Choosing Curtains Or Blinds For Bedroom

No matter what part of the world you are from, if you are a homeowner or apartment dweller, home improvement is an ongoing priority. Even once you’ve decorated your home and are completely satisfied with the outcome, something new comes along that influences you décor style. Then you find yourself redecorating all over again. Our homes are our sanctuary. An oasis if you will. For some of us, our home is our vacation destination when we have time off of work. The costly plane tickets and hotel stays just to relax and not do anything seem wasteful sometimes. A popular saying is “Home is where the heart is.” If your heart is in your home, then you are probably like most homeowners and want to do your best to let where you live be an expression of who you are, and essentially wear your heart on your sleeve.

If your home is going to be an extension of which you are, then consider your windows the eyes of where you dwell. Your windows allow you a glimpse into the world from the safety of your own little world. You can watch the passersby or just enjoy nature if you please.

Of course for every up there is a down. If you can see out into the world, then the world can also look in. Your privacy should be considered. Why shouldn’t you be able to glance at the outside world, or even let in some beautiful natural light? Why should that have to mean letting in more of the world than you really want to? It shouldn’t have to be this way, and lucky for you it doesn’t.

I want to focus on the most private layer of your house or apartment. The sanctuary inside the sanctuary; I’m talking about your bedroom. This is an area of your home where you are most vulnerable. Lying asleep at night, you are powerless in your slumber. Yet you still want your connection to nature to be un-severed. So what do you do? It’s easy; you explore the endless options of curtains and blinds to dress your windows.

The first thing you want to do is ask yourself what every homeowner asks themselves about window covering, “curtains or blinds?” Either choice isn’t going to be extremely cheap so you want to make sure that you are happy with your decision whatever it may be. You don’t want to put time, effort, nor money into your curtains or blinds just to bring them down and start all over again. So I have a few tips that will help make the selection process less stressful and more pleasurable.

There are many factors that must be considered when dressing your bedroom windows. When factoring in certain aspects of your lifestyle, the options available are vast. Here are some things you have to consider.

· Privacy
This is a main focal point when dealing with your bedroom. You don’t want the outside world knowing your business. You can watch them, but they shouldn’t be allowed to watch you. If this is the case, you want to buy blinds. You might get away with curtains in the daytime, but at night if you have lights on it can shine through and still reveal the goings on in your home. Black out curtains is an option. You won’t see out, and they can’t see in. However, later on when you factor in style and function, you might have a problem.

· Light
The main purpose of a curtain or blind is to block out light. Everyone knows the intensity of the harsh Singapore sunlight. It can be difficult to continue a well-deserved nap if the sun is beaming in your face. For this reason you have the option of black out curtains. But maybe you don’t want to block the sun out completely. With any type of curtain it’s all or nothing. The curtains are open, or they’re closed. If you choose blinds on the other hand, you have more control over how much light you have or don’t have.

· Style
So you’ve decided rather or not privacy will win over light. In the end, it still has to look good. With newer Singapore homes being a bit on the smaller side, you don’t want to minimize the visual appearance of your room. This is exactly what you will do with curtains. Of course, with Singapore having a tropical rainforest climate that isn’t shy about rain, how often are those curtains going to be closed anyway? Curtains are definitely the softer option. They can add whimsy, romance or even a sense of royalty to a room. They come in different materials ranging from silk to cotton. There are solid colors and printed designs. Blinds also come in different colors, styles and materials, but blinds are only going to be your style choice if you want a more modern look. Even with cloth Roman shades, the look that blinds give a room is more contemporary.

· Cost
The truth is that blinds are more expensive. Most blinds have to be customized to fit your particular window and this can be costly. Anyone can grab a curtain rod and hang some curtains. Add electronically controlled blinds to your list and the bill gets bigger. Those blinds will last you though. You probably won’t be replacing them any time soon. Not that you will be replacing your curtain rather quickly, it’s just that if you are going to spend the money on blinds, you should be confident about your choice.

· Function
Like every other surface of your home, your curtains and blinds are going to need to be cleaned. Many people have different opinions as to rather or not one is easier to clean than the other. I believe that they both have their pros and cons. In the end it will be more up to what you believe you will feel like doing. Blinds need only for you to get a wet washcloth to wipe it down periodically. But if they get too dirty, trying to scrub them while on the window could be a hassle. Curtains can be taken down and washed in the washer, but after drying you need to iron them. This can definitely be time consuming.

So there you have it, curtains and blinds both have their good and bad points. Decide for yourself what will work. Happy home decorating!