When considering replacing window shades in Los Altos Hills, CA, you may be at a loss as to how to compare the different types of window treatments that are currently available. Window shades and window blinds are two of the more common window coverings that are used in homes today. They serve different purposes, while they share some similarities, so it’s helpful to compare them side by side to see what will work best for your décor and your home.
The terms “window shades” and “window blinds” are often used interchangeably, especially by interior decorators and journalists who write for home decorating shows, websites, and magazines. However, each is a totally distinct kind of window treatment.
Window shades are window coverings that are manufactured with one or more pieces of fabric. Window blinds, on the other hand, are hard window treatments that are manufactured with horizontal or vertical slats.
To best decide whether to go with window shades or window blinds, it’s best to compare them in terms of what most window coverings are designed to do.
Privacy and control over incoming light are two things that need to evaluated in terms of window shades and window blinds. While both types of window treatments meet these needs, they do it in different ways and to different degrees.
Window blinds, for example, have vertical or horizontal slats that can be tilted left and right or up and down to adjust the amount of sunlight that is allowed in. They can also be slid vertically or raised horizontally to let full light come in from the outside.
Window shades, by comparison, because they are a solid piece of fabric (they may have two or more pieces of fabric sewn together), do not have the ability to adjust the amount of light coming in. They are simply opened, allowing full light into a room, or closed, allowing no light (with the exception of light-filtering fabrics) into a room.
Both window shades and window blinds offer full privacy when they are completely closed. However, window blinds can give privacy and still allow light in by tilting the slats slightly, while window shades, for the most part, don’t filter light in when they are closed for privacy.
Cleaning is different as well for window shades and window blinds.
Because window shades are made of fabric, they require a different method of cleaning for dust and dirt, stains or spots, and deep cleaning. You can clean normal dust and dirt off of window shades by using the brush attachment of your vacuum cleaner. Small stains or spots may come out by washing the area with a warm, damp cloth. However, if your window shades are really dirty, they will need to be cleaned professionally.
Dust and dirt can be cleaned off of window blinds with a duster or with a soft cloth. You can also use furniture polish on most window blinds to bring luster and shine to them. Because window blinds are made of hard materials, they are virtually impossible to stain or spot (unless your toddler takes a permanent marker to them – call us and we’ll help you out!), so no other types of cleaning are necessary.
If you’d like to learn more about window shades in Los Altos Hills, CA, you can speak with our knowledgeable team at Windows & Beyond, Inc. You can visit our showroom at 4020 Fabian Way, Palo Alto, CA 94303, or you can contact us at (650) 938-8822 for a free in-home estimate.