Just like all other aspects of home décor, blinds and shades are trend sensitive as well, says guest expert Mary Dobson. New trends in wood shades include a variety of natural wood tones and highly defined wood grain texture. When choosing natural, and often, darker wood blinds, remember to consider:
- Does the wood complement the exterior of your house?
- Are you going to have restrictions from things like condo rules?
- Will you be making a dark room darker by dull-ing down the natural light
- Will bright sun damage the wood?
Mary’s rule is almost always “white to the road” but if you love a dark wood blind, maybe you can choose it for the back of a blind, or a window not visible from the street. If you are someone who really likes to make a statement then try it on the street side, but be consistent and make all windows the same. This often works best in a rustic setting or with a modern style home.
If you are in a condo or have a home owners association, you may not be permitted to use anything other than white, so make sure you check before you purchase.
If you have rooms that don’t get a great deal of natural sunlight and you like a bright interior, be warned that light coming through the slats of a darker blind will be reduced. One solution is to choose as wide a slat as possible. Wider slats mean that they are further apart and therefore allow for the most light to pass through.
When you are choosing natural wood blinds for a sunny side of the house, remember that the sun can be damaging and if the colour is darker, this can be intensified. Opt instead for a faux wood blind where there is less chance of warping or fading.
With wood blinds and most other styles, cordless is always my first choice whenever possible. It just looks better and removes one of the safety concerns with children and pets.
Consider the option of lining blinds such as romans, cellular and pleated shade,s with either a blackout lining or a light-filtering lining. If you want the texture of a fabric to show through, unlined or light filtering are the way to go.
For more tips on picking the right blinds, watch the clip with Mary Dobson below: