Blinds, shades and shutters—do you know the difference?
And how do you decide what’s best for your home?
Lindsey Chisholm is a style consultant at Budget Blinds of Victoria and an expert at helping customers find the perfect solutions for all their window covering needs.
“How you use your blinds on a daily basis will help us determine what the best product for you is,” Chisholm says.
Chisholm typically starts her consultations by asking her clients questions about what they’re looking for out of their window coverings.
Is it daytime privacy? Light control? How do you operate your blinds on a daily basis?
“Now with many more people working from home, we need to consider light control a lot more so we don’t have glare from the window messing up our video calls,” Chisholm says.
Budget Blinds of Victoria are the award-winning local window covering experts who take pride in providing style and service for every budget.
Even for those who know absolutely nothing about window coverings, their friendly customer service team can help guide you to making the right choice for your home.
Here, Chisholm breaks down the difference between blinds, shades and shutters.
Shades
“As a rule of thumb, blinds are hard window coverings but shades are soft,” Chisholm says.
Shades are made of a soft material that can cosy up a room. Because of the number of varieties and colours available, they’re also the easiest to match with decor.
“For those who are into decor, they can really add softness to a room,” Chisholm says.
They also have great versatility: they can be a great option for room darkening. Or sheer shades can provide privacy while diffusing light. They are also great for providing insulation.
Solar shades allow people to see out in the day while blocking UV rays and heat from the home.
“People on waterfront properties love them because they can see the water but they’re still protecting their furniture, floors, and art,” Chisholm says.
From cellular to pleated shades, Budget Blinds of Victoria offers options for every need. Its collection of window shades offer a complete line of woven shades in soft, natural fibers like jute and flax, and an exclusive choice of custom roller shades in contemporary prints and colors.
Shutters
“We call shutters furniture in the window because they’re mounted around the whole window itself,” Chisholm says.
Shutters provide a classic, timeless look with exceptional light adjustment with their movable louvers (the slats that make up the shutter.)
They also provide the most versatility for oddly shaped window.
“Shutters can be made in any shape that we want them to be made,” Chisholm says.
They also have the safety advantage of no dangling cords. They’re also one of the easiest window coverings to clean. All it takes is running a damp cloth across them.
Shutters are best for people who specifically want the look of them on their windows.
“They aren’t coverings that you’re opening and closing all the time to see out. You want them in your window,” Chisholm says.
Blinds
“Blinds are typically our starting price point,” Chisholm says.
Window blinds are one of the most popular window treatments because of their durability, versatility, and option of styles. Custom blinds come in a number of different materials, such as wood, vinyl, aluminum and composites.
Lightweight materials such as aluminum are ideal in situations where a blind is required for a large window.
“Blinds provide flexibility of light control, privacy, and they’re easier on the pocketbook than a shutter,” Chisholm says.
Budget Blinds of Victoria’s product range includes real wood and faux wood, Venetian, horizontal and vertical, as well as fabric and hi-tech motorized blinds.
To learn more or to request a free in-home or virtual consultation, visit budgetblinds.com/en-ca/victoria/.
