Horizontal or vertical blinds – which are better?

Types of roller blinds.

Roles may vary by:

type of execution;
control method;
type of material;
method of fastening.

Type of execution

Conventionally, two types of execution are distinguished.

Open – consists of a shaft, guides and a bottom bar;

An open roller blind system consists of fabric that is rolled evenly onto an open shaft, which is secured to the window using mounting brackets

The roller blind canvas is rolled up and the control mechanisms are hidden in a special box (cassette) located in the upper part of the cassette roller blind structure

Note! If the first option is well suited for decoration, then the second is more practical. It does not allow the curtain to sag, which is essential for an inclined window position.

Control method

The following control methods are available.

Using a chain cord - a cord, which can be made of various materials, is attached to the shaft on either side and allows you to manually release and lift the curtain, as well as fix it in the required position.

Chain cord is the simplest option for adjusting the position of the blade

Important! If the window opens, the location of the cord should prevent it from getting under the sash.

Using a spring holder – mainly used for bottom-up rollers and sun filters.

A spring holder is a convenient option for adjusting curtains, since the curtain is fixed automatically when it reaches a certain level

Important! According to user reviews, the method is unreliable. The spring weakens quite quickly and ceases to secure. Recommended for cases where there is no need for frequent adjustments.

Using an electric drive. Control is carried out from the remote control or keys.

Electric drive is an easy way to regulate the curtain, as it rises and falls thanks to the motor

Note! Despite the fact that this option significantly increases the budget, it is indispensable for hard-to-reach windows.

Material type

Determines the ability of curtains to transmit light and is able to create a unique room design. There are several types.

Transparent - scatters sunlight well. It is used mainly for decoration and goes well with curtains and drapes.

Transparent roller blinds do not hide the view outside the window, but allow you to soften the brightness on high floors and use natural light

The dimout curtain fabric blocks sunlight by 70% and partially diffuses the rest, creating a soft twilight

A blackout curtain can completely darken a room

In Day-Night curtain models, the curtain fabric consists of several layers of transparent and opaque material, which is lowered on both sides of the roller

The design and texture of the material are very diverse. In one of the reviews on the RuNet, a user (apparently a professional designer) reports that he counted more than 6,000 options.

A variety of ready-made roller blinds from different materials with different fabric structures

Additional information: The material must be durable, withstand temperature changes, have antistatic properties (dust protection), and be easy to clean.

Roller blinds

Rolls are a type of lamella curtains, the most fashionable and widespread way to decorate windows today.

The variety of types and styles allows you to choose canvases to suit any interior.

Roller shutters occupy a separate niche in the window decoration segment.

Advantages

Roller blinds have more advantages than disadvantages:

They have varying degrees of darkening, up to 100% thanks to the day-night fabric.
They do not fade in the sun due to dust- and dirt-repellent impregnation.
Do not violate the integrity of the window profile. They have different methods of fastening: with Velcro, with a magnet, with a latch.
Durable.
Do not require frequent washing.
Easy care.
Practical.
They don't rustle when the windows are open.
Save window sill space.
Breathable.
Hypoallergenic.
Made to order for different types of window openings. Easily matched to any interior and style.
They are made from various materials, with a variety of designs.
You can print a 3D drawing.
They fit tightly to the frame and create a thermal barrier.
There are “mirror” curtains that reflect the sun's rays.
Fixing the rise of roller shutters at different levels.
They are organically combined with tulle and classic curtains, without disturbing the style of the room.

Thanks to these characteristics, roller blinds have firmly established themselves in the window decoration market.

Flaws

Despite the huge number of advantages, rolls still have their disadvantages:

When the curtains fit tightly to the window frame, moisture condenses on the glass. This destroys the fabric's impregnation.
It is impossible to regulate the flow of sunlight.
If the fabric is damaged, the roller blind must be completely replaced.
The minimalism of roller shutters is not for everyone.
High price compared to blinds.

All of the listed disadvantages are incommensurate with the comfort and coziness that roller blinds create. Therefore, they are actively used in window decoration.

Unusual French curtains in the form of slats or accordions - “pleated” - have received wide approval from designers. They have a wide range of applications:

offices;
conference rooms;
apartments;
private residential buildings;
schools;
hospitals.

These types of curtains are varied in design and material, texture and color. They look stylish.

A huge assortment allows you to choose curtains according to the method of attachment:

on the wall;
on the ceiling;
a mini-version of horizontal “Venetian shutters” is attached to the window sash.

By type of manufacture/materials, the most widespread are:

For adherents of the classics who value practicality, environmental friendliness and durability, original wooden models are suitable.

The uniqueness of “pleated” is its installation on non-standard openings of cottages and when decorating loggias.

The most common are horizontal blinds with aluminum slats. They are not afraid of water, do not fade, and are resistant to temperature changes.

Advantages

There are many of them listed, very different, here are just a few:

wide range of lighting adjustment;
real dust-repellent ability of the material;
ease of care;
clear installation instructions, in most cases “in pictures”;

Installation instructions in two ways from the manufacturer

When choosing such a curtain, you can consider original color and texture solutions for a specific interior.

Flaws.

They are hard to find. Buyers hardly complain. Here's what they note:

poor quality of installation;
long production (delivery) time;

How to choose the right curtains

When choosing double roller blinds that are both transparent and thick, you should, first of all, take into account the size and design features of the window. In addition, it is advisable to take into account:

purpose of the premises;
general style of the room;
combination of warm and cold colors in the interior.

Unlike monumental curtains, such a roller blind weighs very little.
Note! Both excess and lack of sunlight have an extremely adverse effect on performance. They result in frequent headaches, fatigue, and blurred vision. Therefore, it is extremely important to be able to set the optimal light conditions in the room.

The colors from which roller blinds are made are not limited in their range.

Features of choice.

Summarizing all the reviews and recommendations, the selection algorithm should look like this.

Determine the purpose (protection from backlighting at night, thermal insulation, etc.).

Roller blinds are not just beautiful and stylish, but also very practical and convenient

Determining the size of the canvas depending on the type of curtain fastening

Attention! Roller blinds allow a slight reduction in width, so for non-standard windows it is advisable to purchase slightly wider finished products.

Select the desired direction for opening the curtains “from top to bottom” or “from bottom to top”. The latter method may be required for wooden bindings with a window opening inward. Flower growers can appreciate it, and care is somewhat simpler.

Roller blinds can be controlled from top to bottom and from bottom to top; the curtains can be easily lifted due to the presence of a spring mechanism

Important! – the “top to bottom” direction in the presence of a swing window does not allow ventilating the room without fully opening the curtains.

Select curtain material. Quality requirements were discussed above, but the defining point is transparency. The exception is the “day-night” rollers, which vary from complete transparency to blackout.

Bright roller blinds made of thick fabric, made to order

When using roller blinds, you can independently adjust the length of the curtain and the level of illumination in the room

Advantages and features of roller blinds

By their design, roller blinds resemble a roller, which, using a special mechanism, is capable of winding or unwinding the curtain fabric. The material used does not fade in the sun, is durable and has a long service life. Using the remote control, these curtains can be controlled remotely - the system can close half of the window or the entire window. Thus regulating natural light indoors.

If you buy modern roller blinds that can automatically unwind to the desired length depending on the time of day, they can pay for themselves by seriously saving electricity, since you practically won’t have to turn on the lamps during the daytime.

Some features of curtains:

they cannot be washed or dry cleaned;
prices for such curtains are slightly higher than for blinds;
when condensation forms, the windows may become wet (applies to samples fixed to the frame);
curtains attached to the sash slightly reduce the opening angle of the window;

Exploitation

There are very few tips.

Use detergents that do not contain chlorine or acids for cleaning. If the design allows you to remove the curtain for washing, then a thorough rinsing and drying is necessary after which no folds are formed.
It is better not to vacuum clean (or use special attachments), but to wipe with a dry cloth. Wash with a cotton cloth. Apply a soap solution to heavily soiled areas for a while. To remove small stains, it is better to use an eraser.
In the kitchen, it is better to roll the rolls while cooking to avoid possible contamination.

That's all.

Video: Roller blinds: pros and cons Roller blinds VS classic drapes

The living room and bedroom have windows facing the sunny side. There used to be blinds, ordinary white ones. Now we are making repairs. The windows are small, plastic. The rooms are also small, 16 sq.m. and 14 sq.m. I can't decide on roller blinds. Either “day-night” (zebra) white, or blackout (but what color.), or straw. I also want tulle and curtains.

Laboratorio Creativo di Vladimir Lamfadel

Roller blinds, tulle, drapes. Outside your window, excuse me, is there a garbage dump or something terrible that you want to close the windows like that? It might be easier to board them up. )))

And the advice is this: hang what you like and what you

. Is that a problem?

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textile design studio "Curtain Department"

If you are hanging curtains and tulle, then it is better to choose roller blinds in a neutral color in a light shade. You can choose white (to match the color of the window frames), or choose a color close to the color of the walls. For the sunny side, blackout fabrics for roller blinds are suitable if you hang light, light-transmitting curtains. If the curtains are made of dense fabric (for example: “dimout” and “blackout”), then roller blinds can be made from fabric of any density.

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Varieties of such curtains

When choosing a type of double roller blind, you should take into account the size of the room, its design features and cost. There are several classifications of day-night curtains. For example, depending on the size, there are two types of roller blinds:

Standard - traditionally used for mounting small windows on casements in kitchens, living rooms, bedrooms, and halls. As a rule, their width does not exceed 1.8 m.
Lux is the best option for shading large windows in offices, industrial premises, and office centers. The width of such curtains can reach 3 m.

In fact, they can be called an improved model of blinds with the ability to regulate light.
Below are the most popular varieties of these systems, depending on the design features of their manufacture.

They were developed specifically to cover plastic windows, but at this stage there are developments for wooden windows of various shapes.

Open

These are the most common and easiest to manufacture systems. They are an aluminum shaft onto which a roll of curtain fabric is wound with two parallel tapes. Adjustment of the length of the fabric, its fixation and the degree of overlap of the stripes is regulated using a chain.

"Zebra" is a double blinds consisting of horizontal stripes that alternate with each other.

Closed

They differ from open ones by the presence of a plastic box covering the shaft with wound fabric. This provides, on the one hand, additional protection for the panel and shaft, and on the other, the appearance of the window design becomes more aesthetically pleasing.

If the transparent stripes on the two canvases coincide, the room will be very light, and if the opaque stripes completely cover the transparent ones, there will be absolute darkness.

By type of control

The vast majority of installed curtains have intuitive manual control. Even a child can handle the chain that regulates the opening and closing of the curtains. If desired, you can install a remote control system for the operation of the mechanism and adjust the level of illumination using the remote control. The popularity of using an electric drive is growing every year.

When adjusting the canvases, you can get other lighting options due to the fact that more compact strips alternate with more transparent ones.

Note! The electric motors installed on the curtains are powered by built-in batteries, which allows for remote control without laying cables, installing additional sockets or carrying out any other electrical work.

Cassette

Cassette roller blinds are a type of closed blinds. In addition to a plastic box to protect the shaft, they are equipped with side profiles (guides) for the fabric. This ensures that the curtain fits as tightly as possible to the window. This is especially in demand on opening sashes, which are installed at an angle in ventilation mode.

The option provides a durable protective plastic box, which additionally protects the roller shutter from dust and also provides an aesthetic effect.

Related discussions

What curtains should I hang on the windows?

Help me choose curtains

How to choose curtains, tulle

lektra2000

“Roller blinds, tulle, drapes. Outside your window, excuse me, is there a garbage dump or something terrible that you want to close the windows like that? It might be easier to board them up. )))” - But there’s no need to be rude! And if you don't see the problem, you shouldn't bother commenting. I definitely didn’t need your advice!

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Roman or roller blinds? Differences. What to choose

If you want to be “on the crest of the wave” in interior design, then Roman or roller blinds cannot be ignored. Both types of curtains are practical, functional, and flexible in use. They go well with traditional curtains, are easy to install and require little maintenance. There is usually only one question: what is the difference between Roman blinds and roller blinds. It is believed that the only difference is in the name. This is wrong. Before us are two independent types of curtains such as “blinds”.

Types of roller blinds

Roller blinds are a type of horizontal curtains that slide upward. They are very functional and decorative , and can be an ideal solution for both small apartments and spacious houses.

Roman blinds and day-night roller blinds are subtypes of roller blinds. The first type differs from conventional roller shutters in that the fabric is not wound onto a roller, but is evenly collected when opened thanks to the transverse slats. At the same time, when lowered, such curtains have a flat surface.

Zebra or day-night curtains are a type that is a double-layer fabric design. The canvas has horizontal transparent and opaque stripes of the same width. Thanks to this combination, when lowered, the stripes alternate, which allows you to adjust the degree of lighting in the room.

Many people mistakenly believe that pleated blinds are a type of day-night roller blind. This type of curtain is a fabric that, when opened, folds like an accordion between the upper and lower curtain rods. The fabric is a solid woven or non-woven fabric, so this design is not able to regulate the degree of lighting in the room like Zebra roller blinds.

Depending on the type of design, day-night roller blinds can be:

classic (open type);
cassette (closed type).

Curtains for open day-night windows are a design with a roller on which thick fabric is wound. There is also a plumb line that prevents wrinkles and maintains the smooth surface of the canvas. This design can be mounted on the ceiling, wall, window frame or upper window opening. This option is more affordable than the cassette version.

Closed-type roller blinds require the presence of a box into which the fabric is rolled up. The design provides for the installation of side profiles that regulate the correct position of the curtains and help the curtain fit tightly to the window frame, without leaving gaps between them. Such roller shutters look more aesthetically pleasing due to the ability to choose the color of the frame to match the curtains.

Depending on the type of mechanical control, roller blinds use:

chain mechanism;
spring mechanism;
electric drive

The simplest and most common mechanism that is installed on roller blinds is a chain mechanism. This is a regular cord that is located on any (usually the side) side of the structure. The blinds are raised and lowered manually. The chain can be made of stainless steel, plastic or polyvinyl chloride. If handled with care, this mechanism will last quite a long time.

Designs with spring holders look attractive due to the absence of additional control systems. The mechanism involves the presence of a spring connected to a shaft. The handle is located at the bottom or at the top, depending on the installation of the curtains themselves. This mechanism is lightweight; the roller shutters are automatically fixed to the required height. Another advantage is the absence of small parts, which is important in a house where there are small children. Among the disadvantages is fragility, since the springs stretch over time and become unusable.

How do they work

The installation of day-night roller blinds includes:

brackets;
control mechanism;
bottom bar;
pipe-shaft;
fabric profile;
textile.

Unlike conventional ones, such curtains are ergonomic, easy to use, and do not require washing or major cleaning.
Day-night fabric is formed from alternating horizontally oriented opaque and transparent strips that have varying degrees of light transmission. The canvas is attached at one end to a special profile, and at the other to the pipe using adhesive tape. When the curtain is raised, the fabric is wound onto the shaft, and the strips move relative to each other.

They can be called an improved model of blinds with the ability to regulate light.

Advantages and disadvantages

More and more people are choosing day-night roller blinds. Reviews from satisfied customers confirm the practicality and aesthetics of this design.

Main advantages:

the ability to adjust different degrees of lighting in the room;
ease of maintenance and installation;
durability;
possibility of self-assembly and installation;
variety of colors and materials;
variety of forms, mechanisms and types.

Zebra roller blinds can create three levels of illumination:

Complete darkness - dense stripes cover transparent ones.
Soft, subdued light - the stripes are slightly shifted or the canvas is scrolled so that stripes of the same type coincide with each other.
Full lighting - blinds fully or half raised.

Day-night roller shutters are made of synthetic fabric and treated with Teflon impregnation. This has a dust-repellent, antistatic and antibacterial effect, so such products are hypoallergenic and easy to care for. It is enough to wipe them with a damp cloth or vacuum cleaner.

Thanks to the simple design, assembly and installation of this type of roller blinds can be easily done independently at home.

Due to their variety of shapes, sizes and colors, Zebra roller blinds can fit perfectly into any interior. For a strict design in the minimalist style, for example, roller shutters in a single color scheme are suitable; for the Provence style, you can choose products with a pattern.

Among the disadvantages is the relatively high cost compared to other designs, since such blinds belong to the premium class. Another disadvantage is that due to the massive shaft design, the system can produce a characteristic creaking sound.

What are day-night curtains

Roller blinds day-night, otherwise called zebra, appeared relatively recently, but have already gained popularity. They are fundamentally different from conventional roller blinds and blinds, combining the advantages of both systems. Their main feature is the ability to regulate the degree of light penetration.

Recently, many interesting and improved models have appeared, thanks to which you can provide an additional feeling of comfort in any space.

The design of day-night curtains has the form of a double woven fabric, on which translucent and transparent horizontally oriented stripes alternate. At the moment the curtain is lifted, carried out by means of a chain, the outer fabric is displaced relative to the inner one. In this case, the mesh strips that transmit light overlap with dense strips, changing the intensity of light transmission and illumination. Thanks to these curtains, you can create both a slight blackout (day) and almost complete darkness (night).

Day-Night roller blinds are becoming increasingly popular due to their original design, which can regulate the penetration of light.

Care Tips

Caring for fabric roller blinds is quite simple, since most products are treated with a special solution that prevents the accumulation of dirt and dust. There are two methods for cleaning blinds: dry and wet.

For daily care, it is enough to use the dry method, which involves using a clean cloth or sponge. You can also clean the canvas with a vacuum cleaner using a special attachment.

Wet cleaning should be carried out periodically. To do this, you can use a mild detergent that does not contain chlorine. It is not always necessary to remove fabric roller shutters for cleaning, but after wet care, the curtains should be completely dry when unrolled.

For significant stains, you can use a stain remover based on natural ingredients. Under no circumstances should you rub, wrinkle or squeeze the fabric too hard, as such actions can lead to deformation of the product.

Design options

Closed system: the shaft is placed in an aluminum or plastic box, there is a weighting agent along the lower edge of the canvas, and guides on the sides for a tight fit to the window (the canvas does not “dangle”, the design looks aesthetically pleasing). The cost of such blinds is higher than models with an open system.
A type of blinds with a closed system are mini-cassette roller shutters: they are compact and cover not the entire window, but the sashes. The box in which the shaft is hidden is an imitation of the material of the window frame - visually it seems that the canvas is inserted directly into it.
Open system: budget model - the canvas is wound on an uncovered shaft, not secured on the sides. The curtain hangs freely, but goes down and up without any effort.