Looking to update the window shades in your home, to breath in some new life and freshen up your décor? One of the biggest problem people face when choosing a new window blind for their windows is knowing what blinds to buy, with so many options to choose from it can be hard to know whether you need roller blinds, or roman blinds in your window.
If this is a problem you’re facing, you’re in the right place as we team up with the made to measure blinds experts at DotcomBlinds.com to help get you the expert advice you need to help you choose the right set of shades for your home!
The most important thing to consider is what features you want your new shades to have, once you know what you want your shades to do, it is very easy to narrow down your options and find a suitable shade for your window – So, what sort of features should you consider?
Do You Want Blackout or Dimout Fabric?
One of the first features to consider is how much shade you’d like your new blinds to create for you. In spaces like living rooms, you may want to merely dim out the light from outside to prevent screen glare on your television and keep the sun out of your eyes; but in bedrooms and home cinemas, you’ll want a thicker shade that can completely block out all outside light in order to create a suitably dark environment.
So, if you’re simply looking to dim outside light and provide a basic level of shade in your space, you will need a blind made from a dimout fabric. Whereas, if you need to outright prevent any outside light from passing through your windows, a blackout fabric will be needed for your blind.
Does Your New Shade Need to Provide Insulation?
Windows are one of the most common areas in a home where heat loss can occur, as cold air can pass through draught spots in older windows and hot air can radiate through the glass on single glazed windowpanes. So, if you have a particularly draughty or single glazed window, it may be beneficial to find a new shade that can provide insulation to reduce heat loss.
If you do need to prevent heat loss to improve the thermal efficiency of your home, then a thick thermal blind or thermal curtain will be a good option for you. But if heat loss isn’t a concern for you, then you can look at thinner shades, which simply provide shade.
Is There A Chance Your Shades Could Get Dirty?
While many people don’t consider blinds and curtains as furnishings that need to be cleaned, shades in spaces such as kitchens and children’s bedrooms run the risk of getting dirty from time to time, whether it’s from a bit of spilled soup splashing your shades in a kitchen, or a child’s mucky hands playing with the shade in their bedroom – In cases such as this, an easy to clean shade will come in handy.
So, if you’re shading a kitchen space or a child’s bedroom, you will be best served choosing a wipe-clean PVC roller blind, which can be easily cleaned with just a damp cloth, rather than a fabric shade like a cotton curtain or linen roman blind, which may get permanently stained.
Will Your Blinds Be In A Wet Space?
One final thing to consider, is whether your new shades will be near a water source, as blinds made from organic fabrics and wood, can be damaged if frequently exposed to water, as they’ll absorb the moisture and begin to rot. So, for shades above a sink, or in bathroom space, you should take extra care when choosing your new shade.
In bathroom spaces or in windows above sinks, you should opt for a water resistant shade, like a PVC based waterproof roller blind, or plastic “Faux Wood” Venetian blinds, which will suffer no ill effects when exposed to water.
