Blinds and Curtains Compared

Blinds perform many of the functions that curtains have always traditionally performed, plus they provide some extra benefits. One of the main differences between blinds and curtains in the most basic sense is that blinds work by either covering the window vertically from the top down, or they use a series of rotating slats. Curtains simply pull horizontally across to cover the window. Both blinds and curtains attach to the wall or window frame at the top. Curtains use a rail or pole whereas blinds generally use brackets. Curtains obviously consist of 2 large areas of material / fabric whereas blinds generally consist of just 1 (e.g. roller blinds or roman blinds) or many individual slats e.g. horizontal blinds and vertical blinds.

Both blinds and curtains can be operated by draws or drawstrings. Many curtains however are simply pulled manually. This is generally not as convenient as many of the blind draws or wand controls which operate some blinds.

Curtains and blinds are both available in a wide range of colours and patterns, although blind slats e.g. for vertical blinds are available in a number of different finishes. Basic cleaning and maintenance of blinds tends to much easier than that of curtains. For example, to fully clean curtains they first need to be taken down i.e. separated from all the curtain hooks. They may then need to be either machine washed, steam cleaned or dry cleaned. Blinds on the other hand are frequently made of materials and finishes that can be wiped and cleaned without the need for large amounts of water or any kind of major washing activity. Vertical blind slats for example can be individually removed and cleaned, or even replaced if necessary. This means that a brand new vertical blind slat of the same colour and finish as the others in the blinds can be easily and cheaply purchased. Where curtains are concerned this kind of maintenance or replacement can’t happen as easily.

With curtains, when they are half closed this completely obscures half of the window space thus making the room much darker. With vertical blinds however, when they are half closed light can still enter the room between the slats thus making the room much lighter inside while still retaining the privacy of the room, and the ability to see clearly out.