Blinds vs Shutters: The Ultimate Comparison Between Blinds and Shutters Between blinds and shutters, which window treatment is the right solution for your Phoenix home? There’s only one way to find out: compare them! Blinds are a traditional window treatment that have been covering windows in Phoenix for as long as memory serves. And shutters are an in-vogue window treatment that has exploded in popularity in the past 20 years. Let’s discover how these two window treatment veterans perform on durability, energy efficiency, cleaning, special window shapes, and home resale value. Styles Blinds are available in metal, hardwood, faux wood, and vertical styles. With over 300 colors and textures to pick from, blinds allow you to match your window treatments to your style –right down to the pattern. Plantation shutters are available in Polywood® and Ovation® wood. We supply Polywood in three premium white paint colors – and a custom paint color program for hues of beige, yellow, and grey. Ovation wood shutters come in 28 wood stains and 11 paint colors. Durability When attended to, blinds last an average of 5 years. On the other hand, shutters can last more than 50 years. Energy Efficiency When closed, the thin slats on blinds do little to block airflow and heat from outside. But shutters, with their thick louvers and custom mounting, seal off the effects of the external temperature. Actually, Polywood plantation shutters insulate up to 70% better than comparable traditional wood shutters – and 1600% better than aluminum blinds! Cleaning Dusting the thin slats of blinds can be a hassle – especially with the cords that run through from top to bottom. When plantation shutters are set up with a hidden or rear-mount tilt rod, all you have to do to clean the large louvers is tilt them back with your hand and wipe the louvers, unhindered. Special Window Shapes Traditional blinds can only cover rectangular-shaped windows, not arched, circular, octagonal, or triangular windows. And blinds would only hide the charming window you fell in love with when you moved into the house, anyway. Shutters, however, can be custom-built to fit your windows perfectly, regardless of their shape, giving you access to the view and control over privacy – while accentuating your specialty-shaped windows’ charm. Home Resale Value When your home is estimated for resale, all the permanent fixtures are examined. Blinds can be moved from one house to another, however shutters are custom-crafted and become part of your windows and home. In fact, they boost the value of your home not only by being a permanent asset, but also by being an energy-efficient one! We recapped the differences between blinds and shutters in this table for you. Selecting between the two window treatments is based on your style, your windows, and your budget. Blinds Shutters Styles Metal, Hardwood, Faux Wood, Vertical Polywood and Ovation Wood Durability Last about 5 years Last 50+ years Energy Efficiency Minimum Maximum Cleaning Difficult Easy Special Window Shapes N/A Customizable to fit any window shape Home Resale Value No effect Increases home resale value Between Blinds and Shutters, Which Is the Ideal Solution for You? It comes down to personal preference. And, when you’ve decided, we’ll be here to guide you through the process of designing them for your windows. Call us at 480-485-7743 or fill out the form below to schedule your free in-home consultation today!
