blinds better than curtains or drapes?

[Stephen Tashiro]

It's a subjective question whether blinds are better than curtains or drapes, but I'm curious about some aspects of this.

1. Fire resistance
I'd think that blinds would be more fire resistant than curtains or drapes. I don't know there are fire resistance standards for the manufacture of any of those window treatments. Some drapes feel like they have a coating of something on them, but it might just be starch.

2. Insulation value.
I'd think that, when closed, drapes and blinds would offer about the same insulation value. Curtains would come in third. I supose all of them wiould benefit from having a pelmet.

3. Convenience of adjustment
To me, curtains win, hands down. It's much more convenient just to grab a curtain and pull it open or closed that to hunt for the drapery cords or remember which set of cords raise the blinds and which set opens them.

4. Clean-ability
Curtains are easy to wash. Most modern drapes can be washed but they don't look crisp unless you iron them afterward. Blinds are a nuisance to cleen in-place, but the fair comparison woudl be how easily they would be to clean if you took them down and hosed them off. I've never done that.

5. Pet-resistance. Drapes and curtains aren't very resistant to cats who want to get them out of the way to look out the window. I don't care if they are pushed out of the way, but they get holes clawed in them and they collect a lot of cat hair. I haven't tried binds in this context yet.

[Bruce Page]

We replaced all of our windows several years ago with Pella windows that have the mini blinds between the glass. I don’t miss the drapes even a tiny bit.

[David G Baker]

I have blinds on most of my windows along with curtains for cosmetic reasons (as instructed by SWMBO) I like blinds because my eyes are sensitive to excessive light.

[James Baker SD]

we are gradually replacing curtains with vertical blinds. They have less surface parallel to the ground to collect dust, so they stay as clean as curtains. They do have two cords for opening, one that rotates them and another to pull them to the sides, but I never confuse the two cords (one is a loop, the other a pair of lines with knobs). They don't have much insulation value. A west facing window gets very hot in summer and much of the caught heat eventually radiates into the room, but I think curtains would be the same. Only dual pane windows would help there. All in all I like them and will continue the replacement schedule as funds permit.

[Charlie Velasquez]

If the blinds are highly reflective you can adjust them so almost all the sunlight reflects into the room without the glare. On most shades you are restricted to the level opacity manufactured into the shades or the glare from direct sunlight.

[phil harold]

I have cellular blinds by bali
I like the insulating quality for hot sun and cold winter, I have bunch of 4'x6' windows
I also love how you can pull the blind down by hand and have them shade just the bottom, top, or middle
http://www.baliblinds.com/ProductLin...oductLineId=59
bali_cellular_2012a_med.jpg

[Larry Frank]

I am not so certain that I know the difference between curtains and drapes. I think that drapes are usually heavier. We use insulated drapes and I think they are much better in the cold months at keeping the cold out at avoiding drafts coming off of windows or sliding doors.

[Shawn Pixley]

I hate curtains or drapes. We have vertical blinds on some windows. Most windows in our house don't have blinds or curtains. We have a lot of glass in our house but live in a mild climate. Vertical blinds need a lot less dusting.

[Rich Engelhardt]

I like blinds - my wife doesn't.
End of story.....

Epilogue....there ain't a blind in the place...well,,,except for me,,,I'm blind in one eye so I guess we have a half blind..

[Jason Roehl]

Just from experience. Cats may/will chew on blinds.

[Leigh Costello]

We had drape/curtains in our old house. I did not like the maintenance and the dog did not like them at all. When we built our house, we put in lots of windows. I use cellular shades, top down bottom up, colors complement the rooms and no hanging fabric. I love them. I did have to concede to some lacy valance in my daughter's room. Small price to pay to avoid "But, Moooommmm!"

[John Lifer]

In my old home in MS, we had replaced all the windows with horizontal sliding windows. And then put up vertical blinds.
One rod - twist to open/close, grab and pull to move entirely out of the way. I loved them. current home has horizontal blinds, which are old and crap, and drapes. Wife likes them, I hate them. I like to see out!

[Belinda Barfield]

I live in a small space with wonderful views. The girly side of me occasionally feels the need to put some frippery on a rod and place it over the windows. Insulated drapes would be nice in the winter but I don't like feeling like I live in a cave. I have horizontal blinds which I find aren't difficult to clean if I never bother to clean them. I like that I can adjust them to let some light in but still block the harsh sunlight we have here. Drapes would not work with my cats. The cats have never chewed or climbed on the blinds. One cat will climb on me in the wee hours of the morning to get me to raise the blinds so he can listen to/watch the birds wake up.

So, I guess I come down on the blinds side of the discussion. My female friends, I'm sure, wonder when I will "fix the place up" because I get those disapproving looks whenever they come to visit. Ask me how much I care . . . In my perfect world I would live WAY out in the country and there would be nothing covering my windows.

[Mike Cutler]

You can have both in one package. Roman blinds combine the attributes, plus and minus, of both.

[Kevin Bourque]

The previous owner stole all the curtains, but left the hangers and rods. I hang my plants from the rods.