Blinds vs. Shades – How to Make the Right Choice for Your Home

One of the biggest dilemmas that house owners face is while choosing blinds and shades. Since both have quite close designs, it is very common to get confused as to which one to choose over the other. For those who are new to window coverings, you should at least know what functions custom blinds and shutters provide in order to choose from the two. Here are few of the basic features of  both that will help you decide which one will be better for your house.

Controlling light and privacy

Both shades and blinds provide full privacy along with sufficient light, but the way in which the light enters your room is different. Accordingly, the way you control the light will also be different. Shades are made of solid fabric and you can either open it or close it. But, if the filter of the fabric is lighter, then you will be able to control the amount of light in your room. This does not mean your privacy will be hampered. The fabric is solid enough to maintain privacy even the lightest filtering. Blinds on the other hand have slats that have to be tilted to control the light coming in.

Strength and durability

There is a stark difference in durability between blinds and shades. If you want the item to be more on the durable side, then it would be best to opt for blinds. Shades use fiber, whereas blinds are made of harder materials such as aluminum or wood. They have the ability to last for years as they are better suited to handle wear and tear. Most of the shutter blinds Kent & London professionals would suggest you to choose blinds instead of shades as they are more durable.

Ease of cleaning

Another reason that has to be taken into consideration when it comes to choosing between blinds and shades is the way you clean both the stuff. You may have come across a variety of techniques to clean blinds and shades, but if you have to clean it on your own, you would want to go for an easier option. Shades have the tendency to get dirty very quickly. This can be cleaned with the help of a vacuum cleaner. You need to use the brush attachment to clean the dirt. On the other hand, blinds can be cleaned quite easily with a soft cloth as they are heavier than shades. Even blinds Kent & London, UK experts are of the opinion that for ease of cleaning, blinds are much better.