Contemporary Alternatives to Vertical Blinds

Q: My husband and I recently purchased a gorgeous home with long windows that attach to a sliding glass door in the back. We definitely need privacy, but I don't want to block all the light. And I want something more modern than traditional vinyl but not as conservative as some fabric covered vertical blinds.

A: You should consider cellular vertical shades! They're an elegant and sleek alternative to traditional vertical blinds and eliminate the look and sound of conventional hanging blades.

Cellular blinds are unique in their ability to expand and contract as you open or shut them across your windows. Their special design traps air between panels of dark or translucent fabric, providing exceptional light filtration and privacy while simultaneously insulating your home against unnecessary heat gain and loss. And, much like their horizontal counterparts, cellular vertical blinds come in a wide range of colors hat can match any décor.

And, since you have a long window, you can match the shades to one another and can coordinate them with other windows, too!

Contemporary Vertical Alternatives

Q: I've heard that there are alternatives available to typical vertical shades and I'd like to know more about them. I'm hoping to find something other than conventional vertical blinds since my home is more contemporary. Can you help?

A: Of course! The most popular vertical blind alternatives are composed of cellular shades. Vertical cellular shades are comprised of pleated sheets rather than traditional vanes and provide a more contemporary and modern look to large windows and sliding glass doors. And vertical cellular shades come in a variety of colors and opacities which gives you even more control over the light in your home.

Much like traditional cellular shades (or honeycomb shades as they're sometimes called), vertical cellulars are made of rows of air pockets that expand as you pull the shade closed. These unique pockets, or cells, create an insulating layer between your home and the window, providing an energy efficient yet contemporary look to your windows.

Vane Styles for Vertical Shades

Q: I'm looking to get vertical blinds for my big bay window and want to know what my options are. Can you tell me the different vane styles available for vertical blinds? Thanks

A: Most vertical blinds are available as PVC, fabric, and some combination of the two. PVC vanes, much like their vinyl cousins, are rigid, block the light, and often cause a little noise when jostled. They're easy to maintain, however, and come in all sorts of colors.

Weighted fabric vanes also come in a wide variety of colors and textures and are a very quiet alternative to straight PVC. Based on your choice in fabric, you can get a room-darkening vertical blind or a light-filtering set. The best feature of fabric vanes is that they're very soft on both the eyes and the ears.

While straight PVC vanes are rigid and can resemble traditional vinyl vanes, you can certainly mix a rigid center with a textured fabric outer layer to get the best in privacy, light control, and style. These vertical shades combine the best of both features!

Vertical Shade Alternatives

Q: I need vertical shades for a large front window in my home and wanted to know if there were any other types of vertical blinds besides traditional slats.

A: Yes, in recent years, blind manufacturers have come up with incredibly fashionable alternatives to conventional vertical blinds. Sheer verticals, cellular, and sheerweave are the most common among them.

Sheer vertical blinds have been around for years and mimic the same soft appeal of sheer horizontal shades. These unique blinds provide both privacy and light filtering capabilities and give you soft aesthetics, too.

Cellular shades, those unique shades that trap air when in use, are now available as vertical shades! They're best known for their sleek design and energy-saving capabilities, helping you insulate your room against excess cold or heat while giving you a simple yet functional shade.

There are also sheerweave and solar shades that are available as vertical shades. These shades give you all the view while still blocking harsh sunlight. They're another great alternatives to traditional verticals if you're looking for a more contemporary or low-profile design.

Sheer Vertical Shades – Another Alternative to Vinyl

Q: I saw your blog on alternatives to traditional vinyl vertical blinds and was wondering if there were any other options along the same line. I'm hoping to find something with vertical slats but not weighted fabric.

A: You might want to try Sheer Vertical Shades. These shades are just like sheer horizontal shades but work like vertical blinds. The wonderful thing about sheer verticals is that you can have diffused light and total privacy all with one blind! The opaque fabric vanes hang between sheer sheets of fabric so if you tilt the vanes open you get light diffused through the sheer fabric. Close the vanes and you get additional light control and improved privacy.

Sheer vertical blinds come in a wide range of colors, too, so it's easy to find something that matches your rooms. You can even order options that let you either pull all the vanes to one side or split them down the middle. These are a great, soft, versatile alternative to traditional vinyl.

Vertical Blinds: Alternatives to Vinyl

Q: I like the look of slats with traditional vinyl vertical blinds but really don't like vinyl. What other options are available?

A: Vinyl blinds used to be the norm, but now fabric and combination vertical blinds are far more popular than their predecessor. If you go with fabric vertical blinds then you have the option of having light filtering blinds that can really give an elegant accent to any room. They're soft, too, which means that they move much like drapes but still have the form and function of vertical blinds. They're less noisy, too!

If you still want the room-darkening traits of vinyl but with a more stylish look, go with fabric verticals with pvc inserts. They'll be rigid and give you more light control but still cut down on noise. You can get these (and regular fabric verticals) in lots of different styles, colors and textures, giving you even greater versatility when it comes to decorating your home!

Light Filtering Vertical Blinds

Q: Hi, I wanted to know if there were vertical blinds available that also had light filtering qualities. I need to block light, too, but also wanted ones that would diffuse bright light on occasion. Any suggestions?

A: Great question! It sounds like you're looking for sheer verticals shades. You may have heard of sheer horizontal shades that have a combination of opaque and light filtering fabrics that both block and diffuse light depending on how you tilt the slats. Sheer vertical shades use the same principal: Suspended opaque vanes help block the light but, when you tilt them open, light is diffused through sheer fabric.

Personally, I love the versatility of these blinds. You can block light to darken the room, tilt the vanes open to bring soft light in, or open them completely to give you even more light. The fabric and color options also give a nice soft look to your room, which is especially important if you're hoping to use them for a bedroom or den.