Video: Understanding Blinds, Shades & Shutters

PLEASANTON — John McElroy: Hi. My name is John. I’m the Vice President of Sales and Operations here at Window-ology, and we’ve been serving the local community for almost 30 years. At Window-ology, we carry a full range of window treatments, including blinds, shades, shutters, draperies, and more. Today, we’re going to give you a brief overview of each type of window covering.

First, we’re going to talk about blinds. Blinds are one of the most economical window treatments available. One of the neat things about blinds is that they have the smallest horizontal slat sizes and come in metal, wood, or faux. Slats can be as narrow as a half an inch, to as wide as two and a half inches. You control the tilt and lift by either wand and cord, and the lift by either cord or cordless. Blinds come in two different formats: either horizontal or vertical. The most common application for a vertical blind is over a sliding glass door. Ask your designer about our fabric-wrapped vertical blind for that modern upgrade.

One of the first things you need to know is that shades are not blinds, and one of the main differences is the type of materials that are used. Most shades are fabric, with the option of woven woods. There are several types of shades: roller, Roman, sheer, woven wood, and cellular shades, to name just a few. Cellular are one of the most popular and are also referred to as honeycomb shades. Shade features include great insulation, light filtering, and room-darkening capabilities. They are one of the most popular products that we sell.

Now, let’s talk about shutters. A plantation shutter is actually the formal name for interior shutters. The window treatment comes in two options: real wood and composite. The composite shutter comes exclusively in white, while the real wood options offer different textures, stains, or solid paint and colors. Shutters have the largest slat or louver size, ranging from two and a half inches, and the largest coming in at four and a half inches. Ask your designer, and they’ll be able to make the most relevant recommendations for your home.