plantation shutters vs wood blinds to keep light and view

Discussion in 'Interior Design' started by ruth, Sep 13, 2014.

  1. ruth

    ruth New Seed

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    Hi everyone!
    So I have a dilemma, I currently have vertical blinds, and they need replacement. They break easily and get stuck, I hate them! So I started looking into replacements, and obviously fell in love with the plantation shutters in white. We just got a quote to get the whole house done, and they are way expensive! So we decided to go with room by room. But, as I started researching online, we noticed some people mention that they are great to block out the light, I thought, no big deal, only when shut right? But, the frame inside the window got me thinking... Even if going with a wide slat, some people mentioned it darkens the room, even when opened flat... I love my windows, a couple of years ago, we added 4 windows as our lot if facing a lake, straight outside!!! I love the light that comes in and of course the view, so definetly I wouldn't want to give that up... but, I love the look of shutters too!! But I am considering wood blinds in the widest slats available, trying to somewhat get the look of shutters, without giving up the light and view of the outside I believe blinds come in 3 inches wide.. I want the widest slats available to have the widest gap and view outside, specially when rolled up. I do have the existing vertical blinds pushed to one side on the windows facing the lake all the time because I love my view!(which is a concern with the shutters, as the only way to have unobstructed view is to open them and the space they would take is a concern... Anyone out there that has plantation shutters that could give me their opinion about lighting issues when not opened all the way, and the view outside? Or any of you with wood blinds? the look, the durability and easiness to clean? As far as the expense alone, I would be willing to go room by room and break it that way to get shutters, but my concern is the light I would be giving up and my view with the shutters. So please any suggestions would be greatly appreciated! here's a picture of my view from upstairs... I do have windows facing this way downstairs as well .

    Thanks in advance for your input!
    Ruth

    [​IMG]
    Lakeview ( photo / image / picture from ruth's Garden )
     
  2. Sherry8

    Sherry8 I Love Birds!

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    I don't have the shutters but I wanted to add my 2 cents about blinds. I have the larger ones that are made from a heavy plastic that look like wood but are in a light color. I hate them because you always have to clean them because you can see the dust on them. I have not found an easy way to clean them...we have 20 some windows in this small ranch and I really don't like doing it. Usually I take an old pair of socks and put my hand in it and dampen it. Then I slide my hand along each slat of the blinds...now I wish I had a maid but I am sure she would tell me, I don't do blinds...LOL also the vinyl or plastic blinds cover some pretty large windows in 3 rooms and they get really heavy if you do try and lift them all the way up.
     
  3. ruth

    ruth New Seed

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    thanks for your reply!! yeah, definetly dusting them would not be fun! I need to keep looking at options. Some people mention duettes , the honeycomb cellular blinds? that might be an option.I need something effective , and practical :) thanks again for your response!
     
  4. Sherry8

    Sherry8 I Love Birds!

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    I noticed that you can see figures through some of them ,if you have a light on behind the person....Just like everything else, look for ones that will protect your privacy unless you don't have neighbors very close.
     



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  5. ruth

    ruth New Seed

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    Hi Sherry8, right, great idea... really the neighbors closest would be across the street although the street in the subdivision is a bit narrow. .. other than that its a corner lot, so the other side of the street is the wetlands to the lake... and behind us is a playground with a pond (not an issue at night ) but in the summer we get the kids playing just outside our lot..... .. the other side of us with neighbors, we don't have windows... great observation , makes me rethink the wood blinds idea, sends like if i want light, I don't get much privacy :) or viceversa something has to give up right ?thanks !!!
     
  6. Sherry8

    Sherry8 I Love Birds!

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    The one good thing about those light cellular ones is that most of the ones I have seen can be dropped from the top....that way you can leave the top down at the height you want.But I am not too sure on how much light they let in with a bright sunshine. I need it darker to sleep and the wood blinds really helps with that part of it, now this all depends on what or how they are made.
    I loved my verticals when I had them but with having long windows at our last house the cat rubbed on them and I would have to clean the hair off of them. They were made of a strong material but not plastic. My furniture never came close to them to hold them open in areas and I liked how you can tilt them. Now I have shorter windows and I wasn't sure how they would look because this is a smaller house.
    Have you thought of curtains that are linned and when you want privacy at night you could just close them completely and leave them open during the day. I always point out to my husband how much people can see inside your home when you have a light on and everything is open. Remotes are also nice with these just like the cellular ones. I always wondered what happens when the remote gets lost or doesn't work when you want it to. I would think you could still close them manually.
    It is a big decision on picking the right window coverings for your home because it usually cost so much money , especially if you do every window. Good Luck in your decision.
     

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