How often do we stop to consider how we should dress our bare windows? Rather than focusing on decorations in the house, window coverings are essential in controlling how much sunlight gets in our home on top of ensuring privacy. Progressively, curtains and blinds have gone beyond their essential functions through their distinct characteristics that add a certain flair to a home’s aesthetics.
Before we start, here’s a brief introduction as to what these window coverings are!
Curtains: Curtains are fabric panels that are often sold in pairs. They can be found in a variety of widths, lengths, colours, designs and patterns which makes them a versatile and popular choice. They hang from a rod with a few hanging options, from metal grommets to fabric rings.
Blinds: Depending on the type of blinds you pick; it can range from customised mural blinds to rainbow blinds. It lifts up and down through a cord or lifting mechanism. Blinds come in a range of colours and designs which also includes wooden tones, and are sized to fit within the window frame.
Now that you’re more familiar with these two coverings, what factors should we consider when deciding between curtains and blinds?
The overall design of the home
Aside from contemplating between having wallpapers or paint to decorate your walls, think of the window coverings that will also impact the interior mood or style of your home.
By default, curtains can easily fit a wider range of styles due to its versatility. So, if you’re going for a minimalist or Scandinavian interior, curtains that are light and sheer are recommended. Meanwhile, curtains with more luxurious fabrics like velvet exude a cosy and contemporary interior, which goes great with vinyl flooring for a lavish look.
On the other hand, blinds can be incorporated to fit industrial and Scandinavian themes due to its clean-cut aspect that gives a sense of structure to your space. If you’re going for a hotel-inspired look, then go for wooden Venetian blinds. For a classic colonial style, pure white blinds would be a great fit.
Maintenance matters
No matter what your choice is, curtains and blinds have to be cleaned regularly as dust accumulates quickly, especially if it’s being used to shield a drafty window.
Curtains have to be removed from their hanging rods, washed using a washing machine or through dry cleaning, dried, and hung up again whereas blinds can be cleaned by wiping down with a cloth or vacuuming.
Light control
The main point of a window covering is to block out sunlight, so which fulfils this requirement better?
If you want precise control, then Venetian blinds would do the trick as you can adjust the amount of light that enters by adjusting the slats. Curtains’ light control is dependent on the transparency of the fabric used, which can be fixed by installing layered curtains with both opaque and sheer day curtains! So, you can alternate between them freely.
Soundproofing
In terms of sound control, regular blinds may not be able to perform this function as well as curtains. Heavyweight and dense curtains prevent noise from penetrating through the room. In contrast, blinds can create noise by hitting on the windowsills on windy days.
Setting the mood
Curtains play a definitive role in the setting of a room, depending on the fabric, colour or design used. From billowing sheer fabrics to velvety robes, make sure to select the perfect curtains that complement the room’s settings. The different type of blinds also influences the mood of the space, such as Roman blinds which give a room a touch of elegance with its layered pleats.
Conclusion
The key factor in making this decision comes down to what you prefer having in your house. Sometimes, we see a combination of both fits the home perfectly! For a more informed decision, contact a Wallpapers specialist such as us at Wallhub, for professionals to guide you based on your preferences. However, we don’t just provide wallpapers, but various curtain designs as well. So, if you’re looking to choose curtains over blinds – we’re here to help.
