Blinds vs Shutters
When it comes to blinds and shutters, which window treatment is the ideal solution for your Virginia Beach home? Here’s how to find out: compare them!
Blinds are a traditional window treatment that have been covering windows in Virginia Beach for as long as anyone can remember. And shutters are an in-vogue window treatment that has skyrocketed in popularity in the past 20 years. Let’s take a look at how these two window treatment veterans go up against each other when it comes to durability, energy efficiency, cleaning, special window shapes, and home resale value.
Styles
Blinds come in metal, hardwood, faux wood, and vertical styles. With more than 300 colors and textures to select from, blinds let you match your window treatments to your style –right down to the pattern.
Plantation shutters are available in Polywood® and Ovation® wood. We furnish Polywood in three premium white paint colors – and a custom paint color program for tints of beige, yellow, and grey. Ovation wood shutters come in 28 wood stains and 11 paint colors.
Durability
When properly maintained, blinds last an average of 5 years. On the other hand, shutters can last more than 50 years.
Energy Efficiency
When closed, the thin slats on blinds don’t have much effect on blocking airflow and heat from outside. But shutters, with their thick louvers and tailored mounting, seal off the effects of the external weather. In fact, Polywood plantation shutters insulate up to 70% better than comparable traditional wood shutters – and 1600% better than aluminum blinds!
Cleaning
Dusting the thin slats of blinds can be cumbersome – especially with the cords that run through from top to bottom. When plantation shutters are set up with a hidden or rear-mount tilt rod, all you have to do to clean the large louvers is tilt them back with your hand and wipe the louvers, unobstructed.
Special Window Shapes
Traditional blinds can only be mounted on rectangular-shaped windows, not arched, circular, octagonal, or triangular windows. And blinds would only obscure the exquisite window you fell in love with when you purchased the house, anyway. Shutters, however, can be custom-fashioned to fit your windows perfectly, regardless of their shape, letting you have access to the view and control over privacy – while complementing your specialty-shaped windows’ beauty.
Home Resale Value
When your home is evaluated for resale, all the permanent fixtures are examined. Blinds can be moved from one house to another, whereas shutters are custom-designed and become part of your windows and home. Actually, they boost the value of your home not only by being a permanent asset, but also by being an energy-efficient one!
We summed up the differences between blinds and shutters in this table for you. Selecting between the two window treatments depends on your style, your windows, and your budget.
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| Blinds | Shutters |
| Styles | Metal, Hardwood, Faux Wood, Vertical | Polywood and Ovation Wood |
| Durability | Last about 5 years | Last 50+ years |
| Energy Efficiency | Minimum | Maximum |
| Cleaning | Difficult | Easy |
| Special Window Shapes | N/A | Customizable to fit any window shape |
| Home Resale Value | No effect | Increases home resale value |
Between Blinds and Shutters, Which Is the Ideal Solution for You?
It comes down to personal preference. And, when you’ve decided, we’ll be here to explain the process of designing them for your windows. Call us at 757-210-6448 or fill out the form below to schedule your free in-home consultation today!
