Blinds are one of the most practical window coverings you can buy: they give precise control over light and privacy, they last, and they suit almost any style of home. But “blinds” covers a lot of ground. This guide walks through the questions that matter, the main types and where each works best, and what to think about before you order.
Start with the room, not the catalog
Before you look at materials or colors, answer a few questions for each room:
- How much light do you want? A home office or TV room may need glare control in the afternoon; a kitchen may want as much daylight as possible.
- How much privacy? Street-facing bedrooms and bathrooms need full privacy at night. Rooms facing a private yard may not.
- Is the room damp? Bathrooms, kitchens, laundry rooms and windows that collect condensation in winter rule out some materials (more on that below).
- Who lives there? In homes with young children or pets, cordless lift controls are the safer choice, and they look cleaner too.
- What shape is the window? Wide picture windows, sliding doors and arched or angled windows each have different options.
The main types of blinds
Wood blinds
Real wood blinds bring warmth and a natural grain that suits Craftsman, mid-century and traditional homes, and they’re light for their size, which helps on wide windows. Wood can warp or discolor if it stays damp, so keep it to living rooms, dining rooms, bedrooms and offices rather than bathrooms or windows that run with condensation.
Faux wood and composite blinds
Faux wood and composite blinds look very close to painted or stained wood but don’t absorb moisture, so they won’t warp in a steamy bathroom or a kitchen. They wipe clean easily and are a sensible default for a whole-house order where you want every window to match. The trade-off is weight: on very wide windows they’re heavier to lift than real wood.
Aluminum blinds
Aluminum blinds have slim slats and a clean, modern look. They resist humidity and rust, take up little room when raised, and are easy to clean, which makes them a good fit for bathrooms, garages, rentals and contemporary spaces.
Wood, faux wood, composite and aluminum are all horizontal blinds, so you can mix materials room by room and still keep a consistent look from the street.
Vertical blinds
Vertical blinds are made for sliding glass doors and very wide windows. The vanes stack to one side so you can walk through, they rotate to control light, and individual vanes can be replaced if one gets damaged. They come in fabric, vinyl and aluminum.
Which blinds work best in each room
- Living and dining rooms: wood or faux wood for warmth; wide slats give a clearer view when open.
- Bedrooms: faux wood or wood with routeless slats (no holes for light to leak through), or pair blinds with drapery if you need a darker room.
- Bathrooms, kitchens and laundry rooms: faux wood, composite or aluminum.
- Sliding doors and patio doors: vertical blinds, or see our door shades for a softer look.
- Arches, angles and odd shapes: these usually need a custom solution; see specialty shapes.
For more on damp rooms, condensation and keeping warm in winter, see our guide to window coverings for Seattle’s wet climate.
Details worth deciding before you order
- Inside or outside mount. Inside mount sits within the window frame for a built-in look but needs enough frame depth. Outside mount covers the frame, which can make a window look bigger and blocks more light at the edges.
- Slat size. Wider slats (around 2 to 2½ inches) give a more open view and suit larger windows; narrower slats suit smaller windows and a more tailored look.
- Controls. Corded, cordless or motorized. Motorization is worth considering for tall, wide or hard-to-reach windows, and lets you raise and lower blinds on a schedule.
- Color and finish. Matching trim color makes blinds disappear into the window; a wood stain makes them a feature. Seeing samples in your own light matters, because Seattle’s grey days make colors read differently than they do in a showroom.
- Blinds or something else? If you want a softer look or more insulation, compare shades and shutters before deciding.
Why custom-fit blinds are worth it
Off-the-shelf blinds come in set widths, so most windows end up with gaps at the sides or a blind that’s been cut down. Custom blinds are made to your exact window measurements, which means smaller light gaps, better privacy and slats that line up cleanly from window to window. Accurate measuring is the step that most often goes wrong when people order on their own, especially with inside mounts and out-of-square older windows.
Get help choosing
A Jet City Blinds design consultant can come to your home, bring samples so you can compare materials and colors in your own rooms, measure every window, and recommend what fits each space.
Schedule a free in-home consultation or call (844) JET-CITY.