At your wits end trying to figure out how to change the look of a room in your house on a budget? Window blinds might just be the solution you are looking for. It is hard to believe how much window blinds can change the character of your room and give your room a new dimension and style.

There are many types of Blinds – vertical, horizontal, wood or mini and they come in many different colors and sizes. Depending on the size of your room and personal preferences any of these can be right for your home.

If your room is not very big, mini blinds might just fit the bill. Mini blinds are made of different materials – vinyl, aluminum, wood, faux wood. Which one you buy will depend on your personal choice. These Vinyl horizontal blinds are best for high-humidity locations such as kitchens or bathrooms. They are easy to clean, resistant to sun bleaching and easy to install. Lightweight vinyl blinds may be the least expensive but the thin slats are fragile and the mechanism can break.

Aluminum mini blinds are also a low-cost option and are durable and easy to maintain. While buying aluminum blinds you need to consider the gauge of the aluminum, with the higher number or the thicker gauges being better and more durable. Slats are available in gauges varying from 6 to 9. Vinyl or aluminum blinds go really well in rooms that have wrought iron furniture though they go just as well with any style of furniture.

If you have wooden furniture in your room then wood blinds are a good choice. Though Wood mini blinds are available often these blinds are vertical and are best suited for stable and humidity-controlled environments. They can be used on any window but are most often used on large or picture windows and doors such as a patio door. Proper care will make your wood blinds last for a long time. Wood blinds come in both solid colors (painted) and natural wood tones. If you want a different color than what is available the slats can be painted. Natural wood blinds come in different woods, oak, maple or cherry chosen to suit your room’s wall colors or furniture style. However, wood blinds are among the most expensive.

Faux wood blinds can be either horizontal or vertical and are an option if you don’t want to invest in the more expensive wood blinds. These wood look-alikes are made of a combination of wood and vinyl and thus have the dual advantage of being less expensive and resisting moisture. These types of blinds are easy to clean and do not fade or crack.

An important thing to consider while buying window blinds is the slat width. The slat width may vary from ½ inch micro to 1” mini to 2-½ inch macro. Another added thing you can do for your convenience is add remote-control to your mini blinds which can make them simple easy-to-use especially if they are installed on skylights or on windows that are inconvenient to access.

Window blinds, no matter which model, are all fairly easy to install. Most have easy instructions with them on how to do that for the particular make and model you purchase. There is nothing more refreshing than giving a room or rooms in your home a fresh new look. So for your next remodel try using blinds on your windows and have that new look you were wanting.

Posted by Dave McIntosh on Saturday, May 2nd, 2009 at 1:41 am.