Blinds or Drapes

[SarahFair]

Ive almost finished the window in my son's room.

He had Roman shades from the previous homeowner, but since restoring the window they dont fit anymore.

His room gets really cold during the winter. Some of it is because the installation wasn't properly installed under the floor with long enough wires and had fallen out, gotten torn up, extremely dirty, and thrown out, but the windows aren't helping either.

My husband said he wanted blinds, but Im thinking heavy drapes would be better to keep the cold out for winter..
We use the clear film in the winter, but I've had it leave behind the yellow glue, rip off paint, etc so I try and only leave it to as few windows as I can.

Blinds for the room are going to be around $350, and probably about the same for drapes, call me cheap, but I dont want to spend $600-$700 on window dressings for one room

Plus, my thinking is, blinds only really offer privacy, drapes will offer privacy and help with keeping the cold out, but I've never really had heavy drapes before, just your more decorative thin ones.


Anyone have experience or input?
Pros and cons for blinds?
Pros and cons for drapes?

[Gothichome]

Sara, the traditional way to stop window drafts and and the such is heavy lined curtains. During Victorians times homes often had two sets of curtains, a summer and winter set.

[SarahFair]

Sara, the traditional way to stop window drafts and and the such is heavy lined curtains. During Victorians times homes often had two sets of curtains, a summer and winter set.

Thanks! I'll start looking for curtains!
I'll also have to look into summer vs winter sets, I never knew that information!

[1918ColonialRevival]

Heavy drapes do a good job of blocking the drafts - if the window is where the draft is coming from! If it's coming through a wall or from underneath a floor, the drapes won't get you anything there. Also, the only downside to heavy drapes is they tend to be dust magnets. You have to vacuum them every couple of weeks or so, especially if anyone in the house has allergies.

An alternative to heavy drapes would be a roll-up window shade, complemented by a set of drapes only not as heavy. That's what I have on several of the windows I haven't restored yet and it does a good job in the winter.