Best Alternatives to Mini Blinds for a Touch of Elegance
Picking out a window treatment can be one of the hardest home decorating decisions to make.
It’s important that the various rooms of your home match but it can be difficult to find one style that works everywhere. Mini blinds are inexpensive and practical but they can leave something to be desired for many decor styles.
Today we’ll explore some of the best options you have in window treatments if you don’t want to go with the standard vinyl blinds.
Roman Shades
One of the oldest styles of window treatment are the classic Roman shades. These come in a variety of different styles and patterns plus they have great insulating properties.
The most traditional version of Roman shades are a monotone fabric with horizontal folds at regular intervals. They’re designed to combine the tasteful elegance of fabric drapes with the ease of use blinds provide.
They look great when down and can be quickly pulled up with a drawstring. This gives you the best of both worlds and offers good insulation in winter.
You can also go with a similar treatment known as tie-up curtains. These lack the drawstring pull of Roman style shades but give you many of the other benefits.
Solar Shades
For beach houses or anywhere you get a great view but a lot of sun solar shades may be the way to go. They offer you the light dimming flexibility of blinds while presenting a much more elegant appearance.
Unlike traditional shades made from fully opaque fabrics solar shades are designed to dim the light coming in. This allows you to preserve your beautiful view without getting the glare and added heat of direct sunlight.
They’re designed to roll up when not in use and glide down smoothly to whatever level you like. You can get them in a variety of opacities and choose from several different color options.
Shutters
An old favorite, wooden shutters give your home an added sense of permanence while still creating a delightful visual effect. Modern shutter designs allow you to open the louvers on your shutters to admit more light without having to open them.
You can get either indoor or outdoor shutters with similar properties. Indoor shutters can match just about any type of decor and create a beautiful effect when opened to allow sunlight in.
Woven Wooden Shades
Similar in design to Roman shades, woven wooden shades are made from various natural materials woven into a fabric like effect. They generally don’t do a great job blocking out all light but they do add a rustic appeal to your home.
They’re available in either horizontal or vertical draw models and can be paired with fabric liners to increase light blocking or privacy enhancing effects.
Pleated and Cellular Shades
If you like the concept of fabric shades and drapes but want a more modern look to your home pleated and cellular shades are a great option. Cellular shades have more practical effects while pleated shades focus on appearance.
Pleated shades are made from single pieces of fabric carefully pleated to collapse into a neat stack. They provide good light reduction capabilities and look a little dressier than vinyl blinds.
Cellular shades have a similar design to pleated shades but add in a honeycomb like air gap. This gives them excellent insulative properties and make them perfect for cold weather environments.
They collapse together the same way pleated shades do but generally look a bit more polished.
Wooden and Faux-Wooden Blinds
If you don’t like the look and sound of vinyl or metallic blinds a wooden or faux-wooden alternative may work for you. They rely on the same system of drawstrings and shading effects as traditional blinds but look much more upscale.
Instead of thin vinyl blades you have sturdy looking pieces of wood that twist tightly together when closed. They’re capable of offering considerable light and noise reduction capabilities while still looking a bit more elegant than standard vinyl blinds.
Add-Ons and Extras
Remember, the type of blinds or shades you pick is just the first choice to make. You can get all kinds of cool features like motorized opening and closing systems, child proof styles, and ones made from advanced water- and stain-resistant materials.
With shades and blinds the sky really is the limit.
