Many consumers wish to seem informed before they go to make a major purchase. Learning about a computer to avoid being ?slicked? by a clever salesperson is one such example. The same applies for home furnishings, particularly window treatments and blinds. To enter a store and have a smart cracking salesperson find out that you know nothing about blinds, well- this is a potential nightmare. Imagine that you are only willing to spend a basic sum on your blinds, and the salesperson steers you to another model, using your ignorance of window treatments against you.

We have heard of occasions where a client enters a blinds store looking to buy elegant and expensive treatments, and an unsophisticated sales person, afraid of losing a sale for price, greets the customer and promptly promotes low cost generic blinds. Other times, a sales person may lose a sale, and leave a frustrated client, when the sales person pushes blinds that are outside the financial reach of the customer. Using the information found here, a customer may be properly educated and satisfied in a search for blinds.

Most blinds are called by the name that describes what they are. Let's take a little time to learn about these different names. In other articles, we will discuss how to use them, and the benefits of each kind.

Horizontal blinds have slats that are horizontal, or side to side. These horizontal blinds come in several varieties, and the names for these are usually based on the material from which they are manufactured. When made from metal, they are usually made from aluminum these days, so these can be called aluminum blinds. (These were traditionally called venetian blinds, and this name is still used in the blinds industry.) Other types of horizontal blinds are made from wood, so these are called wood blinds. There are also fake, or faux wood products used in horizontal blinds, and these are called faux wood blinds. Some people choose basic plastic slat material for their blinds, and this material is correctly called PVC, so these are called PVC horizontal blinds.

Blinds where the material runs up and down are called verticals, or vertical blinds. There are a few material options for verticals, and that s where they get their names. Fabric verticals are made from fabrics, PVC vertical blinds are made from PVC or plastic, and wood hanging, although very rare, would be called wood vertical blinds. Some traditionalists may want their blinds made from metal, or aluminum, and you can see where this name game is going. Look at the material for an indication of the name, but you cannot expect the blinds materials to indicate price. Plastic blinds have increased in price so much recently, they are more expensive than may fabric vertical blinds.

Some variations may require a little more exploration. What makes a mini, a micro, or a regular venetian blind? Well, venetian blinds, which used to be of wood, are two inches in depth, and use cloth lift tapes. Mini blinds are 1 inch in depth, and are from aluminum. Micro blinds are about half an inch, from aluminum, and, like minis, use braided thread lift ladder strings.

The prior listed products are the most common and basic general blinds that are in the market. However, considering that in our market there re many kinds of windows, there need to be many more kinds of blinds. Some specialty blinds that you may come across are skylight, motorized and between the panes. We will discuss these types of blinds as it may help you.

Skylight blinds are just what you would think. These are blinds made for skylights. Usually these are small treatments, and often mini blinds, which use specialty control systems. Blinds in skylights need to be controlled differently than regular blinds.

When a level of automation is required, blinds that can be controlled with a remote control are called motorized blinds. Other names within this are home automation systems, remote controls, receiver, and of course, the type of blinds.

With double paned windows, you have the advantage of better insulation for sound as well as temperature. However, you do not have an advantage of better light insulation. Quality made windows have the opportunity for blinds that take advantage. These are called between the panes treatments. These require controls from outside. The between the panes blinds usually do not have complete control, but they work well enough to be a product of choice.

Educating yourself about the correct names for the types of blinds in the stores or for sale on the websites will dramatically help you find what you are looking for. Ask for them by name, and ask about options or alternatives. You never know what you will see. The blinds industry has many innovative products coming our regularly.