Most of us are familiar with Roller blinds, those difficult to clean, laterally slatted strips of plastic with their annoying dangling cords that constantly seem to be caught up in a tangle. There is nothing that makes a room look messier than venetian blinds that are hanging in a crooked or haphazard manner. Thankfully, venetian blind manufacturers are making this type of window shade more functional, more attractive and easier to clean. If they are crooked then the strings will not act as properly as pulleys and create an askew effect. No matter how stylish your venetian blinds are, they are not beautiful if they don’t work.

However even if you are going for a retro look then you are much better off to choose Venetian blinds that are made out of anodized aluminum or painted silver. The most boring Venetian blinds that you could buy would be the nineties all black kind with narrow slats or the industrial looking cream colored ones that have decorated every institutional window treatment for over a century. Some of the newer neon colors look good with retro sixties and seventies designs, as do metallic bronze, Roller blinds. Instead of white or black blinds for an all wood office you can now have rich looking blinds that are textured like leather and come in dark shades of olive, burgundy or brown. Spare industrial spaces, particularly offices, also look more sleek and modern with venetian blinds in colors such as cherry red or celadon.

Unfortunately many of these floor to ceiling vertical Venetian blinds are difficult to replace with more fashionable blinds with horizontal slats. In this case you might consider concealing them with drapes or sheers when they are not being used to filter light. Roller blinds are also very eighties and not really in style although admittedly they do have some functionality when used to cover small or box shaped windows that are commonly found in bathrooms. Nowadays you can mitigate the old-fashioned look of the mini blinds by buying ones in a vibrant color. These blinds reveal an image when they are shut. Natural light is optimal light. To achieve good natural light control during the day, hang a flexible window treatment that provides privacy but let in maximum daylight. The same goes for blades turned upward, downstairs neighbors may be able to peer in. Another option is to install a classic Roller blinds; it disappears behind a valance when rolled up to let in the light.