Blinds vs Shutters
Between blinds and shutters, which window treatment is the right solution for your Chicago home? We recommend you compare them!
Blinds are a traditional window treatment that have been covering windows in Chicago for as long as sliced bread has been around. And shutters are a contemporary window treatment that has exploded in popularity in the past 20 years. Let’s explore how these two window treatment veterans fare on durability, energy efficiency, cleaning, special window shapes, and home resale value.
Styles
Blinds come in metal, hardwood, faux wood, and vertical styles. With 300+ colors and textures to choose from, blinds give you the chance to match your window treatments to your style –right down to the pattern.
Plantation shutters are available in Polywood® and Ovation® wood. We offer Polywood in three premium white paint colors – and a custom paint color program for hues of beige, yellow, and grey. Ovation wood shutters come in 28 wood stains and 11 paint colors.
Durability
When well kept, blinds last an average of 5 years. While shutters can last more than 50 years.
Energy Efficiency
When closed, the thin slats on blinds can’t block much of the airflow and heat from outside. But shutters, with their thick louvers and custom mounting, seal off the influence of the external temperature. As a matter of fact, Polywood plantation shutters insulate up to 70% better than equivalent traditional wood shutters – and 1600% better than aluminum blinds!
Cleaning
Dusting the thin slats of blinds can be a hassle – 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 hide the elegant window you fell in love with when you bought the house, anyway. Shutters, conversely, can be custom-designed to fit your windows perfectly, regardless of their shape, letting you have access to the view and control over privacy – while enhancing your specialty-shaped windows’ charm.
Home Resale Value
When your home is assessed for resale, all the permanent fixtures are considered. Blinds can be moved from one house to another, but shutters are custom-crafted and become part of your windows and home. In fact, they boost the value of your home not only by being a permanent asset, but also by being an energy-efficient one!
We outlined the differences between blinds and shutters in this table for you. Picking between the two window treatments is based 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 Right Solution for You?
It all depends on you and your taste. And, when you’ve picked one, we’ll be here to walk you through the process of designing them for your windows. Call us at 847-250-6544 or fill out the form below to schedule your free in-home consultation today!
