Choosing Between Hardwood or Faux Wood Blinds
Wood blinds and high-quality faux wood blinds create a classic, distinctive look in any room. Have you ever considered wood or faux wood blinds for your windows and doors?
Hardwood in particular is such a timeless, durable, beautiful medium to work with. Wooden toys are a perennial favourite with the little ones and solid wood furniture is revered for its quality and durability. Even wood and faux wood paneling is finding its way back into homes in small doses these days.
At Ruffell & Brown, we think of our high-quality wood and faux wood blinds as fine furniture for windows. They work beautifully with any décor scheme, due to a wide range of sizes and styles designed to match any interior decor. A timeless way to add warmth to your home, wood or faux wood blinds should not be overlooked when shopping for new window coverings.
In this post, we’re going to help make sense of the subtle differences between real wood and faux wood blinds, the special qualities of each and how they can add a whole new look and feel to your home’s interior.
Parkland Wood Window Blinds
Nothing can truly replace the organic beauty of hardwood – and blinds are no exception. Our Parkland Wood Blinds are custom designed to match your wood windowsills and trim for a harmonious look and feel.
Materials
100% real hardwood
Parkland Wood Blind Finishes
Choose from a wide array of finishes, including custom tones to match your home’s flooring, furniture and wood frames. Whites, greys, neutral, rich or rustic wood tones available.
Blind Sizes
Slat sizes- 2” or 2.5”
Width- 7 ¾” to 96”
Length- 12” to 200”
Pros of Real Wood Blinds
- Lighter, can be easier to operate
- Slats close tightly for superior light-blocking
- Do not transmit heat and provide excellent insulation
- Authentic wood provides a natural beauty that is hard to duplicate
- Can be customized with vertical cloth tapes to accent your décor
- Low maintenance upkeep. Dust with a clean dry cloth or feather duster for best results
- Custom blinds can add value to your home
- Can be paired with handcrafted Parkland Wood cornices
- Can be re-stained to match changing décor
Cons of Real Wood Blinds
- Can warp and discolor over time when exposed to excess sunlight
- Require sanding and re-staining if damage occurs
- Not a good fit in areas with heat, moisture and humidity
- Susceptible to water damage
Everwood Window Blinds
At Ruffell & Brown, we offer top of the line Everwood collection of alternative wood blinds. These newer faux wood designs are nearly identical to hardwood blinds. They easily stand up to full sun and humid, warm environments like kitchens and bathrooms, even saunas.
Materials
Made from modern composite wood material with a wood grain look, Everwood blinds are designed to closely mimic natural wood.
Everwood Faux Wood Blind Finishes
Choose from a wide array of finishes, including custom tones to match your home’s flooring, furniture and wood frames. Whites, greys, neutrals, rich or rustic tones available.
Sizes
Slat sizes- 2” or 2.5”
Width- 7 ¾” to 96”
Length- 12” to 200”
Pros of Faux Wood Blinds
- Stand up to harsh sunlight, humidity and moisture without warping or yellowing
- Lower cost than solid wood blinds
- Do not transmit heat
- Finish that mimics wood texture in a variety of tones
- Easy to maintain. Just dry dust and wipe clean with a damp cloth
- Custom blinds can add value to your home
- Can be customized with vertical cloth tapes to accent your décor
- The de-Lite feature removes the cord holes to block 50% more light
Cons of Faux Wood Blinds
- Can be heavier, not as easy to open and close manually, particularly with larger windows
- Thicker slats can create a larger “stack” when fully raised
- The slats cannot be re-stained or repainted
- Composite wood blinds cannot completely replicate the look and feel of real wood
Faux Wood and Hardwood Window Coverings are Both Excellent Options
As you can see, Parkland and Everwood blinds have plenty in common, with the main difference being the ability to change the colour and finish (Parkland wood) and the inability to totally replicate the look of genuine hardwood (Everwood).
Both natural wood blinds and composite wood blinds are excellent choices that have their areas of specialty. In fact, many of our happy customers prefer to mix the two throughout their homes. They might use faux wood in areas with heavier traffic, on higher windows and in humid areas and then choose real wood blinds for quieter spaces and areas where they want to have the look and feel of wood front and centre.
As a solution, you could choose to have real wood blinds installed in your bedroom and faux wood blinds installed in your ensuite. For more ideas for outfitting your bedroom with custom blinds, draperies, shades and shutters, take a look at our previous post about window coverings for your bedroom windows.
Modernize your Blinds with Automated Technology
Another thing that Parkland and Everwood blinds have in common is the ability to customize the blinds with a variety of manual and motorized lift options. We offer many innovative motorized and manual operating systems to match your needs and exceed your expectations. Our goal? To help you find the perfect window treatments for every room in your home.
Whichever you choose, at Ruffell & Brown, we stand behind all of our products. We provide only the finest quality hardwood and faux wood blinds, designed to emphasize the beauty of your home.
Wood blinds, faux wood blinds, honeycomb shades, custom draperies, shutters and more, you’ll find it all at Ruffell & Brown. Established in 1987, we are located near the heart of downtown Victoria, BC and are proud to be one of the largest independent decorating stores in Western Canada. Our wide selection, ability to customize to your exact needs, large showroom and free in-home decorating service makes it easy to coordinate your new window coverings with the rest of your home décor. Contact our experienced, trusted team of designers today to get started on your home decorating project. Visit us at 1-2745 Bridge Street, call (250) 384-1230 or send us an email.
