Main differences between curtains and blinds

Published: 7 November, 2022

Curtains and blinds are currently the two most popular options for dressing the windows of our home. Both curtains and blinds offer us very particular benefits.

Blinds and curtains are very different from each other. However, they can be used together or separately, and they look great.

What are blinds

Blinds are one-piece curtains that move vertically. Strictly speaking, they fulfil a similar function to curtains. However, they are very different from each other.

They can be mounted on the ceiling, on the walls or directly on the windows. The special feature of blinds is that they are usually the size of the window. And they move vertically.

Types of blinds

There are different types of blinds. We can differentiate them by their fabric, their mechanism and even the benefits they offer.

But in general, blinds are divided into two main groups:

Pachet blinds and Folding blinds. In this type of blinds, the same fabric as the curtains is used. They can be found with three types of mechanisms for raising and lowering them: cord, chain or concealed. In this type of blind, the rails and fabric are sold separately. Although it is possible to buy them completely ready to install.
Roller blinds. Roller blinds have become the most fashionable in recent years. This is because their mechanism is cylindrical, which makes it easier and more aesthetic to roll them up. Roller blinds are available in three types of fabrics. The opaque ones are totally useful to prevent the entry of light; the translucent ones allow a greater entry of light and the screen ones allow us to regulate the entry of light that we want at any given time. Thanks to these characteristics, they are the most widely used at present.

Tips for choosing blinds

Due to the great variety of available blinds, it is necessary to take into account some tips. This way, you will be able to choose the most appropriate blinds for your home. We will give you 4 tips in the form of a question:

What privacy, visibility and lighting do you want? The type of blind you choose depends on how much privacy, visibility and lighting you want. Translucent blinds allow more light, so they have less privacy. Opaque blinds do not allow any lighting, but their privacy is total. On the other hand, screen windows allow good lighting, but offer good visibility from the outside.
What is the size of the windows? Blinds come in different sizes. You can fit a blind that is the same size as the window. You can also opt for two pieces for large windows.
Do you want easy maintenance? Some fabrics are more difficult to maintain than others. Especially if you choose a fabric similar to that of the curtains. Roller blinds are easier to clean because they are made of PVC.
What is your budget? Roller blinds are the cheapest on the market. However, there are fabrics, such as linen, that are more expensive. So it all depends on the price you are willing to pay.

What are curtains

Curtains are a fabric that hangs horizontally from doors and windows. Their purpose is to insulate or filter outside light. Blinds are usually hung on the wall or ceiling around windows or doors. Although there are exceptions.

Thanks to the emergence of blinds, the use of curtains has greatly decreased. Mainly because the maintenance and price of blinds is better.

Types of curtains

As with blinds, there are many types of curtains. But they can be divided into two main groups. There are two types of curtains:

  • Traditional curtains. Traditional curtains offer a wide variety of rails that define the way the curtain opens or closes, as well as its appearance. The fabric of this type of curtains must be cleaned regularly to remove dust and dirt. Traditional curtains are characterised by the fact that they are vertical.
  • Vertical blinds. Vertical blinds are a more modern version of curtains. They are very similar to roller blinds because they use the same type of fabric. However, they are also curtains because their fabric moves horizontally. Another peculiarity of this type of curtains is not only the fabric, but also the fact that they can rotate on themselves to control the type of light.

Tips for choosing curtains

As in the previous case, we will give you four tips in the form of a question to know what type of curtains you should choose:

  • What type of track would you like? Curtains can come in track type or rod type. Track curtains are more elegant and are usually moved with a cord. Rod curtains can be opened by yourself or tied back with a ribbon to let in light. Each offers a different style. Rails are easier to open. But the rails can sometimes be problematic, so be careful when using them. The bar ones don’t have that problem, but they don’t allow the same ease of opening as the track ones.
  • What material do you want for the curtain fabric? Linen and other traditional fabrics are quite delicate to clean. So you have to do it very carefully.
  • How much space do you have available? Curtains are usually used for large windows. Although you can find them in smaller versions for smaller windows.
  • What budget do you have? The track, the quality of the fabric or the type of rod can vary the price. So it all depends on your budget.

Can curtains and blinds be used together?

Of course they can. In fact, many homes are decorated with blinds and curtains. They are a perfect pair that give an excellent design to your home. In addition, they offer many facilities on a practical level. There are at least two advantages of combining curtains and blinds:

Double functionality

By combining both curtains and blinds you can have the benefits that each offers. For example, you can combine a screen blind with a blackout curtain. In this way, you can have an excellent entry of light during the day, but total privacy at night.

A good combination of functionality and decoration.

By combining the two, you don’t have to choose between functionality and decoration. You could easily use one for aesthetic purposes, while the other for functional purposes.

For example, let’s say you have a small space. In that case, you probably have to use a blind. But if you are a fan of curtains, you can use a curtain for aesthetic purposes only.

Moreover, using curtains and blinds together allows us to play with a lot of decorations, combinations and styles.

Which is better, a curtain or a blind?

Neither is really better than the other. It all depends on what each person likes. And it also depends on the size of the windows and the space you have available to place them. In the end, each one offers its own particular advantages.

So, choose the one you like best.

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