Seeking experience and/or opinions about kitchen blinds.
October 23, 2017 9:23 PM Subscribe
What are the pros and cons of various kinds and designs of kitchen blinds?
We have narrow horizontal vinyl blinds in two large kitchen windows (the kind you haul downward on a cord and the whole blind goes up; twirl a rod on the other side and the blinds open or shut). We've had them for a long time, since we moved in, and they've been fine -- but the operative words have become LONG TIME. We need something new.
The same as before, but *new*? Horizontal? White plastic or fake wood? There are many, many options, and if I could at least skip over the more troublesome issues that would be a huge help.
Two basics:
1) We have to be able to get the blinds out of the way to let in as much sunlight as possible during gray days (we live in the Pacific Northwest).
2) We have to be able to at least fairly easily clean off grease.
We have narrow horizontal vinyl blinds in two large kitchen windows (the kind you haul downward on a cord and the whole blind goes up; twirl a rod on the other side and the blinds open or shut). We've had them for a long time, since we moved in, and they've been fine -- but the operative words have become LONG TIME. We need something new.
The same as before, but *new*? Horizontal? White plastic or fake wood? There are many, many options, and if I could at least skip over the more troublesome issues that would be a huge help.
Two basics:
1) We have to be able to get the blinds out of the way to let in as much sunlight as possible during gray days (we live in the Pacific Northwest).
2) We have to be able to at least fairly easily clean off grease.
I have vertical blinds which I got because I wanted to be able to rotate them during the day to block the sun as it moves and still get air, and I prefer the way they look. I love them for that, BUT, they blow all over the place when it's windy. Like, hard enough that I've lost a couple from breakage. So now I'm more careful. If it's a windy window, be aware. But they are lovely for simultaneous air and shade.
posted by fingersandtoes at 6:49 AM on October 24, 2017
posted by fingersandtoes at 6:49 AM on October 24, 2017
Top-down/bottom-up. I love being able to open just the top 18".
Also possibly motorized. Some are battery powered so no need to run wiring.
Some are programmable to open at a given time, close at a given time, or to sense light and react accordingly.
Oh, I like the honeycomb/pleated, but some say those are out of fashion.
posted by at at 7:22 AM on October 24, 2017
Also possibly motorized. Some are battery powered so no need to run wiring.
Some are programmable to open at a given time, close at a given time, or to sense light and react accordingly.
Oh, I like the honeycomb/pleated, but some say those are out of fashion.
posted by at at 7:22 AM on October 24, 2017
We have roller shades in our kitchen windows and leave them up almost all the time, lowering them only when we need to block some of the sun. They stay remarkably cleaner than blinds, which are a royal pain to clean.
posted by DrGail at 8:39 AM on October 24, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by DrGail at 8:39 AM on October 24, 2017 [1 favorite]
Hi! I also live in the pacific NW and bought a house with kitchen blinds. I replaced them with curtains and have 0 complaints. Curtains are machine washable, they add color (if you want, anyway), and they're easier to deal with + less dated/ugly. I mean unless you really love blinds! In which case get more of them, or maybe a roller-shade?
posted by masquesoporfavor at 1:16 PM on October 24, 2017
posted by masquesoporfavor at 1:16 PM on October 24, 2017
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by PorcineWithMe at 4:22 AM on October 24, 2017