PowerView® Automation
Program your window treatments so that they adjust themselves automatically, creating the perfect room ambiance morning, noon and night.
Sheer Shades
Learn more about Hunter Douglas custom window sheers, including our shadings and privacy sheers. Innovative, light-diffusing sheers. Your trusted source for window treatments.
Cellular Shades
Cellular honeycomb shades from Hunter Douglas. An energy-efficient design that traps air in distinct pockets to help keep your house cool in the summer and warm in the winter.
Roman Shades
Custom-made fabric Roman Shades by Hunter Douglas, combining the look of soft folds with the ease and convenience of a shade. Custom-crafted.
Roller Shades
The Hunter Douglas roller shades & solar screen shades collections offer excellent light control and a clean, stylish look in a range of fabrics and materials.
Woven Shades
For a warm, natural look our Hunter Douglas Woven Wood Shades collection of window treatments transforms sunlight into captivating design statements. Choose yours today.
Vertical Shades
Find the right custom vertical shades for any room in your home. Search our most popular window shades.
Wood Blinds
From controlling light to their stylish, sleek look, wood blinds have been a favorite among homeowners for decades.
Metal Blinds
Find the perfect metal blinds for any room in your home. From controlling light to their stylish, sleek look, metal blinds have been a favorite among homeowners.
Vertical Blinds
Discover Hunter Douglas customized vertical blinds featuring elegant styling and translucency in a large selection of colors, treatments, and textures. Lifetime guarantee.
Shutters
Hunter Douglas custom window shutters provide superior light control and privacy with classic styles, long-lasting finishes, and exceptional craftsmanship.
Drapery
Choose from timeless and on-trend fabrics, including lofty textures and alluring jacquards, artisanal embroideries and luminous sheers.
Light Enhancing
Enjoy the beauty of natural light and make any space more captivating, with the following light-enhancing shades.
Room Darkening
Want a darker room for better sleep or optimal movie binging? These shades and drapes help block light at the window.
Energy Efficient
Live comfortably and save energy with these shades. Designer to keep a room warm in the winter and cool in the summer.
Door Coverings
Manage natural light and add privacy with these window treatments that work well for sliding-glass and patio doors.
Sound Absorption
Create a quieter, more relaxing room with these window treatments, which help absorb sound, reducing exterior noise.
Top-Down Bottom-Up
For privacy and natural light, position shades from the top, bottom or both. These shades have this feature available.
Motorized Window Coverings
Enjoy the convenience of motorized window coverings.
Consumer Financing by Wells Fargo
We offer financing options for our customers, subject to approved credit.
Window Covering Measuring & Installations
Our measuring and installation service will ensure an exact fit for your window coverings.
Interior Design Ideas
All Design Ideas Fall Tablescapes Shades vs Drapes Roman Shades Top Down Bottom UpBlinds & Shades by Room
Bathroom Bedroom Home Office Kitchen Living Room Media Room Nursery & Kids RoomBlinds & Shades by Window Shape
Angled Windows Arched Windows Bay, Bow, Corner Windows French Doors Sidelights Sliding Glass Doors Skylights Large Windows Panel-Track Blinds Picture WindowsBlinds & Shades by Function
Automated Blackout Energy Efficient Light Filtering Child and Pet-Friendly Cordless Energy-Efficient ShadesAll Design Ideas
See current and past decorating ideas from our 'Fresh Ideas' Newsletter.
Bathroom
See window covering solutions for privacy and moisture-resistance.
Bedroom
See window covering solutions for privacy and room darkening.
Home Office
See window covering solutions for light filtering and glare control.
Kitchen
See window covering solutions for a variety of needs and kitchen styles.
Living Room
See window covering solutions for light filtering and UV protection.
Media Room
See room darkening window treatments for your media room.
Nursery & Kids Room
See child-safe window coverings for baby nurseries and kids rooms
Angled Windows
See blinds and shades for angled, sloped, and triangle-shaped windows.
Arched Windows
See blinds and shades for arched, half-circle or half-moon windows.
Bay, Bow, Corner Windows
See blinds and shades for bay, bow and corner windows.
French Doors
See shutters, blinds and shades for French Doors.
Sidelights
See blinds and shades for sidelight windows.
Sliding Glass Doors
See blinds and shades for patio and sliding-glass doors.
Skylights
See blinds and shades specifically suited for skylights.
Automated
See all options for automated blinds and shades.
Blackout
See our options for blinds and shades that best control light.
Energy Efficient
See blinds and shades that help save energy at the window.
Light Filtering
See blinds and shades for light filtering and UV protection.
Child and Pet-Friendly
See blinds and shades that are safer for children and pets.
Hunter Douglas Products
More Products & Services
Inspiration & Solutions
Interior Design Ideas
Blinds & Shades by Room
Blinds & Shades by Window Shape
Blinds & Shades by Function
Are Shades Better than Blinds?
You want the best when outfitting your home with flooring, appliances, décor, and especially window treatments. But, finding just the right window covering for your home can feel quite overwhelming. After all, there are seemingly endless options—how can you choose the best out of hundreds of different ones? The key here is to chip away at that massive catalog by establishing some of the basics about exactly what you want. For example, perhaps you want shades or blinds rather than shutters or drapes.
However, you may find yourself still stuck between the two remaining options. Blinds are a classic choice, but shades seem to be in nearly every home you see. So, are shades better than blinds? Or are blinds really what you are looking for? The answer depends on what you are looking for, and we are here to help you break down the specifics so you can settle on something that’s just right.
Shades Versus Blinds
When asking, “Are shades better than blinds?” it’s best to look at each window treatment through functional and aesthetic lenses, including:
Privacy and Light Control
- Blinds and shades offer both of these needs but in different ways. Blinds are hard window treatments, meaning they have slats that can be tilted to provide adjustable light control. On the other hand, shades are a soft window treatment made of fabrics. This means they only have two options when it comes to light control and privacy: open or closed. Hunter Douglas offers several light-filtering shades, including options like Luminette® Sheer Panels, that let you filter the amount of incoming light into your home when the shade is closed.
- If you prefer adjustable light control, blinds are your best bet. If you desire privacy and light filtration/transformation, you’ll want to look for shades.
Durability
- We want our window treatments to last—that’s a given! Since blinds are made from hard materials like wood, alternative wood, and aluminum, they hold up to wear and tear better than most shades. This doesn’t mean shades aren’t durable, but if you have a household that has small children or pets (AKA spills, bump-ins, and other little accidents), blinds are easier to clean and maintain and can “bounce back” better than most window treatments, especially if you choose a material like aluminum.
- If you need unwavering durability and easy cleaning, blinds are for you.
Style
- This is where shades and blinds are similar yet incredibly different. With shades, you can select from various fabric colors that range by the hundreds when you choose Hunter Douglas. From neutral tones to bright hues, shades offer various creative expressions. Blinds, however, provide classic wood tones, neutral hues, white colors, and a few fun finishes when you choose aluminum. Though slightly more limited than shades, blinds are beautiful in their own right and come in a wide range of different materials.
- If you want unlimited design options, then shades win this round. If you desire a timeless style, blinds will never fail to impress.
Contact Us Today
At the end of the day, one window treatment being “better” than the other comes down to your preferences. We are happy to help you continue along your journey of choosing between blinds and shades at Imperial Blind & Shutter. We are located in Venice, Florida, and proudly serve the surrounding area. No matter what you are looking for, even if you don’t quite know yet, we have the expertise to help you find just what you are looking for. Contact us today!