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When it comes to window coverings, there is a galaxy of choices available, from mini blinds to pleated curtains, not to mention top treatments and cords and all the other accessories that go along with them. In this article, we are just going to take two types of window coverings and compare them to each other; hopefully this will give you a better understanding of them. The two styles we will be looking at are plantation blinds and roller blinds. We will be discussing where they can be used to their best advantage, and looking at the issues that commonly arise with each treatment.

Plantation blinds are steeped in American tradition, the very sight of them harkens back those olden days of the pioneers discovering new lands and setting up roots to begin farming. A plantation blind, in it's most traditional form, is made of thick wooden slats at least 2 inches thick, if not more. Back in the olden days they were used on the outside of windows, and were designed to seal the window cavity up tight. The reason for this was that back in those days, only the richest of homeowners could afford glass windows in their homes, and plantation blinds gave them maximum protection from the elements, while still allowing them to catch the gentle summer breeze when desired. Nowadays, they are seen on the inside of a house more than the outside, and are used to great effect on large windows. The design of plantation blinds fit in just as well with the décor of a modern home as they do in a country homestead.

Roller blinds, on the other hand, lean more towards functionality than style. A roller blind is designed mainly for its ease of use, and is especially popular amongst the elderly and the disabled, who have trouble with the more robust styles of blinds. One of the most attractive features of roller blinds is the ease in which they can be cleaned, there is no need to take the whole blind off its frame to clean it, simply pull it down and give it a wipe with a cloth on a regular basis. For this reason, roller blinds are used in bathrooms and kitchens more than any other rooms in the house.