Choosing a new set of blinds for your home can be a tough decision; it represents a balancing act between practicality and aesthetics, an eternal struggle between budget and opulence. The ideal blinds will strike a balance between all four of the aforementioned factors - but where does one find such blinds?Blinds come in all shapes and sizes and a wide variety of materials, from plastic vertical blinds to aluminium rollers. One of the most popular styles, however, is wood.
Wood is something of a rustic material and can add a layer of class to just about any home. This is reflected in its pricing however; it costs more than your average blind but the benefits it offers arguably justifies the higher cost.
As alluded to in the previous paragraph, wooden blinds are probably the most attractive, offering a stylish edge over plain old fabric or metal. Rather than the somewhat corporate look these kind of blinds offer, wood offers a more homely and rustic aesthetic.
Wood comes in a range of styles too. Venetian styles are probably the most popular when it comes to wood, but the material offers itself to a plethora of other looks. Some of these are unique to wood, such as woodweave, which more than makes up for the styles the material doesn't owe itself to, such as rollers.
In practical terms, wood also offers distinct advantages over other materials. Wood benefits from being significantly heavier than other materials blinds are made from, and this means an increased level of privacy as it's more or less impossible to see through. The denser quality of wood also means that its heat-retaining capabilities outweigh those of other blinds.
Wood is also extremely easy to clean in comparison to fabric; for venetian blinds made out of wood, cleaning is as simple as taking a damp cloth to the slats and having the occasional dusting session. Woodweave is slightly harder to clean, but the difficulty of the process pales in comparison to detaching an entire blind from the window and sticking it in the washing machine, not to mention being significantly quicker than sitting and waiting for the blind to dry.
Homeowners who like to express themselves through redecoration on a regular basis can save money AND give themselves an extra canvas to work on by choosing wooden blinds. Unlike other materials, wood can be painted and varnished as and when you redecorate your home. This represents a far less expensive and time consuming process than picking out entirely new blinds.
Of course, wood isn't perfect and there are some rooms which wood doesn't owe itself to particularly well. Rooms which are subject to a lot of moisture and steam, such as bathrooms and kitchens, are definite no-go's for wood as the moisture can cause the wood to warp and crack.
However, for living rooms and bedrooms, wooden blinds are an excellent, long-lasting option. While the initial outlay for decking out your home in wood can seem daunting, think of it as an investment; after all, the amount you spend on replacing material and metal blinds over the years is likely equivalent to the single fee you'll pay for wooden blinds.
Christopher Joseph Smith is writing on behalf of Better Blinds, retailers specialising in window blinds, including wooden blinds
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