After carefully decorating every little part of your home comes the decision of choosing from blinds or curtains. And you wouldn't want to rush and select something in a hurry that will leave behind a taste of regretful choice on your end.
I recently dropped in at the escape room Breakout near me and was amazed to discover how tactfully they have used lighting in the rooms. It brought out more dimension to the area and gave me the feeling of being in a spacious and cozy place. And it made me realize the importance of lighting and the difference between the utilization of curtains and blinds in a room or chamber.
The choice of blinds or curtains for your home can also help you beautifully compliment your home décor! Both blinds and curtains come in a variety of options and are readily available in the markets. But before you make your choice, it is only better that you have a comprehensive understanding of the benefits and drawbacks of each one of them.
And so, in this article, I will provide you with a detailed guide outlining the most vital benefits and drawbacks of blinds and curtains.
• Blinds – why should you buy them
1. A pocket-friendly option & less time-consuming option
Blinds are known for requiring less material and time to be manufactured. Subsequently, they cost far less than curtains. Blinds also require less time to be installed, with a professional requiring only about 10 to 20 minutes to finish the installation process. The total installation cost for blinds in your home can range from approximately $43 to $94 per window.
It comes down lower still if you choose plastic blinds. But wood or high-quality vinyl blinds do cost more. In contrast, curtains are a pricier option, ranging from approximately $50 to $250 per window. Curtains require more material and time to be manufactured, and thus the price increases consequently. Furthermore, a professional is also needed for an hour or more to put it on.
2. More light control
The slats on the blinds usually lie either vertically or horizontally (generally known as Venetian Blinds). Thus, it offers you a two-way light control option. Pulling the lift cord hanging from the top allows you to lift and lower your blinds and move the vertical blinds from one side to another. Twisting the tilt wand (a long stick-like device) lets you rotate the slits and change the direction in which light enters your room.
However, even though blinds offer you a sheer number of light control choices, there might be a bit of a disadvantage that you may face. The slatted design of the blinds makes it almost impossible to ward off the light from entering completely. So, even when your blinds are completely closed, some light is still bound to peek inside. But, in contrast, curtains allow you to completely shut off the entry of any light once you draw them.
3. Easier to cleanse
Blinds generally have a rigid yet slick surface. It makes dusting them easy, and you can clean them using a suitable microfiber cloth! However, cleaning your curtains requires a little bit of extra work. You can wipe your blinds via a duster and use a wet cloth to remove sticky dirt. But to clean your curtains, you need to follow an entire process of undoing them, then washing and drying them before putting them back up.
4. Long-lasting
Provided you take care of your blinds, they can last for approximately 15 years or more at a stretch! The synthetic material of the blinds, like plastic, vinyl, aluminum, or polymer, makes them resistant to discoloration and stains. Further, they are also far more rigid than curtains.
Curtains made of fabric like cotton, linen, velvet, or even silk, are easily prone to the process of wear and tear. Staining is also a common problem with them. Thus, you might need to replace your old curtains with new ones quite often, something you do not have to worry about in the case of blinds as they are more durable and long-lasting.
• Curtains – why should you buy them
1. Offer better insulation
Using both curtains and blinds provides you with insulation and helps you regulate your room temperature, especially during the cold months. But curtains can offer you far more insulation, in contrast to blinds. While in the case of the latter, heat can easily escape through the gaps in the slits, there is no chance of the same happening with curtains!
Instead, curtains are proven to reduce heat loss up to approximately 37%, unlike blinds, where the heat loss is 14%. It means the thicker your curtains are, the more intensive heat loss reduction it offers!
2. More design prospects
You can easily find a wide range of materials, textures, patterns, styles, colors, and levels of transparency of curtains in the market these days. From your favorite velvet curtains to some classy cotton ones, you have uncountable options to choose from and try for your home decor! However, blinds usually have a narrow range of options and come mostly in solid colors. Their minimalistic design makes them more suitable for homes that have a Scandinavian, industrial, or even a coastal-designed interior.
3. Offer better soundproofing
Curtains, in comparison to blinds, offer you much more aid in sound absorption. Curtains made of heavyweight, tightly woven fabrics, like velvet or velour, offer you enhanced soundproofing for your homes.
Unlike blinds, curtains do not have slats and are generally thicker. So, in the case of curtains, sound cannot enter through the gaps in slits.
4. Easier to maintain
Curtains are easy to maintain as you can clean them in your washing machine or go for dry cleaning. But unlike curtains, Roman blinds require to be dismantled, washed separately, and again reassembled.
On the other hand, Venetian blinds need regular cleaning and maintenance since the slats gather a lot of dust during the day. While using blinds, you also need to be careful so that the cords or the strings do not get tangled.
Also, unlike curtains, repair and installation of the blinds can only be done by a professional. Hence, it makes them a bit tricky to retain compared to the curtains.
Final Words
So, now, you have a detailed picture of curtains and blinds right before your eyes. Therefore, based on your usage, budget, and ease of maintenance, you can choose whichever option looks good to you!
Author Bio: Aniya more is one of the brightest content writer at Breakout escape room. She is a passionate writer who loves to read books and explore different escape rooms. With a great work ethic, she spends most of her time researching and reading. When she is not working, she likes to relax with a cup of coffee and enjoy watching her favorite tv show or walking her dog peanut. You can find her on LinkedIn.
