Window Treatments Blog

Top 10 Window Blinds & Shades

Here is an unofficial list of the top ten best selling window blinds and shades.  This list was pulled from over two years of online shopping data and while not necessarily reflective of all window treatment sales nationwide, certainly tells a clear story of people’s choices.  Without further ado, the top 10 list – with a little commentary:

#1 – Vinyl blackout roller shades - Not particularly attractive but highly functional.  Blackout roller shades are economical and a good choice for room darkening though not necessarily the best.  FYI – Better choices would be blackout cellular shades or roman shades with a blackout liner, the reason being that these shades fit tighter within the window casing with minimal light gaps between the shade and the casing.

#2 – 1 inch Aluminum mini blinds – The classic choice, the standard slat size.  Aluminum mini blinds are durable and functional and not that bad looking either.  FYI- A little advanced information on horizontal blinds, also called venetian blinds, they come in different slat sizes.  Choose a larger slat size for larger windows and vice versa.  Aluminum mini blinds can also be used on French doors.  These are usually called micro blinds and the come with 1/2″ slats.

#3 – 2 inch wood blinds – Another classic choice and the standard slat size.  Wood blinds are made from hardwood, often basswood.  Wood blinds, like mini blinds are durable, functional and attractive.  They can compliment almost any decor.  FYI – Wood blinds come in different slat sizes. They also come in a variety of stains and paints.  Wood blinds are not a great choice for humid rooms like bathrooms and some kitchens as they can warp and crack. 

#4 – 2 inch faux wood blinds - The artificial cousin of wood blinds.  Faux wood blinds come in a composite material or PVC plastic.  They also come in a variety of slat sizes and are a better choice if used in harsh environments, e.g. kids, humidity, lots of direct sunlight.  They are also a good choice for bathrooms and other hot and humid rooms as they will not warp, crack or suffer any color fade.

#5 – Double cell cellular shades – A great choice for adding insulation to your home.  Cellular shades are attractive, versatile and come in a variety of colors, pleat sizes, and opacities.  Choose larger pleat sizes for larger windows.  For bedrooms, home theaters and any other room that you want to darken, choose blackout cellular shades.  FYI – Cellular shades can also be purchased for skylights.

#6 – Vinyl vertical blinds – The classic, if not default choice for sliding glass doors (patio doors).  Vinyl vertical blinds are made from PVC plastic and are highly functional for large windows.  They come in a variety of colors and textures.  FYI – Vertical blinds also come in a variety of other materials:  fabric, faux wood, wood, aluminum, cellular and even a solar screen material.

#7 – Woven wood shades – A lesser known window shade type, woven wood shades are also known as bamboo blinds and even natural shades.  Due to the fact that woven woods come in a huge variety of materials, I found it interesting that one single type of woven wood made the top 10 list. 

#8 – Semi-opaque roller shades – These roller shades offer a great balance of opacity and privacy.  If you want natural light but don’t want passers-by seeing into your room these are for you.  I can see why these are a top choice.  They are also more attractive and elegant than the standard vinyl roller shade.  FYI – Roller shades come in a variety of opacities from sheer to blackout.

#9 – Faux wood vertical blinds - a surprising top 10 finisher.  I would not have guessed that faux wood verticals were so popular.  The reason, probably, is that faux wood verticals are a good strategic choice to coordinate with other wood or faux wood horizontal blinds.  And, faux wood verticals are still fairly light weight compared with the less popular wood vertical blinds.  FYI – Faux wood verticals are made from the same materials as horizontal faux wood blinds and usually come in a variety of stains and painted colors.

#10 – Single cell cellular shades -  A slightly less costly choice than double cell cellular shades with all the same colors and pleat sizes.  Single cell cellular shades are a good choice if you live in climates with less temperature extremes, or if budgets simply don’t allow the extra cost of double cell cellular shades.  FYI – Cellular shades also come as triple cell and are also known as honeycomb shades due to the honeycomb shaped air pockets that provide the insulation. 

These are all solid choices.  But what I suspect, given the wide variety of other window treatment choices available, is that people tend to be a little nervous about straying too far from what they know.  Confronted with these same choices, I probably would choose one of these Top 10 items too.  I am no decorator and I suspect most of our customers are not either.  That is not to say that they don’t have good taste. 

That leads me to a few questions.  If you have a minute, please leave a comment with your choices (A-F).  Choose as many as apply.
A. This what I wanted.
B. This is what I could afford.
C. Unaware of other choices.
D. Don’t intend to stay in current house for long.
E. Aware of other choices but nervous about making a bad choice.
F.  Would have considered other options with design consultation.