The Differences Between Blinds and Shades - Which One to Choose?

When homeowners decide they’d like to include blinds or shades in their window treatments, they’re usually taken aback at how many options there are!

Blinds and shades are meant to seem simple. They add clean lines and simplicity to any design, but just like anything that seems simple, there’s complexity in the design behind them.

At the end of the day, you want to be sure you’re choosing the style, color, and materials for your blinds that will leave you feeling inspired each time you walk into the room. It’s an important decision because most people leave blinds and shades installed for many years. You want your investment to be a meaningful one that brings joy to the home.

So, we’re going to invite you to think about blinds vs shades in a new way. Of course, you want to think about colors, materials, and other such things. But also think about this:

What kind of experience do you want from your blinds or shades?

For example, do you want to see the shades or blinds when they are open? Some people want them to disappear as much as possible to enjoy the view through the window. Others want to keep them present as part of the visual design.

Do you want a room that feels warm and comfy or sleek and modern?

How do you want the light to interact with the room? Blinds and shades are great for sculpting patterns of sunlight.

In this article, we’ll help you understand all your options and empower you with the information you need to make a confident choice about installing blinds or shades in your home. Along the way, keep thinking about the experience. How will it feel to walk into the room every day? What will make you want to stay in that room and enjoy the experience?

Considering both the visuals and experience will lead you to the right answer for your home.

So, let’s get started.

The basic difference between blinds and shades

Blinds

We’re all familiar with the horizontal slats in blinds, but did you know how helpful they really are? Those slats can be tilted up or down to control light, solar heat, and privacy.

Also, blinds are incredibly durable. Homeowners like the fact that their investment will be a long lasting one.

However, they tend to be heavy and require more stacking area than most shades. Blinds will not be the best solution if you prefer to have your entire windowpane exposed when the blinds are open. If you choose larger slats, like 2 ½", your view will improve since there will be fewer slats to see through or obstruct your view.

Visually, people love the many options of materials for blinds. Between genuine wood, faux wood, and metal, there is an endless variety of colors and looks you can achieve.

Shades

Shades and Shadings are made from soft fabric or more rigid, stiff material like woven woods. Visually, they’re the opposite of blinds. Instead of a broken-up series of lines, shades are usually one, solid piece of a material designed to raise, lower, or somewhere in between.

You’ll be surprised how many options there are like roller shades, solar screen shades, and honeycomb cellular shades. However, as with blinds, you’ll also be surprised by the practical benefits of shades like controlling light, heat, and privacy in a space.

First, let's take a closer look at blinds for windows and doors.

Blinds offer many materials to choose from.

Faux wood blinds are made from modern, engineered materials. They’re extremely durable and cleanable, and they’re designed to withstand moisture. They typically come in 2" and 2 ½" slats with many colors to choose from, and their textures and finishes simulate genuine wood.

Wood blinds make a room warm and welcoming and are available in different finishes and textures. Wood slats come in 1", 2", and 2 ½", and the wider they are, the more contemporary they look.

Metal blinds are among the least expensive window treatments on the market. They should be made of a quality gauge material for durability, so they do not bend and curl. They can be noisy, and rather than control, they conduct heat and cold into a room, so they’re not the best choice for most residences. Metal blinds come in 1" and 2" slats and are excellent for commercial applications because of their flame resistance.

Blinds have many advantages.

Blinds control the direction of light in the room well with a simple twist of the slats.
Certain styles of blinds, like those without route holes, provide complete privacy.
Newer, cordless operating systems make blinds safe for children and pets.
Blinds are typically less expensive than shades.

Of course, blinds have disadvantages as well.

Both wood and faux wood blinds have a relatively large stack when pulled up, so they will obstruct the view or at least remain visible.
Wood blinds exposed to moisture can warp. This material doesn’t work well in rooms like a bathroom where they are constantly exposed to the moisture of the shower.

Blinds are budget friendly.

Quality blinds are durable and designed to last.
Typically, they can be purchased at a low to moderate price point.

What are the best locations in the home for blinds?

Wood blinds add warmth and elegance to living rooms and bedrooms. However, faux wood blinds are more appropriate in kids' bedrooms because of their durability. In bathrooms, kitchens, and rooms with constant moisture, faux wood blinds would be best because they can take humidity without peeling or warping.

What about the care and cleaning of blinds?

Many blind slats are “anti-static,” and some even have a dust-repellant finish. However, you should still clean slats monthly with a feather duster to prevent residue accumulation.

In the kitchen, you should raise your blinds fully when cooking to avoid coating the slats with grease.

Now, let's look at shade options for windows and doors.

First, it’s important to understand that there are two basic kinds of materials for shades.

"Hard" shades. It’s probably strange to hear shades described as being “hard,” but it has to do with the material they’re made from. Hard shades have stiffer materials like the kinds you find in solar screen shades, roller shades, and woven woods.
“Soft” shades are made from softer fabrics and materials like those found in honeycomb shades or Roman shades with sheer fabric.

We’ll be looking at each of these categories one at a time.

Hard Shades

Here are the basic types of hard shades.

Sunscreen or Solar shades filter and diffuse light without sacrificing the view and are made of woven mesh fabric in varying opacities. The lower the opacity percentage, like 1%, the more privacy you have.

The beauty of these shades is that while they control heat and glare, they also provide fade protection from harmful UV-rays while maintaining your view and connection to the outside.

Dark-colored fabrics are superior for glare control and privacy. However, a darker color will absorb the heat from the sun and not keep the room as cool as a lighter color would.
Light-colored fabrics reflect heat better, allowing more filtered light to enter a room and providing more daytime privacy. The downfall of a lighter-colored shade is that you can’t see out as well.

Roller shades are available in fabric or vinyl and operate with a spring or clutch system that rolls up onto a tube when opened. Motorized roller shades are an excellent option for hard-to-reach windows and can be controlled on a smart device, even when you’re away from home!

Fabric options range from sheer linen to a textured weave that resembles woven grasses. These are also available in opacities from light-filtering to room-darkening.

However, one should remember that roller shades will have sizeable light gaps on each side, since the fabric will not meet the window casing perfectly with this type of shade.

Woven Woods and Woven Grass Shades are made from natural fibers and range from reeds and bamboo to soft woven grasses. These shades are perfect for the vibe in the Pacific Northwest!

Conrad Shades hand-weaves their shades to size, and their edges are beautifully finished and soft to the touch. This shade style is indeed an investment, but they will last a very long time if properly cared for. We like to pair the natural texture with silk drapery panels for a casual and elegant look.

Here are the advantages of "hard" shades.

The top-down/bottom-up (TDBU) feature on woven woods adds flexibility in rooms where privacy is needed.
Multiple shades can be mounted on one headrail. On wide windows, you can have multiple shades mounted side by side, allowing more flexibility for which ones are open as the sun moves through the room.

And here are the disadvantages of “hard” shades to consider.

When roller shades are closed, there is no other option to adjust them to allow light to filter in.
Woven wood shades are usually transparent unless they have a privacy backing.
Most solar shades are not designed to offer much privacy.

What about the costs of "hard" shades?

Costs vary widely because so many types and styles of shades are available, but there is an option for every budget.

What are the best locations in the home for "hard" shades?

Unlike the limitations you find with blinds, shades are versatile and work in just about any room.

What about the care & cleaning of "hard" shades?

We recommend following the manufacturer's directions. For example, a feather duster works well on woven wood shades.

Soft Shades

Here are the basic types of soft shades.

Honeycomb shades or Cellular shades are a great way to achieve privacy and insulation (for energy efficiency) and to quiet a room down while making it feel warmer and cozier at the same time.

The top-down/bottom-up (TDBU) feature allows them to stack either at the top or the bottom of the window allowing for greater control over privacy and your view. TDBU is an excellent idea for bathrooms, for example, over a bathtub where you want privacy and a view at the same time!

Many of our clients’ favorite soft window shades come from leading manufacturer Hunter Douglas. Here are three of them.

Silhouette shades work like the slats of a wood blind except with a soft fabric vane and a sheer fabric that holds the vane in place on the front and back of the fabric louver. The vanes can be opened, tilted, closed, or rolled up into a headrail, entirely out of the way. They come in 2", 3", and 4" vanes and feature manual or motorized operation.

Pirouette shades are another Hunter Douglas innovation. They take the Roman shade concept a step further by opening and closing the folds, allowing one to see out (unlike traditional Roman shades).

Vignette Roman-style shades are available in both a stacking and a rolling style in many textures and colors. These shades have no exposed rear cords which creates a clean exterior look while enhancing child safety. They come in three opacities: sheer, light-filtering, and room-darkening.

Many homeowners prefer custom shades!

At Adrette, our local artisans create custom Roman shades and balloon shades for clients. This is a perfect option when you want total control over the fabrics you use or need to match an odd-shaped window. It also creates an exclusive look for your home which turns the room into a unique work of art.

What are the advantages of "soft" shades?

They offer a greater variety of colors, patterns, and styles.
The top-down/bottom-up lift system is available with many soft products, adding flexibility in rooms where privacy is essential.
Roman shades and sheer shadings can also be custom crafted by Adrette's artisans from thousands of exciting fabric options.

What about the disadvantages of "soft" shades?

Natural fabrics can break down faster than synthetic materials.
Soft shade fabrics can be more susceptible to environmental damage from sunlight and moisture.

What are the cost factors of "soft" shades?

Soft shades vary significantly in price depending upon their style.
Honeycomb shades can be one of the less expensive options.
At the other end of the spectrum, a custom Roman shade or motorized shade will be a more costly option.

Where are the best locations in the home for "soft" shades?

Ultimately, soft shades can be featured in any room you like. However, any room that needs softening of the acoustics will benefit from these shades. In addition, synthetic fabrics are well suited for areas with high moisture or UV exposure.

What about the care and cleaning of "soft" shades?

As with any custom fabric product, consult with the workroom or a professional drapery and shade cleaner. You should be able to feather-dust your shades and gently vacuum-clean them with a soft brush attachment.

Don’t forget about vertical window treatment options.

Vertiglide Shades are a honeycomb fabric turned sideways to run vertically. They are great for sliding doors and large openings and have a small stack. Vertiglide shades are available in the same fabrics as cellular shades and coordinate well with them.

Skyline Gliding Panels are an upgraded modern-day version of vertical blinds. The vertical flat panels hang from a multi-track system and stack back in front of each other rather than rotate. Fabric options start with sunscreen shade material and work up the spectrum to custom panels made from fabric.

You don’t have to settle the blinds vs. shades debate on your own.

As you can see, there are lot of options to consider, and at the end of the day you want to be sure you consider both the visual design of your window treatments and the experience you want to have in your room. You’ve seen here how functionality has a huge impact on how you control light, heat, privacy, and other concerns.

Hiring a custom window treatment designer gives you a sounding board for your ideas and a professional who can bring your vision to life.

Having an outside eye on your project is invaluable, and a good designer helps you make confident decisions that your design will bring joy and inspiration into your home.

Schedule your complimentary consultation with Adrette Window Coverings here or by calling us at 503-703-4692.

Blinds vs Shades: Difference Between Blinds and Shades

The Differences Between Blinds and Shades - Which One to Choose?