If you’re looking for privacy at home and the office, then investing in good-quality window blinds and shutters is a must. All houses have windows to allow cross-ventilation. These windows, however, have to be either blinded or shuttered to not let prying eyes peep in. Moreover, having shutters or blinds is essential to control the amount of sunlight that enters your room. So, here’s a guide to choosing the right window blinds and shutters.

Overview
Both shutters and blinds allow light and air to enter your space but keep your personal affairs safe from the people around. The materials these come in and the way they function are different, though.

Window blinds are coverings for your window that are available in varied materials and with different control systems. The basic structure of these blinds includes vertical or horizontal slats that are linked to one another through a control system. You can operate the control system to open or close the blinds. These slats are designed in materials like plastic, metal, and even wood. When closed, these blinds block out most of the external light. When left open, they make the room airy and bright and still prevent people outside from getting a glimpse of the indoors.

Window shutters also work in the same way as that of blinds, except that their control system is more permanent than blinds. Shutters do not hang from the windows and are permanently fixed to either the top of the window recess or to the entire window frame. You can still control the opening and closing of some of these shutters manually.

Benefits of using blinds
These top benefits of window blinds that make them a perfect choice for modern buildings.

• Variety
  You will be amazed at the sheer types and varieties these blinds are available in the market currently. You can choose from different materials, in solid colors or with prints, and in many sizes. If you are a person who loves matching every single detail in a room, then between window blinds and shutters, blinds are definitely a better pick.
• Choose materials that work
  Depending on the area you are installing the blinds in, you can easily decide on the material of the same. For bathrooms, opt for waterproof materials like PVC. For your living room, fabric blinds look more elegant. Many brands these days also create completely eco-friendly blinds.
• Affordability
  If you are designing your house on a tight budget, then blinds are cheaper than shutters. This is especially true if you want to use them throughout the house. You can pick up very affordable blinds that still look attractive and elegant and fit them into your designing budget without a worry.
• Choosing between readymade and made-to-order blinds
  Readymade blinds are very cheap as they are mass-made based on standard window sizes. If these blinds fit your windows, these can be ordered and fixed in just a few working days. Otherwise, all companies also create made-to-measure blinds that exactly match your requirements.
• Can be used for unique shapes
  Do you have a very uniquely-shaped window that is impossible to cove with other closure systems? Blinds are very flexible in this regard and can be fitted in such unique spaces.
• Easy-to-use control systems
  The control systems of blinds are versatile. You can choose battery-operated controls, smart controls, or use the simple manual cord-based control system. No matter which one you pick, opening and closing blinds become super easy.

Benefits of window shutters
If you are thinking of window shutters for your home, here are some of the benefits these styles provide.

• Pet and child safety
  If you have pets and/or children at home, then the corded systems of window closures can be quite dangerous to use as they pose the risk of choking. You can, therefore, opt for cord-less window shutters that are safer.
• Durability
  When you compare window blinds and shutters, shutters are naturally more long-lasting and durable. Since these are made of materials like glass and wood, they are not easily damaged by everyday wear and tear.
• Aesthetic appeal
  Window shutters have a distinct charm of their own. They give a more rustic and grounded feeling to your space and instantly help you feel at home.
• Low maintenance
  Unlike other types of window closures that need to be repaired and maintained regularly, these shutters are installed for life. There’s very little you need to do, like keep the slats clean.
• Individual control systems
  When it comes to shutters, a single shutter unit can have two or more manually controlled rods or handles to open and close them. This means you can exactly control the amount of light and air you want inside the room by opening and closing individual units.
• Better insulation
  Between window blinds and shutters, shutters provide better insulation against the cold. This is because they are made of temperature withstanding materials and offer better coverage.
• Varieties
  There was a time when these shutters were only available in wood or glass materials. Right now, you can choose from vinyl, PVC, and even aluminum shutters.

Types of window blinds and shutters
Between window blinds and shutters, if you have decided to go with blinds, you will be swamped with options. Here are some of the popular types of window blinds you can choose from.

• Venetian blinds
  In these types of blinds, horizontal slats are mounted one on top of another. These slats are connected using a piece of fabric tape or with metal/plastic cords. These blinds are said to have been created by the Persians. You can rotate the slats up to 180 degrees, and they overlap with one another for closure and split up in opposite directions to open the blinds. These blinds are popular for smaller windows and you can choose between corded and cord-less options too.
• Vertical blinds
  If the Venetian blinds have horizontal slats, the vertical blinds have vertical slats. When the control system is operated, they draw to the sides instead of rolling up or down. Since these are long vertical structures, they attract lesser dust than horizontal models. Taller windows and French doors look great with these vertical blinds.
• Mini blinds
  These blinds are very similar to Venetian ones, except that the slats are thinner and more compact in this model. These blinds are easier to maintain and clean and are usually chosen when lightweight blinds are needed.
• Roller blinds
  These blinds are operated by pull-cords and are single pieces of fabric that roll into a casing when closed. Most households have such blinds on their windows.
• Smart blinds
  If you’re a tech lover, then you should definitely check out smart blinds. These blinds can be operated using smart devices, and some of these blinds also work with voice-recognition software. You can be at work and open and close your blinds at home using smart apps.

The most popular types of window shutters are

• Café shutters
  These shutters are practical and very affordable shutters that cover only half of your window space. The lower half is operated with shutters while the upper half is either open or fitted with glass panels. These are great for humid spaces.
• Plantation shutters
  These are some of the most common types of shutters that people in the country opt for. They have tilted louvers also known as slats and look very similar to blinds except that these are fixed to the windows and are opened like doors and cannot be pulled up and down. Ranging from vinyl to wood, the materials these come in are varied, and white-colored plantation shutters make your living or dining space look lovely.
• Composite shutters
  These shutters are made of engineered wood, a.k.a, faux wood. These shutters are coated with a layer of vinyl, which makes them super durable against moisture, rain, termites, and other external damages. The shutter material looks exactly like wood but is lighter in weight and quite affordable.
• Non-functional shutters
  If you want to completely close a window, then non-functional shutters can be used. These shutters are bolted to the window frame and cannot be manually opened. If you are closing down a house and want to prevent trespassers from entering, these non-functional shutters can help.

Tips for choosing window blinds and shutters
If you want to choose the right window blinds and shutters, then here are five tips you should follow. These are all put together by expert designers and will help you make the right choice for your house.

• Check the type of window
  Firstly, you can choose between blinds and shutters by identifying the type of window you have. For taller, full-length windows and doors, vertical blinds work better and are cheaper to install. If you have a beautiful medium- or small-sized window that you want to accentuate at home, then opt for shutters. Shutters are great for enhancing the space around the window. If you want to close windows in humid rooms, opt for weather-coated shutters that require lesser maintenance. Bedrooms need blackout closures, which is why blinds in thicker materials work well in such cases.
• Do not go wrong with measurements
  If you are buying made-to-order window blinds and shutters, the measurements have to be exactly perfect. If you are self-measuring and ordering from online stores, read the measurement instructions with care, and then specify the measurements. Fixed shutters will go waste if the measurements are wrong. If the blinds and shutters are too small or too big for the window, this causes a lack of insulation as well as privacy.
• Always keep in mind the color theme of the room
  Since blinds come in so many colors, you might be tempted to pick up the brightest and most attractive of them all for your room. However, check if these match the space before investing in them. Badly chosen window blinds and shutters can ruin your room’s ambiance. Some rooms may already be compact, so when you hang up dark-colored blinds, they can make your space look even tinier.
• Prioritize durability
  Despite whether you buy a shutter or a blind for your window, the material matters a lot. Do not compromise on quality in lieu of a couple of dollars. This could mean you have to spend money on repairing or replacing these blinds or shutters quite often. Check the material, talk to the dealer or the seller about termite and waterproofing treatments, and then make your purchase.
• Check for the best prices from multiple forums
  Those days are gone when you had only a couple of interior décor stores in your community, and your windows were limited to only their shutters and blinds. Right now, there are hundreds of online and offline shops that compete with each other to give customers the best product at the lowest prices. So, do your research before buying, and if you are buying window blinds and shutters in large numbers, you can always ask for bulk discounts. This is completely acceptable and encouraged.

At the end of the day, the window blinds and shutters that you buy for your house should please you. If you only look for practicality and end up with a boring shutter or a blind, you might not enjoy it in the future. As long as these shutters and blinds match your window needs, you can choose the colors and the types that make you excited about them.

Both window blinds and shutters have their own advantages and levels of charm. You can always talk to an interior designer to get an idea about the latest models and materials that are available in the market. If your privacy and motif have been compromised owing to lousy drapes, it’s time to invest in shutters or blinds to give your house the sense of safety it deserves. Plan a budget in advance and keep this in mind when you pick your shutters or blinds.