Blinds or Shutters
New window furnishings can add a touch of elegance, modernity or even quirk to your home or property. But how do you make up your mind? Let us help you decide between the two in this Blinds vs Shutters guide.
What's The Difference Between Blinds and Shutters
When it comes to choosing window accessories for your home, you’ll soon find out that there are many more options than you thought of to begin with. If curtains are a bit old school for you, you still have the choice between blinds or shutters. While your decision may be made primarily based upon looks, there are some functional differences to consider too. In this handy guide, we will be outlining the main differences between shutters and blinds and looking at the unique characteristics of each.
Shutters
Chic, sophisticated and oh so very stylish, shutters may give you everything you’d wish for in a window treatment. They’re practical – providing light control, privacy and noise reduction without compromising on security (you can even install specialist security shutters) – as well as low-maintenance, requiring no more than a wipe-down or dust to keep them looking their best.
Shutters are attached to the window frame itself for a more sturdy structure. Set inside this frame can be louvres (both operable or fixed, horizontal or vertical), solid panels, fabric, glass and almost any other item that can be mounted within a frame.
Blinds
Blinds are “hard” window coverings, made up of slats or vanes that tumble down the blind as it is lowered or can be pulled across a window to lay lengthwise, to the side. These slats are individually combined to create the complete blind and are usually controlled by a manual pull cord. These slats can be closed tightly for privacy and for light control, but they can also be adjusted or tilted at different angles to allow you to control the amount of light needed.
This style gives you a traditional and classic look and matches any decor style–always a handsome, architectural, clean look for your windows.
Types of Shutters vs Types of Blinds
With both shutters and blinds you’re spoiled for choice when it comes to design options. Whatever interior design style you have in mind, they’ll be something to suit.
There are a variety of shutter types from Full Height to Cafe Style all available in a plethora of materials and colours. Here are the types of shutters that we stock:
- Full Height - Split with a middle rail.
- Tier-on-Tier - Panels stacked on the top and bottom.
- Bay Windows - With specially designed frames, crafted for 3, 5 and 7-sided windows.
- Splay Bay - Our internal window shutters can be crafted for these uniquely British window styles.
- Café Style - Leaving the top half of the window unshuttered.
- Bi-Fold - To complement your bi-fold doors.
- Curved - Our shutters can be tailored to any shape or angle.
- Conservatory - With control over light and warmth.
There are also a variety of blind types available to furnish your property. If you’re looking for a modern look or something more modern we have you (and your windows) covered! Our stock of blinds includes:
- Venetian Blinds - Horizontal slats that can be made from wood or metal and suspended on ladder cords.
- Roller Blinds - Roller blinds are exactly what they sound like. They are blinds that unroll to cover your window.
- Vertical Blinds - Vertical blinds consist of lengths of fabric that are clipped to a sliding track at the top.
- Roman Blinds - Roman blinds are made from fabric that neatly pleats when raised.
- Conservatory Blinds - With made to measure blinds there is no window size or shape too awkward.
- Pleated Blinds - Pleated blinds that are made to measure will complement any room.
- Electric Blinds - If you’re looking for an extra dash of luxury and ease of use.
- Blackout Blinds - Made with completely opaque room darkening materials.
Installation
Installing shutters goes as little as something like this: Assemble the frame, Install the frame, Attach the panels, Check movement and Amend if necessary. It can be tricky to DIY and is usually best left to the professionals. They can, however, be fitted to almost any window using several frame configurations, although there are two main approaches for this solution – either inside or outside the window recess.
Hanging window blinds can seem like a scary endeavour — especially if you’re not familiar with power tools. Fitting blinds in general can be quick and easy. How long it takes to install the blinds completely depends on the type of blind you are installing and the installer's skill level. In general, it takes roughly 20-30 minutes to fit window blinds from start to finish. The weight of the blind and the type of surface you are fixing to can also have an impact on how long it takes to install. Wooden blinds, Shutters and thick curtains are heavy and therefore take longer to fit.
Keeping Heat Out and In
Here’s an important thing to consider for those summer months: will your window coverings keep cool air in and heat out? The answer for both shutters and blinds is, emphatically, yes! Research conducted by the BBSA shows that internal shading can reduce room temperatures by 8-13C. It is important to note that results will vary by building as shading type and ventilation are important factors.
Did you know? It’s likely that our winters are going to continue getting colder. Shutters provide an excellent way to improve energy efficiency in your home. When closed, shutters have been shown to reduce heat loss through a window by more than 50%, according to a recent study by The English Heritage.
You can lose almost 30% of your home's energy through your windows. Your blinds can make a huge difference to keeping all that lovely warm in, saving you money in the long run. A thick blind will block any draughts, keep the warm air in and create a comfortable, insulated environment for your home.
Allergy Considerations With Shutters and Blinds
When we talk about allergies, one season tends to dominate the conversation — spring. However, it’s possible, even likely, to suffer from allergies all year long. Especially in the winter, when our homes are closed up tightly for months, people who are allergic to pet dander and dust can notice their symptoms getting worse. These are some great, easy to maintain, options for allergy sufferers:
- Faux wood blinds are as decorative as they are practical. Not only do hard materials attract less dust than soft ones, but they’re also easy to keep clean with just a light dusting.
- Vertical blinds. All you need is a duster to keep vertical blinds clean. Vertical surfaces do not allow dust to collect! We also suggest wiping them down with a damp cloth every few months to catch any lingering allergens.
- Roller shades. Because dust can’t make its way onto roller shades when they’re pulled up, they’re a top choice for allergy-friendly homes.
Wood or composite shutters. Shutters made of any hard material are an excellent choice because they can be cleaned with the wipe of a microfiber cloth.
Cost
Being a family-owned business, we pride ourselves on our service to our customers and our product and price guarantee. That is why we offer you a price match guarantee across all of our product range. Our price-match promise guarantees you the very best prices for your home improvement project.
Areas Covered for Installation
We cover a variety of areas in and around Bedford, Bedfordshire. Including Stevenage, Letchworth and Hitchin. You can view our entire area of coverage here.
Simply fill out the form below with your window height and width in centimetres to give you a price guide for your shutters.
