The Versatility of Venetian Blinds

Venetian blinds were first brought to Venice and Paris from Persia in 1760, but because they became such an instant hit in Europe, most of the world has been referring to them as Venetian blinds ever since. Originally, all of these blinds were made from wood and were a popular way for upper class and nobility to control light and decorate their homes. They have even been featured in many paintings in the late 18th Century and beyond, including Edmund Charles Tarbell’s painting, “The Venetian Blind.”

Source: Flickr User Waferboard

Today, these blinds are not just for the noble. In fact, they are probably the most popular form of window covering in both homes and offices, largely due to their ease of installation and their ability to control both the amount of light coming into a room and the view. While wood is still a popular material to use in the manufacture of these blinds, aluminum, plastic, and faux wood are also commonly used allowing for the blinds to be used by people from nearly every economic situation.

How Blinds Function

The blinds are constructed using horizontal louvers of various widths (1”, 2” & 2 1/2”). They are attached to a head rail that is at the top of the window and held in place with cords. The blinds can be pulled up, causing the louvers to stack together at various points between the top and bottom of the window. When they are pulled down to cover the window, the angle of the individual louvers can be adjusted to let in some light from the outdoors, while still offering an acceptable privacy barrier.

Some blinds are manually controlled by a cord that pulls them up and down, and a wand that maneuvers the louvers to sit at the desired angle. Many modern designs either carefully encase manual controls to make them safer for children or pets, or automate their control.

Let us Install Your Blinds

Although some people install blinds in Simi Valley themselves, we suggest letting Arjay’s Window Fashions measure and install the blinds for you. After our Designers help you select your blinds, our factory trained technicians will measure each opening considering tolerances within a fraction of an inch to assure that everything lines up right. Our team will also help you decide whether the blinds should be installed over the window or recessed within the opening. The additional cost to have your blinds professionally installed is negligible when you consider the improved “fit and finish” over a do-it-yourself installation. There are many things to consider when selecting and installing blinds like: materials, child safety, privacy, sun control and control options. Why leave these important selections to chance when you can have professionals at Arjay’s help you along the way?

Source: Pixabay User HebiFot

Showing off the Style

While these types of blinds have always offered professionals decorative options, Designers are incorporating them more than ever into their designs. Wood blinds, can be constructed with rich woods such as cherry and mahogany or more rustic materials like knotty pine, oak or alder. They can also be treated to create a distressed or antiqued appearance. Blinds built from other materials are also available in a variety of colors and textures that will enhance any home’s decor; and because the size of the louvers can vary, this too allows our Designers more flexibility in creating something unique for each application.

In Southern California, due to our many clear-sky-days, the goal is to maintain privacy while at the same time controlling glare & heat gain. Since 1975, Arjay’s Window Fashions has been helping homes and business’s achieve this goal with style and precision by not only offering blinds and other window coverings, but also the expertise to install them correctly. Contact us to schedule a consultation to discuss which window treatments will work best for you.