Blinds vs Shutters: The Conclusive Comparison Between Blinds and Shutters Given the choice between blinds and shutters, which window treatment is the ideal solution for your Philadelphia home? We recommend you compare them! Blinds are a traditional window treatment that have been covering windows in Philadelphia for as long as anyone can remember. And shutters are an in-vogue window treatment that has burst into popularity in the past 20 years. Let’s explore 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 select from, blinds let you 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 shades 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. While shutters can last more than 50 years. Energy Efficiency When closed, the thin slats on blinds don’t have much effect on blocking airflow and heat from outside. But shutters, with their thick louvers and tailored mounting, seal off the influence of the external weather. In fact, Polywood plantation shutters insulate up to 70% better than similar traditional wood shutters – and 1600% better than aluminum blinds! Cleaning Dusting the thin slats of blinds can be challenging – 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 fit rectangular-shaped windows, not arched, circular, octagonal, or triangular windows. And blinds would only hide the exquisite window you fell in love with when you purchased the house, anyway. Shutters, on the other hand, can be custom-fashioned to fit your windows just right, regardless of their shape, letting you have access to the view and control over privacy – while accentuating your specialty-shaped windows’ beauty. Home Resale Value When your home is assessed for resale, all the permanent fixtures are taken into consideration. Blinds can be moved from one house to another, but shutters are custom-installed and become part of your windows and home. Actually, they boost the value of your home not only by being a permanent asset, but also by being an energy-efficient one! We summarized the differences between blinds and shutters in this table for you. Choosing 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 Right Solution for You? Well, that’s up to you to decide. And, when you do, we’ll be here to walk you through the process of designing them for your windows. Call us at 215-874-4897 or fill out the form below to schedule your free in-home consultation today!
