When it comes to window treatments, there are so many options available in the market. Many people have confusions in understanding “curtains”, “shades” and “blinds”.
Sometimes even the interior decorators are not exception. Some homeowners add a combination of these window treatments to their home depending upon what they like the best. They are available in varieties of colours, patterns, styles, etc. If you are looking to install one of these window treatments for a room or even many rooms, the following window curtains vs blinds vs shades comparison will help you to explore all the nuances of the window coverings or window treatments.
01. Uses
Window Curtains
- Curtains are mainly used in the residential application i.e. Bedroom, Living Room, etc.
Window Blinds
- Blinds are most commonly used in the commercial building like offices, hospitals, etc.
Window Shades
- Window shades are used in both residential and commercial areas as per their designs and requirements.
02. Mechanism
Window Curtains
- Window curtains are a piece of fabric suspended at the top, to form a screen, typically movable sideways along a rail and found as one pair at a window.
Window Blinds
- Blinds have slats that can be tilted, open or closed using cords that run through the blind. Their orientation can be vertical or horizontal.
Window Shades
- Window shades are window covering which are made up of materials on a continuous roll to cover a large window opening, fitting closely into the window and assembling tightly at the top.
03. Material
Window Curtains
- Window Curtains are made up of colourful fabrics. Depending upon the designs, requirement, you can choose from plenty of fabrics, i.e., cotton, silk, polyester, linen, lace, etc. and mostly natural fabric.
Window Blinds
- Window Blinds are usually made up of hard materials wood, bamboo, aluminium, plastic or composite materials.
Window Shades
- Window Shades are typically made up of soft materials, usually thick fabrics and mostly synthetic.
04. Types
Window Curtains
- Various types of curtains are Flat panel, Tab top, Grommet, Rod Pocket, Thermal or blackout, etc.
Window Blinds
- Blinds are available in different types like Venetian Blinds, Vertical Blinds, Faux wood Blinds, Panel Track Blinds, Mini Blinds, etc.
Window Shades
- Woven Wood Shades, Roman Shades, Roller Shades, Cellular shades, Solar Shades are various types of window shades.
05. Designs
Window Curtains
- It is available in varieties of colours and patterns.
Window Blinds
- Window blinds are available in vertical and horizontal orientation. It is available in simple plain look.
Window Shades
- Window shades are available in varieties of colours, texture, and materials.
06. Light Control
Window Curtains
- Curtains filter out some light; they won’t filter out all of it and thus won’t keep your bedroom totally dark.
Window Blinds
- With the angle of slates, blinds are adjustable to allow either more or less light into a room. You can control light to enter in your rooms according to your need.
Window Shades
- Window Shades are not adjustable. They either serve to block out light completely or allow some light to be diffused through the window and into the room, depending upon nature of fabric.
07. Advantages
- Window curtain styles can keep a room warmer during the winter season.
- It is easy to operate as compared to blinds.
- Curtains come in a wide range of styles, colours and patterns.
- It is easy to maintain as compared to window blinds.
- When done with bit artistic and created way, it greatly enhanced beauty of room.
- They are washable and repairable.
Window Blinds
- The user is provided with complete light control.
- Window blinds take less space in comparison to curtains.
- This style of window treatment suit to small rooms and rooms with lots of windows, as they don’t appear as overwhelming incompared to curtains.
Window Shades
- The main advantage of window shade is that you get more control of how much and how little light can enter your home.
- Window Shades are easy to maintain.
- They are often consider as a highly affordable option with quite stylish and functional.
- Solar shades block the sunlight without entirely blocking the view.
- Window Shades also take up less space than curtains as they are generally installed within a window frame.
08. Disadvantages
Window Curtains
- Window curtains get dirty easily and need washing and drying because they attract dust particles.
- They take more space than blinds and therefore it makes a room appear smaller than it really is!
- If control over light is what matters, itis not possible with curtains as compared to blinds and shades.
Window Blinds
- It is not durable as compared to curtains.
- Blinds will need to be cleaned more often.
- Window Blinds are less efficient at keeping in the heat.
- Window blind slats can easily get damaged, especially if you choose aluminium or plastic blinds.
- Blinds are often more expensive than shades and curtains.
- You cannot expect to match the colour scheme that easily as is possible in the case of curtains or shades.
- It is difficult to clean.
Window Shades
- It is easy to clean as compared to window blinds.
- It completely blocks the sunlight entering the house.
- Shades can stain and they do wear out faster than blinds.
- The colour of shades may fade away with sunrays and may become brittle because of ultraviolet rays of sun
Cost
- The cost of the curtains, blinds, shades are depending upon the type of materials, styles and size of the window.
Special Comments
From the above curtains vs blinds vs shades comparison, these window treatments are different in their uses, mechanism, designs, etc. Window Curtains are more suitable for residential application whereas window blinds are mostly used in the commercial application like offices, hospitals, etc. If you need to completely block the sunlight, window shades are more suitable. In the end, you need to make a rational and judicial choice as per your design, requirement and of course budget!