Welcome back to the Budget Blinds of Scottsdale blog! We spent the last month giving our readers info on some of our favorite brands, sliding glass door styles, and blackout blinds but this time we wanted to take a step back. This time on the Budget Blinds of Scottsdale blog we are going to give an overview of the different kinds of window covering solutions, when you might use them, and some of their benefits. Buckle up, it’s going to be a long one!

Perhaps you have found your way to our site and you don’t know much about blinds, not sure what the difference is between roller shades and Roman, confused about why anyone would want to have shutters? That’s fine! You are looking for window coverings, you are in the right place!

Blinds and Shutters - Your Budget Blinds Primer

Blinds

Let’s start with blinds, after all it’s right there in the title. Window blinds are one of the most popular window treatments available, thanks in no small part to their durability, versatility, and staggering number of styles and materials they are made of. The key differentiator with horizontal blinds is that you can tilt the slats which allows you to feather the amount of light and view. Few other coverings offer this ability, with them its either all or nothing.

Wood and Faux Wood Blinds

Wood blinds are an absolute classic. They are an instant upgrade to any window. The wooden slats are 1” to 2½”. They can be made from many different woods (including faux), mounted inside the frame or on the face of the window trim. Oh, and did you know Budget Blinds uses 100% American Hardwoods sourced only from certified domestic forests. You get great blinds and do your part to be sustainable. Not bad!

The faux wood blinds meanwhile offer that same attractive wood finishes and appeal at an attractive price.

Fabric Blinds

Think wooden blinds but… well, fabric instead! Our range of fabric blinds are designed exclusively for Budget Blinds. We have a huge variety in fabrics, patterns, and colors to pair with your current (or future) furniture to make for the best match. The variety in fabrics also means a variety of opacity, meaning you can control exactly how much light you want filtering into your room at any time. The material is warp and fade reducing, so your blinds will last a long time.

We also have a special topcoat treatment that helps to repel dust - meaning less time cleaning and more time enjoying your fabulous interior!

Composite

Composite blinds are crafted from a number of materials to mimic real wood blinds, but with incredible durability in the face of humidity and harsh sunlight. While they mostly come in standard blind styles, the real differentiating factor is their materials!

Made from a high tech polymer, composite blinds are a perfect choice for areas in your home that experience high humidity like the bathroom or kitchen sinks. Budget Blinds composite blinds meanwhile have advanced UVA inhibitors that help prevent yellowing from age and warping as well as prevent fading and cracking over time.

Composite blinds are moisture resistant, durable, energy efficient, come in over 80 styles, can be fit to any window - oh and they are a stellar choice for any home!

Vertical Blinds

Vertical blinds bring a chic, modern take to window coverings and can fit even the most unique shaped windows. Traditionally made of a vinyl material, these blinds are arranged vertically, with one end of them attached to the head rail while they hang down towards the floor. This arrangement means the blinds work great in front of sliding glass doors, allowing for them to be completely opened and the door to be usable. The shape of the blinds, traditionally in a curve, sometimes in a more advanced S shape, give better glare and privacy control.

As vertical blinds are frequently used in front of larger sliding glass doors it behooves them to be more durable, able to stand up to higher heat and direct sunlight, especially here in Scottsdale!

If you want the benefits of vertical blinds but are looking for something more stylish, there are also fabrics and weaves to make them pop. Easy to maintain, easy to clean, vertical blinds are a great option.

Shutters

After blinds, shutters are probably the next most common window covering solution. There are several different styles and they can be installed both inside and outside of your home. Shutters are easy to operate, and cordless making them a safer option when it comes to pets and children. Here are some of the types of shutters we are experts in here at Budget Blinds of Scottsdale.

Wood Shutters

Like blinds, our wood shutters are made from the highest-grade North American hardwoods harvested from those certified forests, to promote conservation. They can be had in a variety of stains, finishes, and sizes (2 ½”, 3 ½”, and 4 ½”).

Composite Shutters

Like composite blinds, composite shutters are made up of durable materials to resist moisture, pests and insects, and come in similar sizes as their wood family. Composite shutters are specifically designed to stand up to the brutal sun and heat of Scottsdale for many years. Composite shutters are also great at insulating, keeping your energy APS bill lower. How bout that?

Cafe Shutters

Shutters that run half the height of a window are called half-height (naturally), or Cafe style shutters. Now, why might somebody want this you’re asking. Well, by having ‘half’ shutters, you get the full privacy of solid shutters as well as allowing ample light into the room through the top half.

Plantation Shutters

This style of shutters were made popular in the 1800s throughout the southern United States and they are still a beautiful, stylish option. Designed with functional louvers and a range of blade sizes, lighting control, airflow, and privacy. The wood, like all our wooden Budget Blind window coverings, is from responsibly sourced forests.

There are also polymer composite plantation shutters as well, and you guessed it, that means they are resistant to humidity. The shutters also provide great insulation as well as their old school class.

Unlike the competition, our Plantation shutters perfectly mimic the beauty, versatility, and functionality of the original southern Plantation shutter design. Do you have French or sliding glass doors? Then plantation shutters might just be the perfect option for you!

Exterior Shutters

Window coverings are not just for inside the home! Exterior shutters are great for enclosed balconies, outdoor rooms, kitchens, and patios. They produce a stunning amount of shade as well as privacy, and with their easy to use louvers you can adjust them to let in just the right amount of air and sunlight. At Budget Blinds of Scottsdale, our customers can get exterior shutters in a choice of several wood grain types, or given a modern clear-coat, anodized finish.

We will wrap up here for now. There are more window treatments to go over so look for our next blog soon! And remember, this is just a very basic overview of the different types. If you would like to know more about a specific kind, or are ready to get your windows taken care of right away, give us a call! The Linnemeyer Brothers will be right out for your free in-home consultation!