Choosing the Right Material for Your Blinds
Blinds today offer so many options when it comes to both styles and materials. You can create the perfect window treatments with the correct combination of style and material.
The versatility that blinds offer is sure to result in beautiful windows that can coordinate well with any styles room décor. Some of the most common materials used for window blinds are described below.
* Metal – One of the most popular materials for the production of blinds for years has been metal, and particularly aluminum. Some of the benefits of metal are that it is long lasting, easy to clean, and durable. You can find metal blinds with slats ranging from half an inch to three inches. You will also find a wide selection of colors when ordering metal blinds.
*Wood – Wood blinds give you a sense of strength and beauty, which is probably why they are such a popular choice when it comes to window treatments. There is a special quality to wood that you will not find in any other material. There is no limit to the color choices you have with wood, which can be either painted or stained. You will find that the slats for wood or faux wood blinds are usually between one and two inches wide. You can control the amount of light in the room and open and close the slats through draw strings. You can find wood used in both woven and Venetian blinds.
*Cane – Woven blinds often use cane from either rattan or bamboo. Either whole or split pieces of cane may be used. With this style of blind small spaces between the canes will allow filtered light into the room, rather than having slats that open and close.
*Vinyl and PVC – Both Venetian and woven blinds will use vinyl in their construction, substituting it for either wood or metal. These blinds are usually much less expensive than either wood or metal, and well as being long lasting and easy to clean.
*Fabric – Blind slats are sometimes constructed from stiffened fabric. Other times fabric covers a vinyl or metal back. You can use the colors and patterns on the slats to coordinate with other fabrics in the room.
While blinds are often used in conjunctions with other window treatments such as valances, curtains or drapes, you can also use them as the sole window treatment. When used alone they lend a contemporary look to the room and make it appear larger. To soften a room and make it cozier you should use blinds with curtains, valances, and shades. The hard lines of the blinds are softened by the fabric found in the other window treatments. You will find that you have an almost unlimited number of options when it comes to window treatments.
Blinds blend well with almost any decorating style. You can, for example, use Venetian blinds with a scalloped valance to compliment a traditional style room. Another great idea is to use woven rattan blinds to filter and soften the morning sun in a breakfast nook. You will get the privacy you need for your bedrooms by using mini blinds paired with floor length curtains to soften their look. You can make a small bathroom appear larger, and get the privacy you want, by using Venetian blinds by themselves.
While blinds are functional, they are also colorful and attractive. You can enhance the look of any room by combining them with other window treatments, such as curtains and valances. Blinds have definitely come a long way from their industrial beginnings.
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