Whether you live in the Central Coast, it can be tricky to try to get blinds that match the rest of your Santa Barbara home’s interior design, because when it comes to window treatments, the sky’s the limit in terms of choices. Window dressings don’t have to be a chore, however,
Window Treatment Basics – A few facts bout window covering options
First, it’s important to realize that “Blinds” generally refers to a hard treatment constructed from slats or vanes, which are adjusted by a manual pull cord, wand, or even a fancy remote control (for those of you who like to go high-tech).
Blinds are great, because they are incredibly adjustable, effective at blocking light, and come in a wide array of choices to match your aesthetic. What’s more – they do what we all know and love, and that is that they let in some of Santa Barbara’s awesome 300+ days of sunlight per year. Blinds are a great choice for your summer Montecito cabana or Santa Barbara duplex, or any combination in-between. If you’re looking for a window covering option that will allow you to pull them up or aside and leave an unobstructed view of the beautiful landscape that is the Central Californian Coast, blinds are the window covering of choice.
Blind Decisions
When it comes to blinds for your Santa Barbara home, width of the slat will be a big consideration – probably the biggest consideration. Typically, blinds come in 3 configurations: 1/2 inch, 1 inch, and 2 inches. Locally, 2 inch for blinds in composite or wood are the most popular. Wood blinds are extremely popular, but the more budget conscious choice is wood. The second most popular blind choice for not just Santa Barbara and Montecito homes, but the American public at large, is the 1-inch blind. These are cheaper to manufacture and so are slightly less expensive, but add weight to the blind and change the look an feel of a room.
The 2 inch blinds have more of a Venetian blind feel, and are considered more Art-Deco or older styled. 2 inch blinds are a great choice if your interior design style is something a little different.
Vertical blinds make a statement.
Vertical blinds are another choice for large glass windows – sliding or not. They can work very well, but they can also lend an office feel to an environment – something that works well in a modern home like this home offered by Riskin Partners.
Additionally, vertical blinds are great for wide spaces, sliding glass windows, or any place where stacking the blinds off to the side is not an issue.
Woven Blinds
Woven blinds offer a bit of warmth to a room and are great options in conjunction with strongly colored rooms, offering a bit of a neutral contrast to an otherwise striking room.
Screen Shades
A great, modern option for screen shades are solar shades, which are nice because they tend to not block the view. You’ve probably seen these around before but have not noticed.
They tend to look something like this:
They are nice because they block up to 95% of the sun’s UV rays, but you can still see out of them. They are a great option for those of you looking to spice up your office space or anywhere that receives a lot of sun, but has great view of the coastline!
Color Choices
Most people decide to pick a blind with a neutral tone. Why? Because neutral tones help blend in with the surrounding ambiance and don’t call attention to themselves. Put simply, if you think you might ever paint your walls or redecorate your office, I would strongly suggest a neutral window covering.
Having said that, colorful blinds are great for making a statement. If you’re confident in what you like and don’t foresee a change in your future, colorful blinds can strike quite an impression.
Up and Down or Side to Side?
Another key consideration for your blind decision is how the blinds are to fold up. Side to side allows for a more modern feel and lend themselves to a, while up Roman Shades offer amazing styles and a unique, accordion collapsing method that adds a bit of flavor to the usual up-down, side-to-side methods of putting away the blind. Ok, perhaps they aren’t true blinds, but they do make one heck of a statement!
So what is your favorite type of blind? Tell us in the comments!