What's best: blinds, curtains or shutters?

[Quincy]

Blinds, curtains or shutters?

The choice between blinds, curtains, and shutters is largely a matter of personal preference, as each option has its own advantages and disadvantages. Personally, I have curtains installed as as I find them easy to install, and they were quite cost effective in my case. 

Blinds are a popular option for their versatility and ease of use. They probably offer more precise light control, can be opened and closed quickly, and are available in a variety of materials, including wood, metal, and plastic.

Curtains can offer a soft, elegant look that can add warmth to a room. They come in a wide range of colours, patterns, and materials, and can be used to create privacy and control light.

Shutters provide a classic look and can add a touch of elegance to any room. They offer good light control and privacy, and are available in a variety of materials, including wood, vinyl, and composite. I think that I read somewhere that shutters can also be a good option for those looking to enhance the insulation of their windows, as they can help reduce heat loss in the winter and heat gain in the summer(correct me if I'm wrong!).

In the end, I think that the best option will depend on your specific needs and design preferences! 

What has worked the best for you, and why? Do you also look at the costs and efficiency? 🙂

I look forward to reading your comments! 

Quincy 

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Quincy this reminds me I need to repair the shutters in the en-suite bedroom of our biggest apartment. They are somewhat complex as they were invented in the mid 19th century and work in a similar way to sash windows. The fact they were also abandoned only a few years later suggests they are too complex and difficult to operate.

In answer to your question though curtains are essential and if added to shutters they are a great choice.

[Quincy]

Hi @Mike-And-Jane0! Great to hear that this post reminded you to look into repairing the shutters! I reckon it will be costly repair considering the complexity? 

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Quincy Costly only in time thankfully. They slide up from under the window shelf on ropes linked to cast iron weights. I just can't work out how to access the weights chamber so that I can replace the ropes.

[Quincy]

Oh dear, that sounds like a tricky one to fix @Mike-And-Jane0. I remember that my old home in Edinburgh had a similar system, but without the weights and the sliding feature. It just had a steel cable of some sort to open and close them, but I was sadly experiencing quite few issues with the internals of the wiring system... 

[Fred13]

@Quincy  You mean inside shutters?

[Quincy]

Hiya @Fred13, hope all is well! In this case, I'd say inside shutters, but any tips for natural light control is welcomed! 🙂

[Fred13]

Interesting conversation, it caused me to look up and thus become aware of how many types there are nowadays in all three categories.

Instant light control is most important here in Belize, since the 'summer' temperatures are relatively long (8 months) and once the sun is at a certain angle must be blocked, but allow enough lightning. Choices in cloth (thus curtains) are the widest and attractive (because of local production), perhaps why most here choose curtains.

[Ruth413]

@Quincy  I have all three.  Blinds at the smaller windows in the cottage.  I couldn't hang curtains there as the windows are very low.  Then heavy curtains at the large windows and doorways.

Interestingly I have shutters at some of the windows in our part of the cottage which is really old.  I have never used them because they are deep casement windows and I tend to have too much clutter/plants on the window sills !  I don't even know if they were every used but yes, I should use them in winter as the windows are all single glazed and some have the original glass and they let in a lot of cold air.   Upstairs on the northside the windows are tiny and can't have blinds or curtains, we tend to stuff pillows up against the windows to keep the cold getting in during the really cold spells.   The joys of living in a really old house !

[Quincy]

I think I can totally relate to the old house vibes (having lived in one myself)! In any case, very interesting to hear that you have all three! @Ruth413 

[Huma0]

@Quincy 

My 19th Century house would originally have had solid shutters (my next door neighbours still have these in some rooms) but sadly someone must have removed them at some point. I have curtains in the living room and most of the bedrooms, including regular ones for night time and voiles for privacy during the day in one of the guest room that faces the road. The voiles are great also for keeping out the bugs when you have the windows open in the summer. I prefer full length curtains as I think they look much more elegant. The curtains in the guest bedrooms are silk and in one room had to be made to order due to the high ceilings, but I think it was worth the investment.

However, in another guest room, there are large arched windows, which I felt were such a nice feature of the room that I didn't want to hide them behind curtains. I went for the plantation style shutters here as they are more practical than the solid ones because you don't have to open them fully to let in light, but can adjust them to your needs and still maintain privacy as this room also faces the road and is on the first floor (that's second floor for North Americans) so passers by could easily see into the room if you had curtains opened.

These shutters were made to order and were a big investment for me at the time but, again, I think it was worth it and they did come with a ten year warrantee.The downside is that they take AGES to dust, which is something I do in between each stay. I have a mini extendable microfibre duster for that. 

I have thought about blinds for the kitchen and bathrooms but haven't really found any I like. Blinds can also be a bit fiddly to operate and I am guessing that guests are likely to break them. In the meantime, I have privacy film on the bathrooms windows instead. 

I am also thinking about door curtains for the French doors in the kitchen, but maybe the front door also, to help keep the. heat in during the winter. The Victorians apparently used to hang curtains everywhere, not just on windows, at first to keep areas of the home warm, and then it became a huge interiors trend!

[Ruth413]

@Huma0   I have door curtains on the outer doors of the cottage but also some at the interior doors. We have a hallway that leads from our cottage to the guests cottage which we keep locked, it has two doors at either end.  Strangely the door at our end has two large round holes at the top of it (I haven't a clue why), So we have a heavy full length curtain covering that door.  In the winter I really find the door curtains help with draughts if you are living in a old house.   I also have full length heavy door curtains in the huts, as they really help keeping the cold out.  The Victorians had it right concerning curtains.  

[Huma0]

@Ruth413 

Thanks for the response. Good to know that the door curtains make a big difference. I am definitely going to give them a go!

[Trude0]

@Huma0 Beautiful windows - and I think the plantation style shutters were definitely a good choice for them! 

[Huma0]

@Trude0 

Thank you! 

The previous owner had some cheap blinds on the windows but also heavy curtains with rails. The latter probably helped keep the room warm but it seemed like such a shame to obscure the windows.