The Pros and Cons of 4 Types of Window Coverings

??Whether you need to control glare or simply want extra privacy, finding a window covering that matches your home d?cor and meets your practical daily needs is a balancing act. Shutters, roller shades, sheer shades, and blinds all vary in terms of style, cost, durability, and maintenance. Here?s a quick rundown of their pros and cons so you can start planning your new window coverings.?

Shutters can give any room an historic plantation?style look and feel. With a versatile selection of shutters to choose from, including hardwood, hybrid, and polysatin, there?s a material that suits every lifestyle.

?Hybrid shutters combine the look of real wood with the stability of advanced modern-day materials. According to Plantation Shutters, hybrid shutters are made from medium density fiberboard (MDF); the MDF shutter components are wrapped in a polypropylene film. Polysatin shutters, on the other hand, are made from a UV-resistant polysatin compound that guarantees the shutters will never wrap, fade, chip, peel, or discolor regardless of extreme heat or moisture, according to Hunter Douglas.

?You?re not short on options, be it real hardwood or materials constructed with a UV resistant compound. This opens up possibilities for shutter installations in showers and other wet zones. Shutters offer quite a bit of customization. They can be built to fit any window or door type. That?s definitely a mark in the pro column.

?Shutters also increase the value of your home by adding high-end style and controlling the amount of light you let into your house, which protects furniture, carpeting, and artwork from fading due to long-term sun exposure.? ?

The downside to having shutters is the price tag. Since they?re custom built to your specific window specifications, expect the cost to be on the high side. Hardwood shutters will cost even more than hybrid shutters due to the fact that they?re made out of real wood.

?Shutters require more maintenance. You?ll need to clean them consistently because they tend to accumulate dust. For hardwood shutters, you may need to tighten the louvers due to both changes in temperature and typical daily usage.?

?Roller shades lend a clean and contemporary look to any room. They offer ease and simplicity for any and all homeowners. Thanks to an impressive range of sturdy and distinctive fabrics, you?ll be sure to settle on a design that complements your home?s style.?

?Roller shades are not only simple to use, but they also combine that simplicity with hundreds of fabric choices, including various patterns, textures, and colors. They have UV protection and are available in various levels of opacity, which let you control how much light you let into your home. This makes them a perfect choice for patios and sunrooms.

?In terms of cost, roller shades are the least expensive option, especially when compared to real wood shutters. They?re also durable and easy to clean.

?Since roller shades are made out of fabric, they don?t have much insulation like window coverings that are made from wood do. Because of this, roller shades are not insulated enough for weather conditions such as extreme heat or cold, as well as noise reduction. Some homeowners might want more than detail in their window coverings than roller shades can provide.?

?Sheer shades are another common type of window covering. There are several different categories of sheer shades, including cellular (or honeycomb) and Roman shades. Sheer shades are a great way to create beautiful effects with diffused natural light. Honeycomb shades offer original and energy efficient designs, while roman shades provide an elegantly tailored modern look for just about any room.?

With sheer shades, one key advantage is that you?re able to rotate the vanes, which gives you unlimited degrees of light control and privacy. They also have UV protection that counteracts the harmful effects of the sun. Honeycomb shades have an impressive range of light control fabrics ranging from sheer to opaque plus hundreds of colors and textures to choose from.
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Another perk to sheer shades is that they?re energy efficient. According to Houselogic, honeycomb shades are energy efficient because they feature a layered design that traps air in individual cells, which in turn creates a temperature-transfer barrier between the window and any room. Roman shades offer a luxurious selection of fabrics (including cotton, silk, and linen) and various colors.

A drawback to sheer, honeycomb, and roman shades is that you can?t move them side to side like you can with vertical blinds. You?re limited to up and down movements only. Sheer shades will also tap into your budget. Most styles tend to land on the expensive side.

?Another downside side is that, depending on the material you use in your shades, they can be hard to clean. Silk, for instance, is a delicate fabric that households with kids and pets may want to avoid.?

?Blinds are a classic choice. You can choose between vertical and horizontal. Vertical blinds are ideal for wide window expanses, patios, and sliding glass doors, while horizontal blinds are good for various places in your home, such as the bedroom, living room, dining room, and so on. ?

?Much like the other types of window coverings, blinds offers a large selection of hundreds of materials, fabrics, and colors. They also have a smooth and quiet performance, so you won?t have to worry about making noise every time you open and close your blinds. They?re also constructed from the various woods, alternative woods, and aluminum materials, which lets you diversify the style of your blinds to fit your lifestyle and budget.?

?While the quality and durability of blinds can be top-notch, there?s a downside to this: Cost. When you get into the premium quality materials, you pay more. Another con to having blinds is the maintenance. You will need to clean your blinds every so often if you want them to look nice because they will gather dust.?