Article Directory :: Home & Family Articles

Blinds Have Practical And Decorative Purposes

By Adrianna Noton

Republish: EasyPublish™ Published: 02Mar2012 Word count: 580 Viewed: 27 time(s) Get Free Content For Your Site

Blind is a very Old English word that has at least twenty ways in which it may be used. In its most common form it is an adjective describing a person who cannot see. Another common meaning is to name devices that keep light that is too bright from the interior of houses. The houses would themselves seem blind if they did not have windows to let in the light and blinds to moderate it.

The use of glass in windows is probably quite a recent practice when compared with the use of blinds to protect people within houses from what goes on outside. Glass in windows is quite a recent innovation in Europe and shades were used in the Roman Empire before glass. Probably, screens were used in China well before they were in the West.

It would seem that screens made of paper, silk and other fabrics were probably used in the higher echelons of society and that various bamboo designs served widely elsewhere as means of moderating the interiors of homes. Bamboo is an excellent natural material and is still popular since it is hollow and light. With contemporary preferences for natural and environmentally friendly materials bamboo is having something of a resurgence in popularity.

A distinction between curtains and shades is that curtains are usually translucent, allowing some light through them. However, blind slats are opaque and admit light only through the spaces that are left between them. In both cases the coverings are flexible so that they can be parted slightly to spy what is going on outside. However, it is probably true to say that curtains are easier to manage and therefore used in more situations in a home.

A blind can be manipulated, usually by strings or cords that allow the slats to be tilted one way or another to increase or lessen the amount of light admitted. Electric motors can be used in the case of big sets so that they can be moved or are adjusted with a button, making them something of a toy that can be played with.

The term Venetian is applied to thin horizontal slats made of various materials. They may be wood, plastic or metal but are usually narrow and adjustable. They can be drawn up altogether or tilted to allow more or less light in. A Venetian blind can be used to shield quite large expanses of window. Often they are used in offices in place of curtains which can deteriorate quite fast. They can be useful in preventing hot beams of sunlight damaging office equipment.

Many people prefer vertical slats which can become part of the interior design of a room. Each unit of the set can have part of a design on it. When the slats are closed at night the decorative design becomes part of the room decor. Vertical slats are often fashioned in the ways that Romans used them.

These features have very practical functions in a building as they are used to regulate temperature, light and visibility. However, their functional character can be complemented by aesthetic effects if they are colorful or attractively textured., The texture of a set of shades can in some instances be used to alter the appearance of a wall or set of wide windows. In other cases they can cover up a small and mean looking window changing it from a ventilation eye into an attractive feature.

EasyPublish™ this article - publishers click here

More articles by Adrianna Noton

Free Report!
Ten Essential Secrets Of Article Marketing ... Grab Your Free
Copy Now:

Need Content?
Regular Top Quality Content for your Blog, Ezine or Website ...
Delivered Direct,
For Free!
Click For Details