Your home is a reflection of your style, but when it comes to window treatments, there needs to be far more significant consideration than just how it looks. Individuals remodeling or upgrading their home’s interior will want to invest in durable, energy-efficient solutions. Have you considered window shutters? We at Blind Guys of the Tri-Cities are your local window shutter dealers, and today, we are here to give you a detailed comparison of shutter installation and other options for window treatment Kennewick homeowners may want to consider to ensure they find the best solution for their style, functionality, and budget.
Benefits of Interior Window Shutters:
Interior window shutters are underrated window treatments Kennewick homeowners often forget about, even though they come with a wide array of benefits. Let’s dive into each one!
#1: Durability & Longevity
Unlike window treatments made of cloth or that require a tangle of cords to operate, window shutters eliminate all of those problems that lead to needing replacement. Made of high-quality, durable materials, shutters are incredibly durable and long-lasting. Typically averaging a minimum of 10-15 year long lifespan, shutters provide a long-term window treatment solution for homeowners to get incredible value for their investment.
#2: Energy Efficiency
Windows are responsible for about 30% of your home’s heating and cooling energy loss, so investing in window treatments with energy-efficient qualities is vital. Window shutters are made with a thick material, whether it be wood, vinyl, or composite. This thick layer inside your window traps unwanted air between itself and the glass. In doing so, it helps to insulate the room and reduce energy costs.
#3: Aesthetic Appeal
One of the primary concerns with window treatments Kennewick homeowners have is aesthetics. Interior window shutters add a timeless style to a home, whether paired with modern or traditional décor. On top of that, customized shutter installation allows homeowners to add a unique style to their home. Rather than buying off-the-shelf brands, customized window shutters can be designed to suit your unique tastes, including the size of the louvers, types of hinges, color selection, number of shutter panels, and frame style.
#4: Light Control & Privacy
A key functionality element of any window treatment is light control and privacy. A benefit of shutter window treatments Kennewick homeowners enjoy is that they can easily control the amount of sunlight or visibility into their home by simply adjusting the louvers on the shutters. From full sunlight to partial lighting to near-complete darkness, shutters can be adjusted to fit the light and privacy you desire for each room throughout the day.
#5: Low Maintenance
A final but not-to-be-forgotten benefit of shutter installation is that they are seriously low maintenance. Built to resist warping, chipping, and cracking, window shutters require very little to stay beautiful. Unlike cloth window treatments that can stain or smell with aging, shutters just need occasional dusting with a duster or damp cloth to look as good as new!
Comparing Window Shutters to Other Treatments:
While shutter installation is an excellent choice for many homeowners, there are other options that provide different benefits. Let us give you a brief explanation of three different options and how they compare to window shutters.
Option 1: Window Blinds
Blinds are one of the most common window treatment options homeowners use because of their affordability. While window blinds are more affordable upfront, it is essential to know that they are less durable, so homeowners must replace them more frequently than they would window shutters. Additionally, while window blinds provide moderate light control, they do lack full insulation benefits.
Option 2: Window Shades
Window shades are another homeowner favorite due to their aesthetic capabilities. Coming in a wide variety of colors and styles, they do provide a higher level of customization. However, while some styles of window shades, like cellular shades, provide insulation, they too lack durability. On top of that, window shades are challenging to clean, especially if they end up with a tricky stain.
Option 3: Curtains or Drapes
Lastly, curtains or drapes are other window treatments Kennewick homeowners enjoy for their cozy aesthetic. Unfortunately, while they may enhance a room’s décor, curtains and drapes both require frequent cleaning as they attract dust, allergens, pet hair, and other airborne particles. Additionally, while drapes and curtains provide excellent light blocking when they are fully closed, with little light escaping only around the edges, they are not versatile in light control – as they are typically either open or closed.
Which Option is Best for Kennewick Homes?
When determining the best window treatments Kennewick homeowners will enjoy, it is greatly dependent on what features are most important to them. We encourage our clients to consider how often their windows are exposed to direct sunlight, which functionality is most important to them, such as energy efficiency, light control, privacy, and the overall style of their home. Budget can also play a significant role, as some treatments may offer more cost-effective solutions while others provide high-end luxury.
By understanding these priorities, homeowners can select the window treatments that best meet their unique needs. If you are looking for a place to start, here is a quick explanation of what we recommend based on priorities:
For Energy Efficiency, we recommend that homeowners go with shutters or cellular shades. Shutters and cellular shades both provide excellent insulation protection for homes, creating an essential barrier to heat loss during our frigid winters and heat gain during our toasty summers. Not only will these options improve the overall temperature comfort of your home, but they are highly effective in keeping energy costs lower to provide you with long-term savings.
For Budget-Friendly Solutions, we recommend that homeowners select either blinds or roller shades. Blinds and roller shades are two of the most affordable window treatment options upfront, providing adequate durability and versatility to most homes. Coming in various styles and colors, they make an excellent choice for homeowners who want to significantly impact their space without breaking the bank.
For a Classic, High-End Aesthetic, we highly recommend homeowners consider plantation shutters. Plantation shudders are surprisingly cost-effective. Combined with their high durability, easy-to-maintain nature, and timeless beauty, plantation shutters provide a sophisticated look that never goes out of style. Their excellent light control and privacy capabilities add significant value to your home and pair well with homes that feature traditional, modern farmhouse, and even contemporary styles.
For Maximum Privacy & Light Control, we advise homeowners to select either shutters or layered window treatments. As we mentioned above, shutters provide excellent light control and privacy capabilities. However, if this style doesn’t appeal to you or you want full black-out capabilities, we recommend getting layered window treatments.
Layered window treatments combine two or more types of window coverings of different materials. For example, homeowners often pair sheer curtains with heavy drapes. The sheer curtain offers mild light filtering and a subtle layer of privacy, and heavy drapes offer darkness and complete privacy. Homeowners often use sheer curtains during the day, letting sunlight filter in but maintaining a layer of blocked visibility to passersby. Then, homeowners cover windows with heavy drapes during the night. Alternatively, they may use the heavy drapes to block light during the day, such as when watching a movie or during extreme environmental conditions, to help insulate the home. Of course, there are a variety of layered window treatment options that you can mix and match to suit your individual needs.
At the end of the day, choosing the right window treatment for your home ultimately depends on your unique needs and preferences. If you aren’t sure of which direction to go, we highly recommend consulting with professionals like us at the Blind Guy of Tri-Cities to get personalized advice and expert installation.
Why Choose Blind Guy of the Tri-Cities as Your Window Shutter Dealers?
If you are a homeowner in the Tri-Cities or surrounding areas looking for durable and stylish window treatments, look no further than us at Blind Guy of the Tri-Cities.
To begin your journey to the perfect home window treatments, we start with a free consultation. Bringing together your existing home aesthetic, functionality requirements, and preferred priorities, we work with you to design custom solutions that will satisfy your needs and style preferences.
With us as your window shutter dealers, you can access a wide selection of high-quality window treatments paired with expert installation services. Whether you decide to go with a classic shutter installation or you want to go with alternative window treatments Kennewick homeowners love, we are for it all!
Additionally, we will perform an at-home measuring with our custom window treatment installation services. As we all know, windows are hardly ever perfect, especially the window casings. With our home measuring assistance, we can guarantee that your window treatments are perfectly sized to fit your windows.
Not sure which window treatment is best for your home? Contact Blind Guy of Tri-Cities today for a free consultation and explore the perfect solution for your windows!