The Benefits of Blinds
functional door shades
Courtesy of Smith & Noble
functional door blinds
Courtesy Smith & Noble
Honeycomb drop-down shades
Courtesy of Hunter Douglas
single-, double- and triple-honeycomb shades
Wooden blinds
Courtesy of Smith & Noble
Window Shading
Courtesy Smith & Noble
wooden blinds
Narrow louver wooden blinds
Courtesy of Hunter Douglas
roller shades in kitchen bay window
Courtesy of Smith & Noble
Vertical Blinds
Courtesy of Smith & Noble
shutters as bifold doors
Courtesy of Pinecrest
Plantation shutters
Courtesy of Smith & Noble
shutters with louver width comparison
measuring the window for blinds
Photo by Geoffrey Gross
measuring the window for blinds
Photo by Geoffrey Gross
blinds

Functional as well as decorative, shades, blinds and shutters can be used on doors as well as windows to direct, filter or block out light.

Honeycomb shades in drop-down installation

Cross-sections of single-, double- and triple-honeycomb shades show the structure of their insulating channels.

Horizontal blinds in wood

Window Shading

Select the louver size not only in relation to the dimensions of the window but also in relation to the view.

The wide slats of some window shadings (left) don't obscure the outdoors as much as narrower ones (above) do

Roller Shades

Vertical Blinds

Shutters as Bifold Doors

Plantation Shutters

This side-by-side comparison of vane widths shows how much light and air different shutters let into a room.

Outside mount:
Measure the height and width of the window, adding enough to overlap the casing and sill (if your window doesn't have a sill, the blind must still extend past the bottom of the window to avoid light leaks).

Inside mount:
Measure the window's width at three points, then take the narrowest dimension and round down 1/8 in. You also need to measure the height of the window.

Browse Doors & Windows Galleries:
Advertisement

On Newsstands Now

In the Magazine
November 2008 - 19 Before & Afters
home improvement inspired christmas tree ornaments remodel of historic florida home kitchen remodeled to match craftsman home swiss army knife art tile fireplace surround library built during carriage house remodel
Advertisement

On their own, windows are really just holes in the walls. But add a window covering like shades, blinds or shutters and you suddenly have privacy, control over the amount of sunlight that fills the area and a better-looking room. Whether you're picking window coverings for one window or for an entire house, you'll need to consider window shape and size, how you use the room and the amount of sunlight you want to let in and keep out.

Sign Up for Our Free Newsletters

Comments

Post a Comment