For most of recorded history, humans worked with only natural light or the glow of a fire to guide them. While we have many artificial light sources to illuminate our offices nowadays, there are some benefits that only natural light can provide.

All the same, there is such a thing as too much light. So, you need to have the right window blinds to decide how much sun you want to let shine into your home or business.

How do you go about choosing window blinds that work for your space? Our guide will show you 9 tips from the pros.

1. Know Whether You Want Blinds or Shades

Before you go all-in looking for window blinds, you should know whether you actually want blinds or shades. Blinds are slatted window treatments that you can open and close with cords, buttons, or handles. Shades may come in a wider variety and block out more light, but you’ll have to open them halfway to get any light inside.

Before you start picking blinds out, make sure that shades wouldn’t suit your needs better.

2. Look for Energy Savers, Where Possible

Everyone wants to find ways to make their home or business more energy-efficient. It can be out of love for the environment or a desire to save money on their power bill. Either way, both consumers and manufacturers delight in finding ways to save energy.

The right type of window blinds can help reduce your energy costs. How so? By reducing how much you have to run lights during the day, you reduce your power bill. A good set of blinds might also be able to insulate your space, keeping in heat and cold.

3. Safety Is Paramount

Corded blinds can be a major cause of tragedy when small children or pets run around. If your home or business sees a lot of traffic from either, you might consider cordless blinds over their corded alternatives.

If you do decide to go with corded blinds, make sure that you have a way to keep the cords well out of reach of curious fingers and paws. The last thing you want is an emergency room bill and a lawsuit.

4. Consider the Atmosphere of Your Space

When choosing window blinds, you should always consider the atmosphere or vibe that you’re going for. A set of builder-grade white vinyl blinds won’t communicate the same message as a set of wooden Venetian blinds.

Sometimes, the options in hardware stores won’t work for you. In those cases, you should reach out to a company like Newblinds that can help you both find the right design and ensure the blinds have a perfect fit for your windows and glass doors.

5. Measure Your Windows

No one likes picking up a new window treatment, only to get home and realize that they should have measured their choice before they got home. If your blinds are too big or small for your windows, you’ll have to go back to the store or have the installers come out with a different product.

Save yourself that time, money, and hassle. Measure your windows before you leave to shop for blinds.

6. Protect Your Privacy

Blinds can be a great way to protect the privacy of your home and your clients. However, you need to ask yourself if privacy is a primary concern for you before you invest, as different materials used in blinds can offer increased levels of privacy.

And, if even the faintest glimpse inside the business could cause issues, you might need shades instead of blinds as your window treatments.

7. Don’t Overspend When Picking Blinds

As with every home and business improvement project, you should keep your budget in mind. Don’t let your eyes get bigger than your wallet. That new set of app-controlled, automatic blinds might look like the perfect fit until you see its price tag.

While picking blinds that work for your purposes is important, the money spent on window treatments could also be budgeted for other aspects of your renovation. Don’t skimp, but don’t dump all of your money in this area either.

8. Remember Cleaning and Maintenance

If you have a gorgeous set of blinds but can never remember to clean them, then all you have is an attractive dust magnet. That doesn’t leave a good impression on anybody. So, when choosing window blinds for your home or business, don’t forget that you’ll have to clean them at regular intervals.

9. Look for What’s Trending

If you’re wondering how to choose window blinds that look good and your aesthetic sense is less than developed, you might consider looking at the latest trends. Interior design trends update every single year, even in something as mundane as blinds and curtains.

Take a look at what’s trending in 2022 and take your inspiration from there. This year, we’re particularly excited about Roman and Japanese blinds for unique window treatments that let in natural light.

Let’s Review the Top Tips for Finding Window Blinds

Finding the right window blinds for your home or business can be a tricky prospect. So, let’s review our top tips from the pros.

Measure the space, feel out the vibe you want, and consider the practical limitations of cleaning and budget. Make sure that you don’t neglect safety and privacy in the process, and look to the trends for inspiration if needed. Do this, and you can choose the right blinds for your space every time.

Did you find our pro tips for choosing window blinds helpful? If so, then check out our Lifestyle section for more articles like this!