Choosing the Right Window Blinds for Your Home

Window blinds were created with one simple goal in mind—to help you control the light and privacy in your house. But, finding the right window blinds for your home can be a little more complex.

You’ve probably guessed from looking at Pinterest, shelter magazines, and Houzz.com, that there is a lot more to the perfect window blinds than a few slats and cords. When you’re purchasing a new set of blinds, the choices can seem endless, and not in a good way. Horizontal slats or vertical? Fabric or wood? Plastic or metal? After a while it can feel like standing in the cereal aisle at the grocery store—you become overwhelmed by the choices and end up grabbing a box of Cheerios because they’re on sale and within reach, only to remember, once you’re home, that you don’t even like Cheerios.

To ensure that a similar scenario doesn’t happen while you shop for window coverings, Strickland’s Home is here to help you choose the right fit for your home. You can start by answering the following three questions.

1. Where is your window? The location of your window will help you decide which kind of blinds will work best in that space. For example, the kitchen is often one of the busiest spots in the house, where company (and messes) tend to congregate. Warm, inviting wooden blinds or faux wood blinds made from easy-to-clean materials that can moderate natural light work well in kitchens. The bedroom, on the other hand, is a personal retreat where privacy is key. Therefore, Venetian blinds with their large, overlapping horizontal slats, are a great choice with contemporary appeal.

2. How big is the window? This is a sneaky way of helping you decide whether vertical or horizontal blinds are the right choice. Generally, vertical blinds work best for large spaces, sliding glass doors or windows with a great view. The ability to pull them completely to one side will help open your home and, in the case of a sliding glass door, allow people to enter and exit easily. Horizontal blinds, on the other hand, fit best in smaller windows and more traditional settings. They’re also a good opportunity to splurge on different materials or textures, since a little can go a long way.

3. What’s your style? When it comes to the width of slats, blinds come in three standard sizes— ½ inch, 1 inch, and 2 inches wide. What’s even more important to remember is that this width will affect the “feel” of your home. For example, if you’re décor leans toward contemporary, ½-inch slats will look most natural. For transitional homes, 1-inch slats offer a beautiful compromise, and for traditional homes a 2-inch wide slat will help you achieve a classic look.

4.  Are you a rule-breaker?  While it’s easy to rattle off “the rules” for window blinds, the truth is that every home is different, every situation is unique, and rules are meant to be broken. Before you make your final choice, visit Strickland’s Home and we’ll make sure you find the window blind that fits you– and your style– best.