One of the greatest ways to enhance your living space and quality of life through functional home décor is to invest in window blinds. But blinds have been around for decades, and there are hundreds of different styles made from all sorts of materials. To save yourself significant time, frustration, and money it pays to first educate yourself about which styles of blinds will suit your decorative and functional needs the best. That’s why an overview of some of the most popular styles that are currently trending is a helpful resource to simply the whole process. 

Versatility and Variety

Blinds are often recommended as a less costly window treatment when compared to curtains, but they offer many other features and advantages beyond just price. You can choose blinds that are designed to run vertically or the more common horizontal way. Some are cordless, others are corded, and these days many open and close automatically using electronics and even technology that is connected to Wi-Fi. Blinds are available in natural wood, in cloth fabric, and in manmade or synthetic materials – and come in a virtually unlimited number of colors. Mount them inside or outside of the window frame, and use them for both daylight and nighttime applications. Here is a list of some of the types of blinds that are destined to be best sellers this year, and are on the wish lists of both professional interior designers and homeowners shopping for trendy window coverings.

Smart Blinds are in Vogue

Smart blinds are an especially convenient and high-tech type of window covering that are especially popular in this day and age of Wi-Fi-connected home accessories. Not only do they come in a wide variety of beautiful designs and colors, but they also synch with your Smartphone through a special app. Whether you are in another part of your home, or are miles away at work or on vacation, you can activate these intelligent blinds using the app to open or close them. That provides all sorts of hassle-free versatility right at your fingertips.

Solar Blinds

Solar blinds and shades are another future-forward window covering technology trending in 2022. These blinds are made from a uniquely engineered kind of fabric that can help save energy in the warmer months by blocking excess heat from the sun. They can also counteract glare, and they offer excellent UV protection. That’s useful if you want to protect floors, artwork, or fabrics that may be vulnerable to fading after long exposure to harsh UV rays. Naturally, solar blinds are a great option for spaces like sun rooms, kitchens, and other spaces that are susceptible to lots of intense glare from the sun.

Zebra Shades

Zebra shades are another good type of blinds that deliver excellent control of light entering through windows, while also affording good privacy. They are called zebra shades because they are made from contrasting light or sheer material and darker, thicker, heavier material. Because of that combination, you can adjust them to suit your preference for differing degrees of light and darkness, all the way up to blackout light blocking. Some of the fabric lets lots of light in, while the alternating fabric blocks out light. Because the blinds feature both fabrics in the same set of blinds, you can adjust them to suit your preferences. The same settings can be used to offer the most insulation from heat or cold entering the window, or to allow less insulation – so you can adjust them depending on the season of the year and the angle of the sun. 

Classic Plantation Shutters

Plantation shutters are a more traditional and classic type of window blinds that work exceptionally well in a variety of settings and with a range of different decorative schemes. These resemble old fashioned wooden shutters but are updated as blinds and they come in both genuine wood and faux wood that resembles wood but is available at a much more budget-friendly price. Modern plantation shutters pair well with chic, modern, and urban home spaces. But they are also beautiful and appropriate for a more retro look and inside homes and offices with a more conservative style. Meanwhile, they are also a very popular option for home and office window coverings in virtually all kinds of decorative situations that run the gamut from minimalist and sleek to warm, casual, and even more formal styles. It’s no wonder that although classic plantation shutters have been around for many years, they continue to trend as one of the most often chosen and purchased blinds in 2022.

Roman Shades 

Roman shades are window covers made from rather lightweight fabric, they come in a wide range of colors, and they are controlled by a cord system that runs through a series of rings that are sewn into the Roman shade cloth in back, hidden from view. One of the features that people find very attractive about Roman shades is that they offer a very clean, tidy, smooth look. For those like people who work at night and need to sleep during daylight hours, and who need a blackout style of blind to completely block sunlight, Roman shades can be outfitted with a backing cloth that discreetly accomplishes that. 

Cellular or Honeycomb Blinds

Last but not least, you may want to check out the style of blinds known as cellular or honeycomb. They have a very light, breezy aesthetic and are made in many colors from lightweight paper or soft cloth fabric. Despite being lightweight, they can be used, if desired, to help block out sunlight and to help insulate a home for energy efficiency. They are available in corded and cordless versions, and you can also buy bottom-up style honeycomb blinds. Those can be raised from the bottom of the window, rather than lowered from the top. That feature makes bottom-up cellular blinds an ideal way to provide privacy halfway up the window, in settings such as bathrooms and bedrooms.