Real wooden blinds or faux wooden blinds, that seems to be what many people are asking these days. In this economic downturn, people are going back to the tried and true classic design styles. Let’s face it; you just can’t go wrong with wood.

Still, you have to answer the question whether to buy real wood or faux wood blinds and that can be difficult if you do not know the differences.

Water Issues
The biggest difference between real wooden blinds and faux wooden blinds is the way they handle water. When it comes to water and humidity, real wood just does not cut it. Unfortunately, if you live in a humid place or if you want to hang the blinds in the bathroom or laundry room, then you won’t want to use real wood.

However, faux wood is perfect for those situations. They will not bend, crack or warp due to high humidity levels. The PVC or vinyl material allows them to stand up to the harsh conditions.

Since faux wood looks like real wood, you can easily put real wood in the rest of the house and put the faux wood in these high humidity areas. No one will ever know that they are different.

Weight Issues
The other major difference is the weight. Although weight is rarely a factor for blinds, it can make a difference when covering a large area like a sliding glass door or a bay window.

Faux wood is heavier than real wood. Thus, it is not recommended for covering such large areas. It requires more ladders for support, which makes it look a little odd. Additionally, the weight makes it harder to install and harder to maneuver. Ideally, you would want to put real wood in for large areas.

Since real wood is much lighter, they install easier and are easier to handle. This makes them a very popular choice for vertical blinds. Not to mention, the wood blinds are more likely to stand up to the harsh treatment that generally goes along with vertical blinds.

Price Issues
Often times, people choose blinds solely on the price. If you are looking for the cheapest blinds, then you would want aluminum blinds. However, while aluminum is cheaper, you have to be more careful with them. They can crease and break if handled improperly, which is why people prefer faux wood blinds.

Faux wood blinds are very hardy and can stand up to rough treatment. They are considerably cheaper than real wood making them a great option. In addition to their low price, you can purchase faux wood in a variety of styles and colors. Plus, they will stay that color for years to come.

Now that you are familiar with the differences, you can make an informed decision on the proper window treatment for your home. After all, the only wise decision is the informed decision.

Are you bored with the appearance of the interior of your house? One of the easiest ways in which you can completely transform the look of your home is by installing blinds. There are several varieties of these and this article discusses why people opt for wooden blinds.

The first advantage of this form of interior décor is that they bring a unique look to almost any part of your house. The effect that these create is such that they can be used in home offices, dens, or even the rooms that are set aside for the kids. These are preferred by people because they bring the earthy touch to the rooms in which they are installed. The charm that they bring is unmatched. In fact these are actually better than curtains or shutters. If you want the warm and natural look, few interior décor items can beat wooden blinds. Furthermore, they also improve the look of the house from outside.

Another advantage of wooden blinds is that they keep the rooms from getting too hot during summers. In autumn and winter, they provide the much needed insulation. Thus your electricity bills for cooling and heating your rooms will be lower after you install these blinds.

Several varieties of wooden blinds are available. Usually Ramin wood and bass wood varieties are preferred by people.

* The first variety is more affordable than the second one. They are often used by interior decorators to conceal metal rails.

* The second variety is somewhat more expensive. But it is sturdier. Moreover, it is easy to get the antique look with this type because it can be stained quite well. The characteristic grain of these also makes it popular.

You must remember to check the size of the slats when you purchase wooden blinds. The single inch slat ones are appropriate for smaller windows or French windows. The two inch ones can be fitted into almost all types of windows and offer maximum view space if they are fully opened.

If you wish you may customize your wooden blinds and add features like motorization, anti-static control, fabric tapes, UV control, and light blocking.

Some people hesitate to buy wooden blinds because they feel that these are invariably very expensive. However, you will get good bargains on wooden blinds if you buy interior décor items from good online dealers like Onlineblindsukltd.com.

Wooden venetian blinds are traditionally a firm favourite in the window furnishing department. Wood blinds are both easy to operate and they are a fairly low maintenance blind, however this type of blind gains a whole lot of disadvantages when you compare it to the new style aluminium imitation wooden venetian blinds. This type of blind has many plus points over its predecessor due to the aluminium material used in the manufacturing process.

Advantages

Wood tone venetian blinds are a lot lighter in weight than the basswood blinds therefore make installing this type of window covering much easier. The aluminum will not bow in the light than shines from the sun whereas an old style real wood blind would eventually strain over time.

Maintenance of your blind

Maintaining that out of the box look is a must for many homeowners, this is very easily achieved with the new style blinds as they are very easy to keep clean and tidy. The wide slat wood blind is very heavy and they have a bad habit of being a great dust collector, resulting in a lot of unnecessary cleaning duties around your window area.

Is there a good choice of shades to choose from?

Surprisingly there is actually a much larger choice of wood effect venetian blinds than real wood as the aluminium can be coated in as many colours as you can think of. You can choose from over 10 different shades and you can even request samples for you to compare in the comfort of your own home.

Eventually, everyone is put in the position of choosing a window treatment. No matter what look you are considering, whether it is mini blinds, wooden blinds, or roman shades you will have plenty of options. The key is choosing blinds that will last for years.

Types of Window Treatments
There are three basic types of window treatments. They include aluminum mini blinds, wooden blinds, and shades. Each has its own benefit and place in the home. Therefore, you need to know your window needs and which blinds will best match those needs.

•    Aluminum Mini Blinds -
o    Aluminum mini blinds are the least expensive blinds available.
o    You can get them in a wide range of colors making them easy to match.
o    However, they are also the most likely to bend, crease and break.
o    They work best in offices, RVs, and low traffic rooms.
o    They do not work well in apartments.
•    Wooden Blinds -
o    Wooden blinds come in both real wood and faux wood varieties.
o    They too have a wide range of colors and stains making them easy to match.
o    Wooden blinds are the most durable blinds and are not prone to bending or breaking.
o    Faux wood blinds are a great accent anywhere except for covering very large windows and doors. The large size makes them too heavy to be practical.
o    Real wood blinds work well in all areas except for bathrooms and laundry rooms. The humidity and water can cause real wood to warp. However, they are lightweight making them perfect for large windows and doors.
•    Shades -
o    Roman shades are very elegant. Change the fabric and texture to create a unique design.
o    Solar shades work well for filtering light. With different levels of light filtering solar shades, you can custom design the amount of light you let in the room.
o    Energy efficient shades allow you to insulate the house and lower your energy bill.
o    Room darkening and blackout shades make for excellent sleeping and home theater areas.

Combing Window Treatments

If you like the look of wooden shades, yet you want the light control offered by shades, then combining the two is your answer. Since you can get them with separate controls, you can leave the shade down to block out UV light and still maintain the view.

Choosing the appropriate window treatment doesn’t have to be hard. All it takes is a little knowledge of the strengths of each blind. Whether you choose mini blinds, wooden blinds, or shades the look has got to fit. In addition, you need to make sure the material (i.e. wood, aluminum, PVC, or fabric) will hold up in the room you are decorating. When these things come together, your blinds will not only look good, they will last.

Free is good. Companies and corporations know that, which is why a lot of marketing includes the word free. However, one place you don’t always hear free is when it comes to window treatments. People looking to buy window treatments generally don’t end up buying a car. They aren’t impulse shopping, instead they are looking for something specific. So when you see free paired up with what you already wanted to buy, it makes the deal sweeter.

With the economic crisis, companies have been struggling to find ways to set themselves above competing companies. Companies also know their customers aren’t spending as freely as they used to. People are comparison shopping and utilizing the Internet to make shopping easier. When you’re looking for the best deals out there, look for companies that consistently offer discounts and coupons but also offer professional service.

If wooden window blinds are the type of window treatment you are in the market for, then you probably enjoy a touch of nature and warmth in your surroundings. Wood blinds come in various qualities and colors, so be sure you are getting a product that is going to last. Your wood window blinds should be designed to function with ease and have contours and finished edges to show a professional product.

Real basswood blinds are a great option for high quality blinds. They are durable and work well in any setting, be it house or office. Be sure to look at the details of the blinds you have and ensure the craftsmanship is up to par.

Because companies are trying to turn a profit, they sometimes charge for every little accessory to the blinds, including the brackets to hang them with. Other companies, those who understand their consumers, are offering monthly discounts on all products of up to 30%, as well as giving added incentives on their products. Look for name brands like Summit and Embassy.
Beyond the discounts, what else is included with the blinds? Do they add a free valance? A valance is a crafted piece of woodwork that is placed over the blind to complete the look. A valance works best when it’s constructed of the same material as the blind.

Standard valances have a crown molding finish, while some brands have their own signature design that is more modern. A cornice valance is similar to a crown molding but adds an extra 1″ of material outside the frame.

Of course, if you are looking for window treatments and you have small children, or small children spend time at your place, be sure to choose wooden window blinds that conform to child safety guidelines.

So when you’re in the market for wooden window blinds, find out about the company you’re buying from. Do they understand your needs? Are they professional? How quickly will they deliver? There are a lot of choices out there, make sure you choose a company that puts the customer first.