Window treatments have a significant impact on the overall appearance of a room. That’s why it’s important to make sure yours are just right. When updating your window treatments, you might wonder whether to choose curtains or blinds. Here are a few considerations for each, to help you decide.
Design and ambiance
Curtains help to give a room a cosy, comfortable feel. However, the ambiance they provide changes depending on factors such as length and fabric. Long velvet drapes, for example, give a feeling of grandeur. Short, lightweight curtains on the other hand, have a more relaxed feel. By contrast, blinds are often quite simple and tidy. Their neat, uncomplicated design can make a space feel modern and chic.
Think about the overall feel of your home. Do you want to create a minimalist, uncluttered feel for each room? Or do you want to layer fabrics and textures for a more homely feel? A third option is to switch between the two, depending on the room. For example, you could choose blinds for your kitchen and curtains for your living room.
Another factor to consider is longevity. Some people feel that the simplicity of a blind’s design makes it more timeless than a set of curtains. This is thought to be particularly true of blinds with a simple, neutral colour.
Available space
When making a decision, take into account the size of your home. Blinds are often a popular choice in smaller rooms as they intrude less on the space. By contrast, larger rooms may benefit from an eye-catching set of curtains. These could even contribute to a feature wall around your favourite window. Consider the space you have available and whether you want to fill it, or give the impression of more room.
Fabrics and light
Whether you’re considering blinds or curtains, there will be a few decisions you’ll need to make. In both cases, you’ll need to think about length, colour, and pattern. However, curtains tend to provide more fabric options than blinds. The variety includes everything from thin net curtains, to heavier fabrics like velvet.
Whilst blinds may be available in fewer fabrics, they do offer more choice in terms of light. Different designs of blind offer different amounts of light throughout the day. Roller blinds for example, can be used to let in light whilst retaining some shade. This can be particularly helpful for things like avoiding glare on computer screens. Venetian blinds can also be adjusted to let in as little or as much light as you want.
By contrast, curtains are either open or closed. Having said this, there is the option of layering your curtains to better manage the light. For example, a translucent or net curtain will let some light through during the day. This could then be layered under a set of thicker curtains for use during the evenings.
[Photos by Sh1ra]