Need help with window treatment

Nana5 · ‎03-09-2010

Our bedroom has a big, long window with a smaller, long window on each side--so it's three separate windows but they are like one unit. We have a separate honeycomb fabric shade on each of the three windows, but the shades are getting very dirty and the strings that raise and lower them keep tearing and it's quite expensive to have them restrung. Therefore, we don't usually raise/lower the big center shade but that means we can't see out through the opaque fabric.

I'm considering mini blinds. They would provide privacy when closed and when they are tilted open, we could see the entire scene outside the window--which we want to see.

Are there other options? Does anyone have windows with mini blinds inside the glass? Do they hold up? What brand? I could only find one company that made them (Pella?) and some of the reviews didn't seem so great. Any suggestions will be welcome. TIA

Luv_My_Beagle · ‎10-11-2010

I have those built in blinds in a door that goes to the outside in our lower level. The door is from Lowes or Home Depot. They work pretty well but we don't often open and close the blinds.

The picture below is not exactly what you have, but maybe some variation of this would work for you unless you don't want curtains/drapes?

SHOPR · ‎04-17-2013

I like mini blinds for the privacy and I think they can look nice and neat, but for looks and the enjoyment of being able to see outdoors 100% unobstructed, I'd rather have nothing at all. ${#emotions_dlg.biggrin}$

One of my kitchen windows is rather large, 44" x 53", and I enjoy looking out at whatever is going on with birds, squirrels, etc. I tend to raise the mini blind, so that I don't have to look through the slats. I can see through the slats, but it seems they are never at the right angle to see whatever it is out there that I want to see. Make sense? The blind is a 1" wood blind, and it is pretty heavy to be raising and lowering all the time, and I'm afraid I am going to wear it out much quicker than the others by doing it. I keep the blind raised almost all the time at my kitchen sink, since it isn't a full length or large window.

We also have a large all glass picture window with side windows (built in 1950s) and I opted to use 3 separate 1" wood blinds on those windows, too. We ended up placing our TV right across the room from the windows, so the blinds there have to stay closed anytime we're watching TV. I do like being able to open them at other times, though. I usually do not raise the large center picture window blind, because it's really heavy. I just open them.

I hope you get some helpful responses. Smile

brii · ‎06-20-2010

I have floor to ceiling drapes in my bedroom. In the day, I open them and have a completely unobstructed view. They have a blackout liner, so the bedroom stays dark until I open them in the morning.

Mini blinds are hard to keep clean, IMO.

SHOPR · ‎04-17-2013

I agree with brii, my mini blinds are dust magnets it seems. That's a very good point.

Azcowgirl · ‎04-10-2012

I have a door to the outside with blinds in between the glass panels, and I love it. Ive never had any trouble with it. I don't know what brand it is.

151949 · ‎03-09-2010

I uised to have beautiful lace curtains on all my windows and I loved them but for privacy we had mini blinds on all the windows. They are the perfect solution for privacy and ease to open them and let in the view and the sunlight. However, no doubt about it - they are a bit of a PIA to care for. I would have to dust them every week and wash them twice a year. The up side - they were fairly easy to wash and came out nice. I would hang them across the top of the shower in our basement that had a hand held shower head - spray them with a soap / water solution and then rinse with the shower head and leave them hanging there to drip dry.