We’re all thinking about ways to keep our homes as warm as possible at the moment without relying too much on heating and window shades are an often overlooked, but incredibly important part of our home, both functionally and aesthetically. But with so much choice on the market, how do we avoid paying over the odds for a poor quality product or getting the wrong shades for our homes?
Thankfully the helpful team at DotcomBlinds.com are on hand to share their advice on window shades and to find out what mistakes you should avoid making when buying.
Buying Pre-Made Rather Than Made To Measure
The most common mistake people make when buying blinds or curtains is buying pre-made shades off the shelf, rather than getting them made to measure. With so many different sizes and styles of window on homes, it can be a struggle to find just the right item off the shelf. Pre-made shades will rarely be the exact right size for your window and will likely require many alterations before they fit properly.
However, with made to measure window shades, you know that when your blinds arrive they will fit perfectly into your windows straight out of the box, with no alterations needed (at least, that’s relying on me to get the measurements correct in the first place!) As made to measure shades are a bespoke fit they’ll also look much more stylish and professional when installed.
Buying The Wrong Blind For A Room
Customers don’t always tend to think about what type of blind works best for each room, prioritising aesthetics over function. Blinds come in many different varieties and configurations, many of which are specialised for a certain need. For example Day & Night blinds are designed so that they can provide balanced shading during the day and also at night-time.
Buying the wrong sort of blind for a room can have costly consequences: wooden blinds may not be the best choice in a bathroom as the moisture can cause the wood to deteriorate. Likewise, if insulation is the key consideration then vertical blinds aren’t ideal as the gaps between individual slats will let cold air pour into your home. Before making a purchase, speak with the blinds retailer so you can ensure you get the right blind for the right function.
Buying A Shade With The Wrong Material
Buying a shade made with the wrong type of material or fabric is another common issue people face when making a purchase. There are different materials and features used in window shades, which determine how the shade works. An example of this is how a shade filters light, with voile fabrics letting light pour into a room and blackout fabrics completely blocking out light.
It’s important to consider the use of the room where the window shade will be fitted so it’s made of the appropriate material for where you intend to use them. Blackout fabrics should be used in bedrooms, water-proof fabrics in bathrooms, wipe clean fabrics in kitchens or children’s bedrooms, and insulating materials in cold rooms. Again, it’s best to consult with a dedicated shades retailer before making a purchase to ensure peace of mind that the material is right for the space.
Buying Cheap Window Shades
It can be tempting to buy cheap window shades if they’re not a priority, but in the long run buying cheap window shades will end up more costly than investing in a quality set of shades. We inherited some absolutely hideous roller blinds when we moved in attached to the living room windows that I’m sure were just made of paper. Cheap curtains and blinds are often made with less quality materials which will quickly deteriorate and need replacing much more often.
Taking roller blinds as an example, quality roller blinds will have a roller tube made out of hardy metal which can bear the weight of the fabric for years, whereas cheaper roller blinds are often made with cardboard roller tubes which aren’t strong enough to hold the fabric, resulting in the roller tubes bowing after a while.
Sorting out some window coverings for our back bedroom is definitely a priority for 2023, I’ve been saying for ages that I need to either buy or make some roman blinds. Right now it’s our only serviceable guest room but with no window coverings currently, it’s not exactly welcoming or practical.
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