Curtains Versus Blinds, which is better?
Shopping for new window treatments comes with many difficult choices, primarily deciding between curtains and blinds. Both types of window coverings have their own advantages, so the best choice for your home depends on the main purpose of the window treatment. If you’re mainly concerned with aesthetics, decorative curtains might be the best route to take. If saving money on energy is your top priority, blinds could win out over curtains.
Advantages of Curtains
There are three main advantages of curtains:
- Wide Variety: Unlike blinds, your curtain options are practically endless. There are curtains in every imaginable color, pattern, fabric, and style.
- Easy Maintenance: Curtains typically require less cleaning than blinds. Depending on the dust level in your home, blinds need to be wiped down every month, while curtains can go three or four months between washings.
- Ease of Installation: Putting up curtains is easier than installing blinds on your windows. Before you can put up blinds, you must carefully install the brackets in specific spots on your windowsill so each one will fit. Installing curtain rods is more forgiving because you don’t need to take such exact measurements before hanging the rods.
Advantages of Blinds
Blinds have these advantages:
- Wide Variety of Materials: There’re a lot of options for the variety of materials that you want your blinds to be in, depending on your budget and style. You can opt from having simple plastic blinds to more zen style like bamboo blinds or metallic with aluminium blinds.
- More Light Control: Window blinds give you more control over the amount of light entering the room because you can cover the entire window or just part of the window according to your own needs.
- Versatility: Neutral blinds – such as those in a white or brown color – fit with almost any style of decor. You won’t need to change your blinds if you redecorate a room, but patterned curtains will need to be replaced in order to match the new decor.
The Best Choice for You
When considering curtains versus blinds, take a look at your needs and the main purpose of the specific window treatment. If you cannot decide because you want to enjoy the advantages of both, the best choice may be to use curtains and blinds on your windows. This way, you’ll have the best of both worlds.
