Blinds, Shades, and Shutters - How To Use Them and Where To Put Them
Any home owner, renter, or leasing individual knows the struggle of the question haunting each of their windows in their house. Does that window need a blind, shade, or shutter? We have the answers you're looking for. There can be a lot to know when it comes to blocking the sun from the inside of your home, and in this guide we are going to discuss and inform everything you need to know to make the right decision. We will be informing on the following topics.
It is important to know that each of the options are going to be providing different types of shade. Although each of them will be providing shade, it is vital to know the difference. In your house you are likely going to be using blinds, shades, and shutters all in different spots. It is important to know where to put them.
Buying something that is going to be spending years inside of your home isn’t going to be a fast process, and we know that it shouldn’t be. Countless people are going to be seeing how you are going to cover your windows, so making a well informed decision is vital going forward. Not only is it going to have to match your style inside of your home, you are also protecting your privacy in parts of your home. Looking out your windows can make for some good views, but the last thing you want to do is give someone looking into your window some good views. Be smart about how you cover your home.
What Are Blinds and How Do I Use Them?
Blinds are the most versatile window covering. They can come in all shapes, sizes, and materials. Blinds typically have slats that go from top to bottom, which can be adjusted for facing up or down. They also can tilt side to side, making it very easy to decide how much light you want in your room.
The way you are going to control the slat’s angles are the the two strings located on the right side of the window. On the left side, you are going to find a rod that is used for adjusting the vertical position of the slats. This can be used for many different purposes, and you can even angle them perfectly horizontal so you can see clearly out your window without lifting your blinds.
If you are going to go with window blinds, you need to be cautious with what material you choose. If you have little kids that are going to be messing with your window blinds a lot, you will want to go with something durable, but cheap to replace. Soft metal is always a safe bet around children, although you are going to be compromising some aesthetics with this look.
The best time to use blinds is in high traffic and high usage parts of your home. This is going to be easy to use, easy to replace, and even easier to adjust. They can nearly blackout light, and within just a few seconds, they can let all the light back in. If you are looking for a versatile way to cover and uncover your windows, look no further. Window blinds are the style you will want in high traffic areas.
What Are Shades and How Do I Use Them?
Shades do exactly what they sound like they do. Unless you are buying specific blackout shades, you are going to be shaded away from the sun. There are many different places inside of your house that you are going to want some shades, especially if you have windows that are higher than you can reach. Any window shade, much like many types of blinds, is going to be a Swiss army knife for your window frame if you put it in the right space.
Like window blinds, there are plenty of uses for window shades. There are many different models and materials used for them as well. If you need to cover a high-up window, you are going to need to get some roller blinds. If you are trying to shade your bedroom, investing in some good blackout shades is a good idea. If you have a beautiful view and you don’t want to compromise your view for the heat, getting a set of solar shades is a goof idea. Although they are going to be a bit more pricey, they block out heat, UV rays, and glare. They are like a good pair of sunglasses for your room of choice.
If you are looking for some shades while in the winter time, getting cellular shades will be a fantastic investment. Not only will they be blocking the glare that winter time tends to bring, but they also bring insulation to your home. If you tend to find yourself in by the windows, getting cellular shades is going to be the way to go.
Lastly, getting smart blinds is starting to become more mainstream and popular. Using your smartphone to control your home is ideal, so why not make your blinds a home to an app on your phone? They can also be controlled individually or in groups, making the job for your thumb only one click.
What Are Shutters and How Do I Use Them?
Shutters are the least versatile of the group. They are able to open on a hinge on the window, and they can also be moved up or down. Other than that, they are going to be some fancy looking wood panels in your house. But that isn’t really the worst thing for your house either.
Low traffic areas of your home are perfect for a good set of shutters. They won’t be ruined by the young kids trying to hang on them, the sun that does leak through won’t be bothering anyone, and they look incredibly nice when called upon. Shutters, although not able to do much, are able to go many places.
Shutters are very popular inside the house in a low traffic area and high-up windows, but they are also gaining popularity on the outside of homes as well. They first were popular in the 1950’s on the outside of the house, but now in 2019, they are showing up outside of homes as well. Typically, they aren’t actually shading anything, but they do look fantastic.
Inside of the house, they are going to let a lot of light in. By the nature they are made, you are going to see a lot of them have a shade or drape next to the shutter itself. Most are used for looks, not shade. If you are going to be trying to utilize shutters as a main source of window covering, shoot for the smaller pieces of wood, as they are likely to block out more sun, and do less light filtering.
Where To Put Each Window Covering
Half of the battle with buying the right window covering is knowing where to put them. Your house can look and feel very different depending how you decide to decorate your window and window frame. Shades and blinds are likely the go to option, but where do shutters come into play? We have the answers.
High Traffic Areas - If you looking for something universal, easy to use, and easy to replace, window blinds is going to be your best bet. The ability to manipulate each of the slats, the ability to change the angle of the slats, and change the entire framework is something you want inside of your high traffic areas. Horizontal blinds, vertical blinds, and many types of blinds have made their way on shelves because they are easy to use. Overthinking this decision could be a bad thing, as blinds are the clear answer here.
Low Traffic Areas - Depending on what you consider low traffic, you could go with different options here. If your bedroom is considered low traffic, you are going to want to put shades, especially blackout shades in there. Realistically, anywhere except for very high traffic areas is going to be your best bet for putting some shades up. Shades are great for fashion as well as keeping the stingy sun out of your eyes. If you are looking to put shades in high traffic areas, then solar shades are going to become your new best friend.
Hard To Reach Areas - Rolling blinds and shutters with a long attachment is a very smart move here. If you are interested in being able to control it, regardless of where you are, smart blinds are also going to be a great buy. Smart blinds are going to be a bit more pricey, but if it important to you, the purchase will be worth it. Although we recommend shades and shutters here, whatever style you get needs to be accessible at any point of the day. It will be a real pain if you are unable to change the lighting inside of your house.
Private Areas - Privacy is the biggest thing in everybody’s lives. We don’t want people looking at our phones, we don’t want people reading our mail, and we definitely don’t want people looking at us in our private spaces and during private hours. If you're looking for bedroom coverage, a good shade or sturdy blinds are going to be essential. If you are looking for bathroom window covers, a dark shade is also going to prove very important in your home.
As you can imagine, you are going to be generally happy with whatever style you decide to use for your windows. It is smart to mix it up and maintain creativeness while decorating and shading the inside of your home as well. If you are stuck and in need of some more guidance, give me a call and I can help you decide what to place where.
Best Place To Buy Window Covers
Although it may be tempting to buy stuff online now days, we recommend (at first) to buy your blinds, shades, and shutters from me of course. At first, even if you think you have your measurements all planned out, it never seems to work the first time. On top of that, consulting with me will give you the benefit of having someone give you real-time recommendations of what you should be doing.
Finding a trusted retailer for your blinds, shades, and shutters is more important than you might think. This is something that is going to be in your house for hopefully years, and hundreds of people are going to be seeing them as they filter through your home. Give me a call, shoot me a text, or fill out the form below and I will make sure you get the best option for your home.