Sunday, October 28, 2012

Know The Difference Between Blinds and Shades




Every home has many windows that serve important purposes of allowing light and fresh air inside the rooms. However, there are times when you do not want all of the sunlight to come inside the room and wish you had control over the amount of light entering the room. Nevertheless, though this may be the reason to go for various means to cover a window of your room, people use them for different features that are available with means to cover windows. Two such means of covering windows are blinds and shades.

Seems silly, and maybe it doesn’t matter that much in the grand scheme of things. However, there is tons of confusion surrounding these two mundane and everyday terms, a blind and a shade are not one in the same. 

Many people assume that window blinds and window shades are interchangeable names for two of the most commonly used window shading system. Although both options can control lighting, affect a room’s temperature and enhance privacy, their one common difference - the slats. Blinds have combinations of many slats, or also known as louvers, while shades only have one piece.

Blinds allow more light control and privacy than window shades because of its ability to be rotated back and forth. It can also be completely lowered yet allow some light to still come through because of the movable slats which are stacked one above (horizontal blinds) or below (vertical blinds) each other. Blinds used to be the preferred method for people wanting maximum control over light. In recent years, the top down/bottom up option has become more popular. It allows you to lower the top of the shade, letting a lot or a little light in, without giving up your privacy.

A shade on the other hand doesn’t have movable slats and typically composed of one piece of material that raises and lowers. It can be pleated and stacked at the top of the window. Shades made of fabric have great heat reduction and insulation properties. A window shade doesn’t collect much dust which is commonly a problem with blinds. A shade is generally one piece of material that rises and lowers, but does not have moveable slats. Shades are the preferred insulators.


Now that you know the difference between window blinds and shades, you can now decide which one is best suited for your windows. One of the most recommended blinds companies that offer quality and safety blinds is Sydney Blinds and Screens. Protect you family with these amazing blinds that soothe your need and style!