Great window treatments aren&#;t just decorative&#;they add function and form to a space. &#;Window treatments are a key component of room design in terms of style, color, and texture, and they also control the amount of light that enters a space,&#; Nicole Torossian, principal designer of Nicole Michael Designs, says. &#;Without window treatments, a room will never feel truly finished.&#;

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The only problem? There are many different kinds of window treatments. So before you can consider things like color and pattern, you have to answer some basic questions&#;like, are blinds or curtains better for my home?

Meet the Expert

• Nicole Torossian is the principal designer of Nicole Michael Designs, a luxury interior design firm based in California.
• Sarah Cole is the principal designer of Sarah Cole Interiors, an interior design firm based in Massachusetts. 

To help you solve this aesthetic mystery, we turned to two interior designers. They walked us through the blinds versus curtains debate, sharing the pros and cons of each window treatment style. They also offer some advice on how to choose the right window treatments for your space. 

What Is the Difference Between Blinds and Curtains?

It&#;s pretty easy to tell the difference between blinds and curtains. &#;Curtains are hanging fabric,&#; Sarah Cole, principal designer of Sarah Cole Interiors, says. &#;Blinds are slats that hang inside the casing of the window [and] that can be tilted to let in or keep out light.&#; 

So blinds are lined with slats made of hard materials&#;typically, wood or plastic. And since they're hung inside window casings, blinds often cover the exact length and width of a window. Curtains, on the other hand, are made of fabric panels. And since they're hung over windows, they can be longer (or in some cases, shorter) than the window they're covering.

What Are Blinds?

Blinds are a type of window treatment that&#;s lined with slats (more formally called louvers). To block out light, you can close your blinds by tilting these slats all the way up or down. To let in light, you can open your blinds by straightening the slats. You can also let in light by raising your blinds&#;pulling them up until they no longer cover your window.

Note: Blinds aren&#;t quite the same thing as shades. Like blinds, shades live inside window casings. But unlike blinds, shades aren&#;t slatted. This makes shades a great middle ground between blinds and curtains. Want the style of curtains, but the size and shape of blinds? Try shades.

When to Choose Blinds Over Curtains

Blinds are great when you want control over light or privacy&#;and don&#;t need to make a decorative statement. &#;Blinds don&#;t contribute much to a room aesthetically,&#; Cole says. 

Because of this, blinds are popular in functional spaces, like bathrooms and laundry rooms. And they&#;re a great pick when you don&#;t want to distract from the rest of your space. &#;If you have a jetliner view in a home, blinds provide a way to control light without visually distracting from the main event,&#; Torossian says. 

Since blinds tend to be cheaper than curtains, they&#;re also ideal for the budget-conscious shopper. And they&#;re great when curtains just aren&#;t right for a window. Got a window right above a radiator, bathtub, or kitchen sink? Pick blinds over curtains. 

&#;When decorating kitchens, bathrooms, home theaters, and laundry rooms, my go-to window treatment is always [blinds or] a shade,&#; Torossian says. &#;They can be automated to open and close remotely, which makes them a truly great option for hard-to-reach windows.&#;

What Are Curtains?

Curtains are strips of fabric that hang over your windows. You can mount your curtains right above your window, just below your ceiling, or somewhere in between. And you can hang a single curtain on one side of your window&#;or flank your window with a pair.

To keep light out, close your curtain by extending it until it completely covers your window. To let light in, open your curtain by bunching it up on one side of your window.

When to Choose Curtains Over Blinds

According to our experts, you should choose curtains over blinds most of the time. &#;Curtains balance the room by adding height and drawing your eye up,&#; Cole says. &#;They're an opportunity to add mood to a room&#;through color, print, and texture. [And] contrary to popular belief, the right [curtains] make rooms look bigger because they create a cohesive backdrop for furnishings.&#;

If you&#;re trying to make an aesthetic statement with your window treatments, curtains are a must. They&#;re also great for light control and sound absorption. And they&#;re ideal for windows and doors that you want to open with ease. 

&#;Curtains are my first choice when dressing large windows or doors, as they stack to the sides, making egress easy,&#; Torossian says.

When to Choose Curtains and Blinds

Still can&#;t choose between curtains and blinds? Pick both. Blinds and curtains aren&#;t mutually exclusive. And pairing the two is a great way to make a surprising statement in your space&#;while giving yourself plenty of control over ambiance and lighting.

&#;Drapes and [blinds] together give you the ability to dramatically control the amount of light that comes into a space,&#; Torossian says. &#;The two paired together also create a beautifully layered look.&#;

And Cole especially recommends this approach for renters. &#;If you live in a rental with blinds already there, hang floor-to-ceiling curtains,&#; she says. &#;[This] is a great way to &#; frame the space and add your own personality.&#;

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7 Signs It&#;s Time to Replace Your Window Treatments

By: Natalie Elmhurst

Updated: 5/22/

Everything you need to know about how long blinds last and &#; the easiest way to replace them.

When was the last time you replaced your home&#;s window treatments? Have you ever?

If you&#;ve got a nagging sense you should check into window treatments, it&#;s likely because your window treatments aren&#;t up to snuff.

But how do you know for sure it&#;s time to update your blinds? Should you wait until it&#;s truly necessary? Perhaps it&#;s not something you want to focus on right now, but how do you know when it&#;s the right time?

If your window treatments are experiencing any one (or more!) of these situations, it&#;s time for an upgrade.

1. Your blinds or shades aren&#;t working.

Your window treatments are there for a reason. They add comfort, style, and functionality to your windows, and your home. If for any reason, they&#;re no longer up to the task, it&#;s time to look at your options. And if those budget blinds are snagging, or unable to open and close properly, it&#;s time to consider updating your blinds with custom window treatments, which exceed those online budget options in both quality and durability.

2. Your window treatments are damaged or faded.

Warping and bending are common signs of aging window blinds. If they&#;re experiencing damage that impacts their functionality and appearance, it&#;s definitely time to replace your blinds.

The same goes for any window treatment &#; if your window treatments are looking tired and discolored, there&#;s no better time to replace them. You&#;ll enjoy an instant home makeover, and you&#;ll feel better with a home that reflects a welcoming, beautiful atmosphere.

3. It&#;s no longer the right style or color.

Do you remember when you picked out the window treatment you currently have in your home? If it&#;s been a few years, it&#;s highly likely your window treatments are no longer in style. Or maybe you&#;ve done some room makeovers with updated colors, and the color on your window treatments no longer match your palette. Stoneside offers custom window treatments in over 300 colors and finishes, so you&#;re sure to find the perfect pairing for your space.

Want to stay above the trends and invest in something that can stand the test of time? Our design experts can help you find a timeless option that&#;s sure to blend well with future color trends.

Do you feel like your home needs a refresh? Updates can be overwhelming. You wonder what you should focus on and where should you even start? You want your home to feel new and updated, not tired and lackluster. But a whole-home update is a lot. For anyone.

The good news is, there&#;s a solution. By updating your window treatments, you can touch every space with just one project. Ditch your budget blinds for window treatments with better style and functionality that instantly updates your space. (This also has the bonus of increasing your home value!)

And unlike a DIY project or renovation, you don&#;t have to lift a finger. Our team will take care of you from the initial order to the final installation.

Replacing your blinds or shades in your home is a simple touch-up with maximum results.

5. Your home is going through a major change.

Are you rethinking the function of the rooms in your home?

• These days, many of us find ourselves in need of a home office. Is that spare room changing from a guest room into a home office?
• Or maybe it&#;s the opposite, and you&#;re ready to turn that makeshift office back into a hotel-worthy guest room.
• Are you expecting new little ones living &#; or visiting! &#; your home? If so, you could be making a new nursery or playroom.

If any of these sound familiar &#; or you&#;ve got another space that&#;s evolving &#; it&#;s time to replace your blinds. Matching your window treatments to function in the space they&#;re in is the finishing touch to a home remodel.

If your home &#; or even just one room &#; is being redesignated, new window treatments are a must.

That&#;s because all window treatments are utilized differently. A home office needs window treatments that will be best for minimizing glare, while in a guest room you will prioritize providing privacy. Cordless blinds and shades are a great option for children&#;s spaces, as safety is a major concern when it comes to window treatments.

From solar shades to custom draperies to blackout cellular shades &#; each one serves a different function for a different purpose. If your home is changing, it&#;s a great time to consider replacing your blinds and shades. Connect with our design experts to see which product is best for your new space.

6. The ones you have now are inconvenient.

Do you have to get on a step stool to reach your window treatment? Does your blind&#;s cord fall in the kitchen sink from the window above? Does your living room have oversized windows where your window treatments are difficult to maneuver?

Guess what? It&#;s time to replace those blinds and shades! If your window treatments are forcing you to climb awkwardly between your sofa and the side table, you&#;re probably not using your window treatments effectively. Look into motorized window treatments to discover how to upgrade to window treatments that are more help than hassle.

7. It&#;s been a long time.

Do you remember the last time you replaced your blinds? Do you remember picking out those budget shades? Even if your window treatments still technically work, but you&#;re starting to count their years on both hands, it&#;s time for an upgrade.

Window treatments need to be replaced every few years, especially if you&#;ve purchased budget blinds in the past. Budget blinds are often mass-produced, and their quality depletes quickly over time.

Custom blinds give you a higher quality window treatment. This time, when you get your blind replacement, they&#;ll last even longer.

So what&#;s the average lifespan of blinds?

Blinds, like shades, need to be replaced every few years. Often, you&#;ll see signs of wear and tear on your window treatments that are a good indication they need to be replaced. We recommend replacing them every 6-8 years to ensure proper safety and ease of use.

What kind of replacement blinds should I choose?

Once you&#;ve decided the time is right to replace your blinds, get started by reflecting on how you live. Think about how your home functions, and what you need from your window treatments.

• Do you have bright morning or afternoon sun?
• Do you have close neighbors and privacy is a strong motivator?
• Perhaps you need replacement vertical blinds for your sliding glass patio doors.

Consider your needs for different windows, and determine which functions you would get from your perfect blind or shade. How you&#;d like your blinds to function will give our design team enough insight to provide you with the best options for your home. We&#;ll help you find the style you love with the function you need.

Blinds come in many different styles. At Stoneside, we have corded and cordless blinds, as well as motorized blinds for optimum convenience. As far as styles of blinds are concerned, we offer:

• Wood
• Faux Wood
• Composite Wood
• Vertical Blinds

With these options available, you&#;ll achieve the function and style you want while upgrading your home&#;s value.

Increase Your Home&#;s Value With One Simple Move

Maintaining your home&#;s value is a must for most homeowners. But is that enough? Our suggestion is to increase your home&#;s value by replacing your existing window treatment.

Discolored, ill-fitting blinds leave the impression that your home isn&#;t worth investing in. And might signal deferred maintenance to prospective buyers. Replace and update your blinds to give a boost to your home value, and transform your space into a functional and stylish home.

How do I replace my blinds?

After you&#;ve determined your top needs for your home, you&#;re ready for the next step in the process: purchasing your new replacement blinds. For this, you can choose between a budget blind option or custom window treatments.

Purchasing blinds from a budget option for self-installation may be an economical option, but it leaves you in a vulnerable position. You&#;ll have to measure your windows, purchase the blinds sight-unseen &#; without knowing for sure they&#;re the perfect ones &#; and then you&#;ll have to do the installation yourself.

Seem a little intimidating? It is!

With mass-produced blinds, you&#;re pushed into choosing from standard sizing and styling options. This could mean replacing your already &#;need to be replaced&#; blinds with blinds that don&#;t fit snugly in and on your windows, in a style that doesn&#;t feel quite right for your home. (A common issue with budget blinds is pooling at the bottom from blinds that are too long for the windows.)

After purchasing your replacement blinds, you&#;re expected to install them yourself without having years of experience doing so.

It may seem like a simple idea in theory, but self-installation can lead to misplaced blinds, lopsided fittings, and loose window treatments. This will negatively impact your home&#;s design, the functionality of your window treatments, and even the safety of your blinds.

Custom Blinds: The Window Treatment You Can Trust

You deserve a home that&#;s built around your vision. Window treatments that don&#;t fit right, don&#;t match your home&#;s style, and won&#;t give you the value you&#;re looking for shouldn&#;t be in your home.

Custom blinds are crafted for your windows. Specifically measured, with every detail designed to your desires. It&#;s like getting a custom-tailored suit for your windows. Your blinds will never be too large or look out of place.

If you&#;re looking for replacement blinds, choose the blinds that will give you the best value, the highest quality, and the longevity to match.

Embrace the opportunity to replace your current blinds with custom blinds. The best part? You won&#;t have to worry about a thing.

Replace Your Blinds Easily With Custom Blinds From Stoneside&#;s Design Team

Get rid of those installation instructions from a budget blind store, and rely instead on our Design Team. In your free design consultation, we&#;ll discuss which blinds are best for your blind replacement. No more settling for blinds that fit &#;okay.&#;

Choose a blind that fits and functions flawlessly.

Unlike DIY budget replacement blinds, you&#;ll have a hands-free experience from start to finish. No need to feel stressed or pressured to get them installed just right. You won&#;t even have to measure! We come to you, so all you have to do is choose the style and color that you&#;ve been dreaming about.

Not sure where to start or exactly what you&#;re looking for? Our experts can help there, too. We&#;ll explain each style and function so you can select the right window treatments with confidence.

Use this opportunity to replace your blinds with custom blinds that elevate your home. Reach out to our design team and we&#;ll help you transform your space for function, style, and value.