Choosing the right blinds for your home depends on your decorating scheme, your lighting needs and how much maintenance you want to take on. Wood window blinds give you a free hand with your home décor because they go with any type of furniture, any wall color and if you like wallpaper they will fit in there, too. These blinds will give a rustic room an authentic air of comfort but also go well with minimalist, modern, Asian, French, antique or any other type of decorating scheme.

If you choose to have your blinds made of natural wood they will be beautiful but you will have to be sure to keep them clean and dust free. Once dust settles into the grain of the wood they will begin to look dingy. Many wooden blinds are made with a protective finish of polyurethane or other durable coating that is easy to clean and protects the wood.

Faux wood window blinds combine natural wood particles and man-made materials. These are less expensive than blinds made of real wood but they can also be more durable. They clean up easily with soap and water and don’t attract dust and dirt as much as natural wood. They are also warp resistant, a real advantage when dressing windows in high-moisture areas such as kitchens and bathrooms. Because they are made of composite materials, the better blinds are permeated with color that isn’t just applied to the finish. That means that if for some reason a slat is chipped, it will be difficult to notice. And since blinds made of faux wood are warp resistant, they are also ideal for climates with extreme temperatures.

Wood window blinds made of natural woods come in just about any type of stain you want. Natural with a protective coat or stained light, dark or in-between, natural wood brings warmth to a room that is difficult to duplicate in other window treatments. Faux wood, on the other hand, can be made to look exactly like its natural counterpart or you can get them in practically any color you would like.

You can use these blinds to filter the light or draw them all the way up for a wide open look. Some people prefer to have drapes, curtains or sheers in addition to blinds but windows are beautiful even without extra coverings when you decorate with wood window blinds. There is also the added advantage of their insulating effects when the blinds are fully closed.