We recently renovated our fairly newly acquired beach holiday house. I decided that I would go with the wooden blinds look this time around, as I’d seen some gorgeous wooden blinds at my friend’s house recently and had been astounded when she told me how little it cost in comparison to what we had paid a couple of years back for new curtains.
The wooden blinds she had chosen looked good, added to the homeyness of her home, and blended in with the overall look she was attempting to create, as opposed to clashing or drawing undue attention to themselves. I was certainly impressed and eager to look into using wooden blinds in our holiday home too.
Hubby wasn’t so keen on the idea. I think he had another look in mind, sort of the ‘balmy, swaying curtains in the window’ vision. But I eventually persuaded him to take a look at some of the blinds I was interested in and before long he too became quite open to going with the wooden blind.
Wooden Vertical Blinds
For the two longer side windows, one at either end of the room, we decided that we’d go with the wooden vertical blinds rather than sticking to all Venetian blinds. We chose blinds that closely matched the same color and grain. Actually, we were very fortunate in our choice of supplier, as the blinds shop also offered custom-made blinds at no extra cost, so we were able to ask for specific wood and stain for our vertical blinds even though they didn’t have any in stock.
We had to wait a week for our custom-made wooden blinds to be ready but it was well worth the wait, especially as it didn’t cost us any extra. Possibly, because we were buying an entire set of blinds, they were very helpful. One thing to note is that if you do order a large number of wooden blinds from the same shop it does give you a bit more bargaining power than if you order a few from one place and the rest from another shop.
Also, we didn’t buy our wooden blinds online. We looked online to get ideas of what we were looking for, but then actually went down to the local blinds shop and talked with the manager. We found that much more practical than trying to order online and not knowing if you were getting the right wooden blinds or not. It’s also much easier to match colors and to make sure you’re getting the color you want when you can actually go in and see firsthand what you are ordering.
Cheap Wooden Blinds
There are many different wooden blinds available on the market these days, as their popularity with homemakers seems to be on the increase. This is partly due to trends in home decor, with a bit of a flip back towards a more earthy, back-to-nature look coming back into fashion.
Another reason for their popularity is that there are also quite a few cheap wooden blinds for sale. Of course, the more heavy hardwood or basswood blinds are generally quite a bit more expensive than some other softer wood blinds, but the cheaper blinds are also quite nicely finished and really look quite good. You can find painted wooden blinds too. They’re great as you can have them painted to match your room, or furniture, no matter what color scheme you have.
If you really want to save money, you can also always invest in faux-wood blinds. They are, in most instances, the cheapest of all yet still have that nice ‘wood’ look and feel to them, even if they are painted.
All in all, we are very happy with our new choice of wooden blinds and are even happier without the little we had to outlay to complete our entire living and dining room section in our little holiday beach house.
If you’re planning on redecorating, or you need to invest in a new window covering I would strongly recommend you check out the wooden blind look, as it really does add a touch of class, elegance, and warmth to your room. It is usually also very easy to match your furniture, with wood, and even if you change your entire furnishings at some later date, chances are that your wooden blinds will still fit in well!
Wooden Venetian Blinds
Furnishing and decorating a new or current home can be a daunting task. Everything needs to match for the perfect look. And what can be especially frustrating is choosing from the many varieties and choices of blinds for your windows. After all, windows are what people are drawn to when checking out your view. But to help make the decision easier, let me make a suggestion – consider purchasing wooden Venetian blinds.
Wooden Venetian blinds are some of the most beautiful blinds you will come across in home improvement stores. They are slatted horizontally and are connected by corded pulleys that pull the slats up and down. When the wooden slats remain closed, they still have traces of space between each slat, allowing some light to come into the room.
Whether open or closed, wooden Venetian blinds are gorgeous accessories for any window. They give homes a contemporary and new look that house guests will constantly admire and compliment you on.
Styles and Wood Types
Wooden Venetian blinds solve the problem of finding a perfect fit to match your home by offering styles that other window blinds don’t have. The blinds come in numerous varieties. You can choose everything from the wood type, finish, and paint color, to the sizes and widths of the slats.
Common wood types are mahogany, walnut, pine, and solid oak. The wood can be left unpainted (with just a finish applied to the wood) or painted according to your preference. The slats of the wooden blinds come in three different widths: 1”, 2”, and 2.5” The last option is often the most popular, but choose according to your preference.
The only drawback to buying wooden Venetian blinds is that they tend to accumulate dust quickly and may require more upkeep than other blind materials. However, wooden Venetian blinds have a drastic advantage over other blinds as wood is much more resilient and durable than plastic and vinyl. This keeps them from creasing and cracking in the way some other blinds do.
Installation
Installation for the blinds you choose is fairly simple. You can certainly hire a professional to install the blinds, but it’s really easy enough to install them yourself. Chances are good that you’ll actually enjoy the work and it will save you some money. In addition, nearly all blinds come with detailed, illustrated instructions, so you won’t have to figure things out for yourself.
Most blind installations work in the same general manner. First, you attach the brackets to the wall or window frame. Next, you fit the blinds into the brackets and close and lock the brackets. Lastly, you install the valance over the blinds, and you’re done. This is a fairly easy process that shouldn’t take more than 5 or 10 minutes. Once it is all done, the only thing left for you to do is test the controls of the blinds to make sure they work properly.
Pricing
Wooden Venetian blinds generally run higher in price than a lot of other window blinds. This is mainly due to the fact that they are by far the most elegant and durable of blinds. And the good news is that with the increasing popularity of Venetian blinds, blind manufacturers are coming up with new varieties that run much lower than they have in the past. The cost of wooden Venetian blinds will vary depending on the size, make, and brand that you choose.
Economy Venetian blinds start from as low as $55 and can run as high as $300+ for the fancier models. It all depends on how expensive you want to get. If you have your heart set on wooden Venetian blinds and want to try and save a little money, I would suggest going for a generic brand of blinds. They are often just as elegant and durable, and will definitely cost less than the big-name Venetian blinds.
Purchasing Your Blinds
If you feel wooden Venetian blinds are the right choice for you and your home, researching your options is the best place to start. Numerous home improvement stores such as Home Depot and Lowe’s carry wooden blinds and the internet is also a wonderful shopping resource.
Just remember, the main key when shopping for your blinds is to shop around and consider all your options before making your final purchase. Wooden Venetian blinds will beautify the windows of your home for years to come, and all of the work, money, and sweat that you put into them will definitely be worth it.
