How to Choose the Best Blinds for Your Living Room

There’s no set purpose for a living room. In some households, the living room is the true centre of the home while in others, it doubles as a home theatre. It might be a hub of activity or only used to house a Christmas tree during the holidays. Regardless of what you use your living room for, it will still need window blinds.

Blinds are an essential part of any room’s interior design. However, they can also be highly functional. For example, window blinds play a key role in the energy efficiency of your home!

Living rooms are unique in that there really are no rules when it comes to window treatments. Conversely, your kitchen window blinds need to be easy to clean and durable because of the mess often caused by food preparation and cooking. Bathroom blinds must be able to handle large amounts of moisture, and bedroom blinds should be able to effectively block large amounts of light.

However, living rooms have none of these restrictions. They’re not particularly messy or moist, and black-out blinds tend to not be a necessity. So, what should you consider when shopping for blinds for your living room?

In this article, we’ll overview the five crucial factors to keep in mind when looking for new living room blinds.

1. Privacy

Of course, one of the primary functions of blinds is to provide privacy. This is especially important if your windows face an area with high foot traffic, like a sidewalk on a busy street. On the other hand, your windows may be perfectly aligned with your neighbour’s window, which can lead to some awkward eye contact at inopportune moments.

Closing your blinds to prying eyes doesn’t mean living in the dark. Venetian blinds are angled in such a way as to allow light in while blocking wandering eyes. Window Blinds Direct also carries other light-filtering shades that diffuse sunlight while providing privacy.

Determining the amount of privacy you need in a given room will help guide your purchase. After all, if a window faces a patch of trees or an uninhabited area, then privacy likely isn’t your first concern!

2. Insulation

Blinds are useful insulators because they reduce the impact of solar gain and heat transfer. This lessens the load on your HVAC system and, as a result, improves the energy efficiency of your home.

Living rooms that get direct sunlight will experience dramatic temperature fluctuations throughout the day. Consequently, your HVAC will have to work harder to compensate. For this reason, it’s a good idea to choose blinds with significant insulating properties for any windows that receive direct sunlight.

3. Light control

How much light do you need? Do you need to have complete darkness? Different rooms require different levels of light control, which influences your choice of blinds. Furthermore, the functionality of a given room is also hugely important.

Some living rooms are solely used for catching up with friends, while others double as home theatres. The purpose of your living room determines how much light control you need. Should your blinds block the light completely, diffuse light, allow lower levels of light, or let large amounts of light in?

Light control also allows you to better protect your walls, furniture, and decor from sun damage. After all, direct sunlight causes fading and discolouration over time. Consequently, closing the blinds when the sun is most intense will improve the long-term appearance of your living room.

4. Window shape and size

The size and shape of your windows naturally dictates the size of the blinds. Therefore, it’s important to accurately measure your windows before ordering new window treatments. If the blinds don’t fit your windows, they’re of little use to you.

Fortunately, Window Blinds Direct in Mississauga works with you to determine the right window blinds for your home. We offer free in-home estimates to ensure that your new blinds will fit and look fantastic. All windows are measured from the inside and outside mounts, and our designers recommend the best window treatments for you.

Furthermore, we offer a range of carefully crafted custom options to fit your home with perfectly fitting fixtures. Our custom window blinds are designed according to your needs.

5. Material

Obviously, the material of your window blinds affects the style and appearance. Wooden blinds have an undoubtedly different look than roman shades. As a result, you should consider the interior design of your living room when selecting new blinds. Of course, your own personal tastes are equally important!

Clearly, aesthetics and style are significant. However, the durability and lifespan of a given material should also be taken into account.

If you have pets, then you should choose blinds made from a robust and easy-to-clean material. Excited pets can easily damage window treatments, so we do not recommend anything with a cord or made from a low-hanging fabric. Furthermore, pet hair tends to get on everything. It’s best to choose window treatments that can be wiped down easily to keep your home tidy and fur-free.

Shopping for New Living Room Blinds? Contact Window Blinds Direct!

Even if you don’t have to factor in moisture or food splatters, there’s a lot to consider when shopping for new window blinds for your living room. For example, how much light control do you need? Is it important to be able to plunge your living room into total darkness for a movie?

Additionally, privacy and insulation are always important to think about when purchasing new blinds, as is the style and durability of the material.

Of course, it’s also critical that your new window blinds actually fit your windows. Window Blinds Direct offers free in-home consultations in Mississauga to help with this issue. Our custom window blinds are also a great option. Contact us today to learn more about our wide range of window treatments and custom blinds!

To learn more about window blinds in Mississauga, call Window Blinds Direct at 647-360-7026 or contact us here.