If you have just completed building your new home, you may be faced with the decision on what to do with your bare windows. What sort of window treatment will you install? Will you go for curtains or will you install pleated blinds? This article will help you in deciding.
Whether you choose curtains or any blinds for your windows, using them correctly and adequately can significantly improve the overall look of a room. It is therefore important to consider both curtains and blinds as worthwhile investments.
Factors that Affect Which Window Treatment to Use
When choosing between curtains and blinds, you need not choose one over the other. You can both use curtains and blinds within your home. Some rooms may look better when you use curtains while some rooms may greatly benefit from shades. Here are some of the factors to help you decide.
Room Size
The size of the room may be a significant factor in choosing one window treatment over the other. Large rooms such as living and dining rooms often look better with lined or sheer curtains that fall to the floor. On the other hand, smaller rooms look better with pleated blinds.
Budget
Room size and the budget allocated for window treatment go hand in hand. Curtains made up of cotton fabric may be a cheaper option than having blinds installed. However, there are certain fabrics, such as linen, silk, and other luxury fabrics that can cost significantly higher than the cost of blinds. For a house with eight 27-inch windows, the cost of installing curtains may range from $400 to $2000 depending on the chosen fabric, while installation of blinds will only range from $345 to $750.
Amount of Lighting and Privacy Needed
Do you need your bedroom to be completely devoid of light? Do you need complete privacy? Blinds with liners can block out the light within the body of the blind but may have some light drift coming from the sides and the base. Block-out blinds are also able to offer complete darkness; however, they may still have light drift on the sides. Curtains, on the other hand, can completely block out the light, especially if you fit them into a pelmet or recess.
So, if you need complete darkness, curtains are your best option. However, blinds may also give you complete privacy but not in total darkness.
Placement of Furniture
It is better to place all your furniture in the room before you decide which window treatment to install. If you have a desk or a sofa under the window, then the best treatment to install are blinds. However, if you do not have any furniture under the windows, then having full-length windows will create the appearance of an accent wall.
Window Size and Type
Huge windows or French doors look great with either curtains or blinds. Narrow windows in bedrooms will be best installed with blinds. Frameless windows or glass walls will need careful consideration with the designer or architect.
Pleated blinds that are made up of fabric and are lined are excellent for keeping a room cool and warm. Curtains made up of heavy fabric are also great in keeping the warmth within the room but may cost significantly more than the blinds.
Whether you choose curtains or blinds for your windows, make sure that they are properly installed and would add to the overall beauty of your room.
Author Bio: Anne Davis is a freelance writer who offers to ghostwrite, copywriting, and blogging services. She works closely with B2C and B2B businesses providing digital marketing content that gains social media attention and increases their search engine visibility.