The Innovation of Today's Blinds and Shutters

The housing market is full of buyers and sellers who have distinct tastes in designs from antique to modern, but both agree that blinds and shutters add something special to the home.

The way home owners have utilized window treatments has changed over the course of several hundred years, but window covering purchases have always focused on two factors: functionality and visual appeal.


Let There Be Light...or Not!
Both blinds and shutters are known for letting light in and keeping it out effectively. With today?s interior design technology, windows can now be covered with even more flexible light control.?

Depending on where you live and the direction of your windows, shutters can provide the light control you need for any room. When folded back, shutters give you complete access to light, or it can dim the room to set the mood. If you live in the city with constant bright lights or if you live in rural areas with natural lighting, shutters can accommodate your light intensity preferences.

Blinds can improve a room?s look, offering a clean accent that will give your home some character. Blinds are a good choice for controlling light, and they can be customized to be cordless, which is a safety feature many buyers are looking for in modern homes. Cords are sometimes hazardous for young families with children and pets; however, newer blinds can be motorized, removing the dangers of older models.

Some Books Can be Judged by the Covers
Another benefit of blinds and shutters is their aesthetic appeal to house hunters. Nice looking accents to windows can lead to better impressions of your home, which has the potential to not only increase the selling speed and chance but also increase the home value itself.

According to Princeton psychologists, judgements are made within a tenth of a second. This means people tend to make decisions about your home based on first impressions.?

The National Association of Realtors (NAR) even reported 88 percent of home buyers usually make judgement calls about homes by only looking at pictures online. With 95 percent of buyers agreeing that room setups can affect their outlook, the need to improve the window cosmetics of your home is important now more than ever.

The good news about upgrading your home with blinds and shutters is the overall value can increase as much as one to two percent. With additional alterations, your home?s value could even grow by 11 to 20 percent.

The Big Comeback
Hundreds of years ago, shutters and similar window treatments were great alternatives to using expensive glass windows. They were primarily used to keep out dirt, rain and pests while controlling light. Between the 18th?and 19th?century, louvered shutters were invented, but glass later became cheaper and more accessible in the Victorian era where dark drapes ruled.
However, shutters and blinds are growing quickly in popularity with newer housing developments. As more millennials begin to look for homes and ?first home? neighborhood planners place houses closer together, the needs for affordable, modern-looking window treatment and privacy are becoming priorities.

Shutter and blind varieties are cheaper window treatment options for younger home buyers.?They can be arranged to give a room flair while providing privacy, they are easy to clean, and they are?highly functional.

Marchand?s Interior & Hardware can help make a room memorable. With a wide selection of window treatments to choose from, you can customize your home into something to proudly call your own.