Posted On: JUN 18, 2014

The window is often the last element to be considered when decorating a room, but it can actually make a big difference to a room's overall style.

Blinds have continued to be a popular alternative to curtains, providing a fashionable and versatile option, maximising living space and allowing homeowners to control the degree of sunlight, shade, heat reflection and privacy in a room. The key to buying the right blind is to identify your specific requirements.

• Is the blind for a bedroom where you require a dark room? For bedrooms look at roller or roman blinds which are available in room darkening fabrics and linings, these have no holes or slats in the blind to let in the light.
• Are you choosing for a humid room, such as a kitchen or bathroom? Avoid natural materials such as linen, silk and wood which can rot, twist or fade in humid conditions. Instead, opt for an aluminium Venetian blinds which don't rust, faux wood blinds or fabric blinds made from manmade materials such as PVC and polyester.
• Is your room overlooked or lets in a lot of bright light? Venetian and vertical blinds are excellent at directing away bright sunlight yet allowing light into the room.
• How do I measure my own blind? Decide whether you want your blinds to fit inside or outside the window recess.  For outside the recess measure the width and drop of the area over the window you want to cover and provide these exact measurements.  For a blind to fit inside the recess take three measurements across the width in millimetres (top, middle and bottom) and three measurements for the drop (left, middle and right) and use the smallest measurement taken for both width and drop.
• Always use a metal tape measure when taking measurements as fabric tapes can stretch and be inaccurate. Take your measurements in millimetres and not inches or centimetres as there is nothing worse than ordering a blind that then does not fit your window!
• Keep your blinds clean and free from dust by vacuuming them regularly with a brush attachment on low suction brushing across the slats for venetian and pleated blinds and down the fabric or slats for vertical and roller blinds.  You can also spot clean any stubborn stains by blotting with a mild detergent solution or alcohol free wipe but never spray cleaner directly onto the fabric.

Original Source: https://www.housebeautiful.com/uk/decorate/windows/news/a286/6-tips-to-choosing-and-caring-for-window-blinds/