.
Light Control
Natural sunlight looks beautiful but can heat up your home or cause glares in your eyes. Blinds and shades give you control over the amount of sunlight that enters your home. If you want to let natural light in while maintaining a sense of privacy, blinds can provide that for you.
If you prefer to either stop all the light or welcome every ray, Edwardsville shades can block or allow light to enter your room. In addition, you can choose shades with thinner or thicker materials to better serve your lighting preferences. For absolute control over the amount of light entering your home, opt for Edwardsville blinds.
Maintenance
All window treatments require regular cleaning to fight against dust, dirt, and residue build-up. While blinds need a more thorough cleaning to wipe down every slat, shades only need dusting and spot cleaning. However, if your shades become too dirty, you may need professional cleaning.
While shades require deeper cleaning, they also won’t break down the way that regular blinds can over time. Choosing Edwardsville shades vs. blinds depends on how much and what type of maintenance you want to deal with.
Durability
As mentioned above, blinds can break down over time, whether from natural wear and tear or rough use from children or animals. Once your blinds have a broken slat, you have to replace the entire set, costing more money to maintain the style you already have throughout the room. On the other hand, shades don’t have individual pieces, consisting instead of cloth material that slides down from a roller or shade bar above.
Shades take more effort to damage, but they can rip or tear with rough treatment. If you prefer a more durable option, Edwardsville blinds take a backseat to shades.
Energy Efficiency
While blinds vary in slat size, color, and style, none of them compare to the energy-efficient standards of shades. Certain shade styles, like the honeycomb-shaped cellular shades, act as insulation while allowing you to indulge in your preferred interior decorating aesthetic. You can improve the energy efficiency of your shades by choosing a thicker material over thinner shades.
Interior Design
Your window treatment should match your home’s style, an easy feat accomplished with custom blinds or shades. Personal designer blinds can fit nearly any window in your home, while shades can match the colors, patterns, and textures you use in every room. When it comes down to interior design, both blinds and shades work well with your home decor.
Learn Whether Blinds or Shades Work Best for You with BlindQuest
You can use blinds and shades to improve the interior design of your home while meeting your personal aesthetic requirements. Both options work well for certain levels of privacy, with Edwardsville shades providing better insulation and Edwardsville blinds giving you better lighting control. If you’re ready to complete your home’s window treatments with shades or blinds, call our team at BlindQuest in Troy, IL, at (618) 495-4178.
