Indoor blinds have been a component of many homes and offices today. In a very sunny country like Singapore, you might need indoor blinds that control the amount of sunlight that enters the room.

But besides indoor blinds, several alternatives can do the job, such as curtains and shades. So what makes indoor home or office blinds in Singapore special? Are they worth it? Find out the answers by continuing reading this article.

Indoor Blinds vs Curtains vs Shades vs Drapes

When it comes to controlling the amount of sunlight in your bedroom or office, people use indoor blinds, curtains, shades, or drapes. But what are the differences and similarities between the four?

APPEARANCE AND MATERIAL

Indoor blinds

Indoor blinds are window coverings made of individual plastic slats. A wire or string connects each slat so people can adjust it in one pull. Users can raise, lower, and tilt open and close the slats.

Indoor blinds also have a headrail and a bottom rail. They also use a pulley mechanism to adjust the blinds for partial and full window coverage.

The most common materials for indoor blinds are plastic, metal, and wood.

Curtains

Curtains are window coverings made of fabric, ranging from varying widths, lengths, and colours. Most people buy them in pairs.

People hang curtains from a rod by slipping the rod through the pockets at the top of the curtain. It also allows people to slide the curtains to the side for partial covering or the centre for full window covering.

The most common curtain fabrics in the market are cotton, silk, rayon, lace, polyester, velvet, and linen.

Shades

Shades are window coverings made of one single fabric panel. Like indoor blinds, it is raised or lowered to adjust the coverage. Shades hang from the rod, which has a roller system allowing the panel to roll up and down for adjustments.

The most common materials for shades are vinyl and PVC.

Drapes

If shades are similar to indoor bedroom blinds in terms of structure and mechanism, drapes are cousins with curtains. In fact, most people use curtains and drapes interchangeably despite their differences.

Drapes are also fabric window covering. However, their fabrics are much thicker and heavier than curtains. The length is also different since drapes reach the floor.

Also, like curtains, drapes hang from the rod and can be slid to the side for partial window covering.

LIGHT BLOCKING, INSULATION, AND ACOUSTICS ABILITY

Indoor Blinds

Indoor blinds have a moderate to high light-blocking ability. Since it uses slats, a small amount of light can still enter the spaces between the slats. For effective light blocking, some people put curtains over the home blinds.

When it comes to insulation, heat and cold air can easily pass through the blinds. Hence, it is not effective in retaining high or low temperatures.

Customised blinds are not as good as absorbing sounds. Nevertheless, it visually blocks the view of the window; ergo more private.

Curtains

Curtains have a moderate to high light-blocking ability. It all boils down to the type of curtain a person will buy. Sheer curtains are the thin see-through fabric that still allows a less aggressive amount of light to pass through the curtain despite full-window covering.

On the other hand, a blackout curtain is a thicker fabric that blocks most of the light in a full-window covering.

As fabrics, curtains can retain a small amount of warmth and cold. Blackout curtains can absorb noise, too. However, for privacy, sheer curtains are not very ideal since they are see-through.

Shades

Shades have a moderate to heavy light-blocking ability. It all depends on the thickness of the fabric panel of the shade. There are thinner shades that still allow a small amount of light to pass through. There are also shades with a complete blackout.

Shades are great with insulation. It traps heat and cold inside the room, keeping the space warm or cool. It can also absorb little exterior noise.

Moreover, shades are a little better than curtains. Thinner shades still obscure and provide better view blockage than sheer curtains.

Drapes

Shades provide a complete blackout since they are thicker and heavier fabric. The length also matters. Drapes usually reach the floor so light cannot seep below them, unlike in shades, curtains, and customised blinds.

Fabrics, generally, are great with insulation. Given the thickness and length of drapes, they trap warmth and coolness better than other window coverings. They are also great at blocking and absorbing noise.

If you want privacy in your room, investing in drapes is a good choice.

FEATURES AND ADVANTAGES

Indoor blinds

One of the advantages of indoor blinds is the cost. They are one of the cheapest window covering options, along with the curtains. Although they are low-cost, they can still be stylish. Faux wood is perhaps the most loved indoor blind in history.

Another reason indoor blinds are cheap is that they can easily be repaired. For example, broken slats can be glued together, whilst cut strings can be replaced or connected with another yarn.

Curtains

Many people use curtains as a supplement to shades and indoor blinds. They place it over the blinds and shades. So when they need a little bit of privacy yet allow light to enter, they slide the curtains instead of rolling down shades and blinds, which moderately blocks the light.

Shades

If you want a low-profile window covering that blocks light and ensures privacy at a low price, shades are your option. The design of the shades is straightforward. They block light and enhance privacy a little better than curtains and blinds, but in a less grandiose way than drapes.

Drapes

Drapes are known for their grand appearance. They are perfect for a formal look. You often see them at hotels’ event halls and even in mansions. But other than their looks, drapes are excellent in trapping heat and cold. They are great at blocking and absorbing noises as well. Moreover, they offer 100% privacy in a total full-window cover.

Now that you know the differences and similarities between indoor blinds,  curtains, shades, and drapes, it is time to discuss the things people normally ask about indoor blinds.

Frequently Asked Questions: Indoor Blinds

FAQ #1: Are there different types of indoor blinds?

Your office blinds in Singapore may be different from your home blinds. There are several types of indoor blinds. These are wooden, faux wooden, metal, vertical, panel, and perfect-fit blinds.

• Wooden blinds – Given the name, wooden blinds have slats made of wood. They can come in different colours, such as natural wood colour or dyed in other tints.
• Faux wooden blinds – These are indoor blinds similar to wooden blinds appearance-wise but with different materials. Faux wooden blinds typically use vinyl, PVC, and composite wood as primary materials.
• Metal blinds – Aluminium is the primary material for metal blinds. It has a sleek and stylistic design and comes in different colours as well.
• Vertical panel blinds – Unlike the typical indoor blinds adjusted by rolling up and down, vertical panels slide to the side. Its slats hang vertically. They still have headrails but lack bottom rails. They are perfect for floor-to-ceiling windows.
• Panel blinds – Panel blinds are vertical blinds with just wider slats. A typical panel blind needs only four to five slats to cover a floor-to-ceiling window.
• Perfect-fit blinds – Given the name, perfect-fit blinds fit into the window frame, leaving no space at the sides and bottom of the blinds.

FAQ# 2: What are recess size and blind size?

When you buy bedroom blinds, you may be asked about your window’s recess size and blind size.

Recess size refers to the length and width of your window within the window jamb. It ensures that the window blinds have the exact measurement, especially for the perfectly-fit type of indoor blinds.

On the other hand, the blind size refers to the length and width of your window, including a couple of inch space outside the window jamb.

FAQ# 3: I have a sloped window. Are indoor blinds still okay to use?

Indoor blinds are still usable for sloped windows; however, they specifically need vertical indoor blinds.

The size of each slat or panel adjusts to the slant angle of a window, hence still providing full-window coverage.

FAQ# 4: Are indoor blinds child-friendly?

Unfortunately, there are cases where indoor blinds have caused injuries in children. The cords used to roll up the blinds cause entanglement and strangulation in children. Avoid using indoor blinds in your nursery and children’s room to avoid cases of strangulation. Also, make sure the cords of your bedroom blinds are out of reach of children.

FAQ# 5: Can I install my indoor blinds myself?

Installing indoor blinds is as easy as installing curtains. You only need to fasten the rack or headrails at the top of your windows and untangle the cords and slats.

However, installing perfectly-fit blinds, vertical and panel blinds, and mechanical blinds can be tricky. It is better to call an expert to install your bedroom blinds.

Have your questions about indoor blinds been answered? If so, the next part will be the dos and don’ts of owning indoor blinds.

Indoor Blinds: Dos and Don’ts

One of the best things about indoor blinds is they are easy to maintain. But not because they are low maintenance, you can neglect them. There are still dos and don’ts with owning indoor blinds.

DO prioritise your safety.

As mentioned, home blinds can be a little bit unsafe for children. There are some tips on how to prevent accidents.

Firstly, ensure the cords are out of reach of children. Don’t let the strings of your bedroom blinds dangle low. You can install a hook; where you can hang the cord or hide the cord behind the blinds; so children won’t see it.

Secondly, avoid placing beds and chairs next to the window. We all know that children love to climb chairs, beds and low tables. Furniture near the indoor blinds only gives kids access to the cord.

Lastly, cut the loop. Indoor blinds have looped cords, which causes strangulation. You can cut the noose and replace each end with a tassel; so they are safer and do not look unpleasant to the eyes.

DON’T forget about the materials.

As mentioned, office blinds can come from different materials. There are wooden blinds, metal blinds, and plastic blinds. They also have different colours.

Remember, each material will have an impact on your interior design. Furthermore, the maintenance level varies, depending on the material. For example, wooden blinds are not as great as plastic in humid environments.

DO consider the slat sizes.

Did you know that slat sizes can affect the overlook of your indoor blinds? For example, larger slats are a trend for modern interior design, whilst smaller slats are for a more classic look. Slat sizes are not for light-blocking purposes alone but for aesthetics.

DON’T shy away from curtains.

As mentioned in the article, you can put a curtain over your blinds! Besides adding to the light-blocking ability of your indoor blinds, it is also part of interior design!

Just make sure you will find the perfect curtain to pair with your blinds, and you are good to go.

DO clean your blinds.

Maintaining the cleanliness of your indoor blinds is easy! Regular vacuuming and dusting and once a month wipe down ensure no dust sits on your slats. Sometimes you only need water to clean them.

But you can use water with liquid soap for stains and grime on your window blinds. Cleaning your slats maintain the overall pleasant look of your home and reduce allergic attacks.

Conclusion

When the summer is too sunny, and we don’t want too much sunlight in the room, we can always rely on indoor blinds to block out the sun. Indeed, home and office blinds have proven their reliability.

But more than just light-blockers, indoor blinds are part of your interior design as well! They can accentuate your home and ruin it all over. So it is crucial to pick functional yet beautiful indoor blinds.

Durablinds

Durablinds Trading provides an extensive collection of home and office blinds in Singapore. Visit Ziptrak today.