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7 best window blinds for shade and privacy
The right window shades can keep harmful rays at bay and give you the privacy you need at home. Shop yours today.
If you’re looking for home improvement ideas to upgrade your living space without moving things around, picking the right window blinds is a great place to start. Window shades and motorized blinds not only keep your home cool and shaded, but they can also have a positive effect on your overall interior design.
That said, picking the right blinds for your space can be a hassle, which is where we come in. To make your life easy, we’ve listed our top choices of blinds for you to choose from.
From Levolor blinds to motorized roller shades, we’ve got the best blinds for windows suited for all types of homes, so start browsing now!
Read more: Keep warm with the best space heaters for home
A smart option
Linen Light Filtering Polyester Fabric Cordless Smart Roller Shades
Top faux wood blinds
allen + roth Cordless Faux Wood 2-in Slat Width 35-in x 64-in Cordless Bark Faux Wood Room Darkening Horizontal Blinds
Best blackout blinds
FEATURED
Pros & Cons
Complete blackout
Suitable for extreme hot and cold climates
Easy installation
Plenty of colors and designs
Only suitable for windows
Warranty support may take time
These Blackout Cellular Shades from Levolor do more than just upgrade your room. They provide superior insulation, thanks to their unique honeycomb construction and prevent light from entering the room.
The shades come in two sizes — Single Cell 9/16-inches and 7/16-inches Double Cell, making it perfect for small and large windows. Plus, when you shop at Blinds.com, you’ll also have the option to upgrade to LEVOLOR’s motorization which enables you to raise and lower your blinds using a remote control on the LEVOLOR app.
Pro tip: Take advantage of the End of Season FLASH Sale at Blinds.com and save up to 45% OFF LEVOLOR blinds
Use the code: FLASH
Flash sale starts 1/24 and ends 1/28.
More about Blinds.com:
Blinds.com is the no.1 place to shop for custom window treatments. Everything is 100% online and no in-home consultations are needed. With over 27 years of experience and 27 million windows covered, Blinds.com always offers top-quality services.
They offer FREE virtual consultations with expert designers and FREE samples + shipping, always! When you shop here, you can choose to DIY or let Blinds.com do it for you! More specifically, you can get all your windows measured and installed for just $199.
All the professional installation is provided by Home Depot’s network of professionals and all purchases are backed by 100% satisfaction and SureFit guarantees.
Best value
Pros & Cons
Easy to install
Child and pet-friendly
Doesn’t block out light completely
Product can be fragile
If you prefer natural light in your home, you’ll love the Arlo Blinds Cordless Tuscan Bamboo Roman Shade. Made from real bamboo, this shade will instantly improve your overall home aesthetics while blocking light from your space.
Perfect for windows, it’s safe for children and pets and it is easy to install. Note that because it’s made from real bamboo, colors may vary from brown to a slight green tinge.
A smart option
Pros & Cons
Voice control supports Alexa and Google Home
Easy to install
Rechargeable lithium battery included
Blackout shades
Only available in two colors
Higher price point
Smart homeowners will love this Linen Light Filtering Polyester Fabric Cordless Smart Roller Shades from the Home Decorators Collection. These automatic window blinds can be controlled with a remote control or via voice control through smart home devices like Alexa and Google Home. With the free Hubspace app, you can even set times, zones and positions.
Made for indoor use, the motorized shades operate quietly while the blackout shades stop light from entering, making it perfect if you prefer to sleep in complete darkness.
So, if you’re looking for smart blinds for your home, look no further than Linen Light Filtering Polyester Fabric Cordless Smart Roller Shades.
Top faux wood blinds
Pros & Cons
Cordless operation
Withstands moisture
Not completely blackout
Only available in one color
Instantly create a modern look in your home with these faux wood blinds from allen + roth. These blinds are engineered to withstand moisture making them suitable for bathrooms, kitchens and even garages. It also blocks up to 85 percent of light, providing you with privacy without leaving you in complete darkness.
To make things safer for children and pets, these cordless blinds can be lifted or pulled down easily by lowering or pushing up the bottom rail. We also love that all the hardware is included, making installation a breeze.
Best vertical pick
Pros & Cons
Great option for sliding doors
Plenty of colors and texture options
Material may be flimsy
These Bella View Legacy S-Shaped Vinyl Vertical Blinds are perfect for sliding doors and patio doors. With plenty of colors and textures to choose from, you won’t have a hard time matching these blinds to your current interior design.
We love that the S-shaped vanes provide an illusion of drapery and give you light control to keep natural light in, without brightening the room too much. It also comes with a wand control option, which is safer for children and pets.
Best motorized blinds
Pros & Cons
Made to order
Blackout linen
Supports voice control
High price point
May not suit smaller houses
A motorized roller shade is a great option for those with big homes, hence why we recommend the SmartWings Motorized Roller Shades 100% Blackout Linen. These motorized blinds come with an integrated battery that is USB-C rechargeable and is compatible with Alexa, Google Assistant and Apple HomeKit.
Its hands-free voice control allows you to set your shade to a specific length and even set a timer for different areas of the house. More importantly, it can be customized to suit your home’s needs.
With three fabric options, two mount options and a variety of length and width selections, it’s the perfect choice if you’re looking to upgrade different areas of your home.
Top roller shades
Pros & Cons
Reduces outside noise
Dustproof and waterproof
Protects from UV rays
Dangly cord can be a risk to pets and children
Reports of products being damaged on arrival
For those looking for waterproof roller shades, we highly recommend the Joydeco 100% Blackout Roller Shade. At an affordable price, these thermal insulated shades protect you from harmful UV rays and block out light completely, giving you the ultimate privacy.
These shades are also anti-static, dustproof and waterproof, making them easy to clean. To top it off, it can also reduce outside noise, making it a perfect addition to your bedroom or your home office. With all the features available, it’s definitely the best roller shades on our list.
What kind of window blinds are best?
Popular options include Roman blinds, Venetian blinds and roller blinds. Roman blinds do wonders for your overall home design while roller blinds usually block light. Venetian blinds on the other hand are great for those who want greater control of how much light gets into the room. That said, before picking the type of blinds, you should decide why you need them.
Which blinds are the most energy-efficient?
Cellular shades or honeycomb shades are the most energy-efficient option. They trap air around your windows to keep your room warm during winter and cool during the summer. This option comes in a variety of shades and colors making it easy to install in any type of home.
Which window blinds get our top vote?
All of the shades and blinds on our list are great for a variety of different reasons. That said, if we had to narrow down our options, these two stand out from the rest:
Levolor Blackout Cellular Shades: With a variety of colors and shades to choose from and its great insulation features, we’re a fan of these blackout cellular shades from Levolor.
Linen Light Filtering Polyester Fabric Cordless Smart Roller Shades: Not only does it operate quietly but it’s also voice-control and remote control operated. It’s the best smart blinds on our list.
Have you decided on which blinds to go for? Start shopping now!
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Prices updated on 01/24/2024. We are not responsible for any changes to the prices mentioned above.
Written by
Afina Najib
A journalism graduate from Curtin University, Afina Najib specializes in writing tech, finance, automotive and wellness content. Now residing in Kuala Lumpur, Afina spends her weekends hitting the gym or watching Formula 1 races.
Specialized topics
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