A Must-Read Guide (Before You Buy Blinds)

I’m all about glass walls, space openness and as much natural light as possible to lighten up the house. I’ve always hated curtains; I used to beg my mum to throw them away because the apartment I used to live in faced the northern side and it got sunlight for only 2-3 quality hours a day. Afterwards, darkness overwhelmed the place and nothing looked as beautiful as it should have. Why? Because honestly, natural light makes everything look in its best possible version. Luckily, my parents don’t have another building facing them so their apartment has tons of privacy, and if that was the only reason, I’d say they don’t really need to buy blinds. My apartment on the other hand, is a whole other story.

When you live in an apartment with your significant other and that apartment faces another building where a lot of nosey people live, the thing that should concern you more than your interior design is securing your privacy. I mean sure, maybe you’re the cosmopolitan type and don’t really care what people see and say, but at the end of the day, that funny look they give you when you say “Good morning” on your way to work, it can ruin your mood, even just for a few hours. And don’t get me started on how much you don’t enjoy the lovely sun on Sunday mornings, when all you want is to sleep away the aftermath of the previous night. Am I right?

So, the obvious solution to all these small inconveniences would be to buy blinds and have them installed on your windows from day one. You should enjoy the convenience of having your privacy and a dimmed bedroom on Sunday morning. When you visit a blinds store (whether a online or an offline one) you’ll face a vast offer of blinds which will be a pleasant surprise, especially if you also care about matching them to the overall room design.

• Woven wood blinds – these go perfectly on windows facing a garden, a backyard or a balcony. Mainly made of bamboo, these blinds allow you to let just enough light in so you can read your newspaper.

• Roman shades – the dining room and the living room would benefit most from this type of blinds, especially if the room has sort of a formal touch. They can be gathered into billowy poufs giving the room that high-style statement a formal setting so much needs.

• Tight weaves – my personal favourite. These go with any style; vintage, modern, and even with more elegant interiors. Mainly made of twill or microsuede, tight weave blinds these are opaque and offer just the right amount of privacy for your bedroom or living room.

• Honeycombs have horizontal rows of air pockets and as such are amazing because they keep the heat during winter and let it out during summer. Talk about an energy saving option.

• Blackouts are made of a material that’s 100% light blocking which makes them perfect for bedrooms as well as for theatre rooms, if you have any in your home.

Bottom line is, you really just need to decide you want to get blinds and then decide which type will best fit in your room style. Or, if you need something to help you make up your mind quickly: I’m sure you want to be able to walk around your home in your underwear, dancing and singing and not worrying a bit if someone is watching you through the windows.