Varieties
Persian, or slat
Venetian blind detail, showing how slats are connected.
The most common window blinds are slat blinds, which consist of many horizontal slats, usually of metal or vinyl, connected with string in a way that they can be rotated to allow light to pass between the slats, rotated up to about 170 degrees to hide the light, or pulled up so that the entire window is clear. Vertical blinds consist of slats of stiffened fabric, plastic, or metal hanging by one end from a track; like the horizontal versions, the slats can be rotated 90 degrees to allow light to pass through or to fold up on one side of a door or window. Vertical blinds are very good at controlling how much natural or exterior light comes into a room, due to the ability of the slats to close tightly.
Venetian
A Venetian blind has horizontal slats, one above another. They are suspended by strips of cloth called tapes, or by cords, by which all slats in unison can be rotated through nearly 180 degrees. The slats can be rotated such that they overlap with one side facing inward and then in the opposite direction such that they overlap with the other side facing inward. Between those extremes, various degrees of separation may be effected between the slats by varying the rotation. There are also lift cords passing through slots in each slat. When these cords are pulled, the bottom of the blind moves upward causing the lowest slats to press the underside of the next highest slat as the blind is raised. A modern variation of the lift cords combines them with the rotational cords in slots on the two edges of each slat. This avoids the slots otherwise required to allow a slat to rotate despite a lift cord passing through it, thus decreasing the amount of light passing through a closed blind. Slat width can be between 16-120 mm, with 50 mm being a common width.
Venetian blinds are basic slatted blinds made of metal or plastic; wooden slats are sometimes used but these are usually referred to as wood blinds or bamboo blinds. Venetian blinds were patented by Edward Beran in London on 11 December 1769, but in reality Venetian blinds were invented by the French long before then. The early history of the Venetian blind is conjectural. The early Venetians, who were great traders, are thought to have brought the idea of the blind from Persia to Venice. The Venetian slaves, once freed, are then thought to have brought the blind to France for personal comfort and as a means of livelihood. The French name for Venetian blinds is "persiennes." In 1761 St. Peter Church in Philadelphia was fitted with Venetian blinds. The first pioneer of the Venetian blind in the future US was John Webster of London who advertised his wares in 1767. Venetian blinds then appeared in the 1787 painting by J. L. Gerome Ferris, entitled "The Visit of Paul Jones to the Constitutional Convention." Other illustrations show Venetian blinds at Independence Hall in Philadelphia at the time of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Venetian blinds were widely adopted in office buildings to regulate light and air. A large modern complex in the US that adopted Venetian blinds was Rockefeller Center RCA Building (better known as the Radio City building) in New York City, completed in the 1930s. One of the largest orders for Venetian blinds ever placed was to the Burlington Venetian Blind Co., of Burlington, Vt., which supplied blinds for the windows of the Empire State Building in New York City.
Pleated blind
Vertical
Unlike horizontal blinds, vertical blinds are less likely to be damaged in strong winds and to hold dirt, but are more likely to break down. Generally they require less muscle strength, and are faster to operate.
Stationary vertical blinds are hung in the doorways of some homes and businesses which generally leave the door open. Movement of the blind may signal a change in air flow, or someone entering the doorway. More commonly however, these vertical blinds are made of thick plastic. In the cold rooms of food businesses, this slows the heat leakage into the cold room. In warmer climates, vertical blinds discourage flies and some other insects from entering the building.
Cellular shades
Cellular Shades also know as Honeycomb Blinds get their name from their shape which are made individual cells glued together. From the side, it has the look of a honeycomb. Cellular shades are very energy efficient shades. They get their energy efficiency from the pockets of air that the cells create. Cellular shades come in light filtering fabrics as well as room darkening fabrics. There are several configurations these shades come in: standard corded, continuous cord loop, top down/bottom up, and top down only. Cellular shades are know as a softer alternative to Wood blinds (Venetian blinds).
Others
Other variety of window blinds include mini blinds (Venetian blinds with very narrow slats 1"(usually 25 mm wide), micro blinds 1/2"(usually 12 mm wide), louvers, jalousies, brise soleil, Holland blinds, pleated blinds, honeycomb blinds (similar to pleated shades except that there are two or more layers joined at the pleats to form compartments that trap air, providing insulation), Roman shades, and roller shades.
Materials
A window blind is a means of screening a window, achieving similar results to those obtained by fitting curtains. Blinds are typically the same width and height as the window itself or slightly wider and taller - depending on whether they are fixed inside or outside the window's reveal (i.e. the wall recess within which the window itself is fixed).
Window blinds have varying thermal effects: they can block unwanted heat of the summer sun and they can keep in heat in cold weather. But in both of these applications, they also reduce light to varying degrees, depending on the design. Many kinds of blinds attempt varying balances of privacy and shade. Blinds can be made of a number of different materials and manufactured in a number of different ways. This usually determines the name by which the blind is commonly known.
Fabric
Blinds made of fabric can either roll up around a metal batten (roller blinds), fold up thanks to a thin cord and small horizontal slats (Roman blind), folding blinds with no horizontal slats create a less structured look (Austrian blinds).
Wood
Wood blinds on an outside window.
Wooden blinds are generally known as Venetian blinds. A number of horizontal wooden slats are joined together by corded pulleys which can either gather all the slats at the top of the window to reveal the view or simply angle the slats while allowing some light to travel through the blind yet retaining some level of privacy. Wooden blinds come in a number of finishes (determined by the type of wood used, which ranges from painted to most types of solid oak varieties) and sizes (determined by the width of each slat which is usually available in one of three widths - 25 mm, 35 mm or 50 mm). Wooden Venetian blinds are also available as vertical blinds. These are usually made up of wider slats and operate in virtually the same way as their horizontal counterparts (i.e. instead of being drawn upwards to reveal the window, the draw to one side gathering in a vertical bunch).
Pinoleum blinds are made up of small wooden twigs laid horizontally which are joined together by vertical threading. The resulting weave is, as a result, only flexible vertically and can be drawn upwards once manufactured as a roller blind or in a similar fashion to a Venetian blind. Conservatory blinds are often made with Pinoleum.[citation needed] Drawings in ancient Egyptian tombs of reed blinds have been reported[who?] and a common window blind during the 1800 is said to have been the home-made roller shade, a shade that has been underestimated.
Faux wood
Faux wood blinds are an alternative to real wood blinds. Made of a composite of man-made materials and natural wood particles, faux wood is also a less expensive choice than natural wood. These blinds have become more popular as the products have matured, becoming cheaper and more versatile at the same time offering more of a natural wood look. Current faux wood blinds are more warp resistant than ever before, have UV ratings as high as 500 and come in many colors that would be hard to find in natural wood blinds. Because of their resistance to warping, faux wood window blinds are a great choice for areas of extreme temperature swings. They are also the ideal choice for places with high moisture, such as bathrooms and kitchens, since they do not warp as easily as natural wood.
Other materials
Venetian blinds, both horizontal and vertical, are available in a number of man-made materials (either resembling wood or metal or simply plastic). These are better suited to areas where moisture or direct contact with water is likely to cause a problem, such as bathrooms and kitchens. These blinds are often available with micro slats (as small as 16 mm or less). The result of smaller slats is that more have to be used to obscure the window completely. Conservatory blinds (i.e. ceiling fixed via a number of horizontal pulleys) are often made of man-made materials.
Automobile blinds
Australian Holden Kingswood with accessory venetians and spats.
Some vehicles include or are retrofitted with sun blinds for rear and rear side windows. See also car glass. These blinds are used to protect the vehicle and the passengers from direct sunlight. The rays of the sun can damage the interior of most vehicles over time.[citation needed] Blinds on the side windows can be important for protecting adults and especially infants. Car window blinds are usually mounted with brackets and are easy to install or remove.[citation needed]
Car shades are another common way to protect the vehicle. The shades for the rear and front windows are designed to be unfolded and sit against the window. They can be made of plastic or cardboard. The shades that go on the side windows of a vehicle are usually attached using suction cups or using static cling.
Solid fabric and slat car blinds have given way to cheaper and more flexible, folding wire-framed "dark-stocking" synthetic blinds. These are used where the car owner has not dark-tinted the glass of the car windows enough. or during the day, wishing to have more privacy.
Brands
There are many Window Furnishing Companies across the world. The largest is Hunter Douglas (Luxaflex) with operations across the US, Europe and Australia. Other specialist suppliers include:
Levolor
Silent Gliss
Vertilux
Helioscreen
Maxim
Markilux
Design Blinds
EcoSystem
Gallery
Some Window Blinds
Close-up of a track blind
Track Blind
Close-up of a pleated shade
Blind with horizonal slats
Detail of turning rod (blind stick) attachment on miniblind
A roller blind on a door
See also
Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Window blind
Window shutter
Curtain
Domotics
Mini blind
Sudare
References
^ The History Channel
^ "Venetian Blinds," by Thomas French, Thomas French and Sons Limited, England 1941
^ "--and in the Empire State Building," advertisement for Burlington Venetian Blind Co., in American Architect and Architecture, Jan. 1932, p. 93.
^ Http://www.bestblindsonline.com/CellularHoneycomb-C23.aspx
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