There are some things that you shouldn’t do in life, and combining curtains and nurseries certainly falls into this category. Once upon a time it was the “thing” to do, but now the alternatives are just so superior and mean that curtains in a nursery should be a distant memory.
Of course, let’s refresh our memory on why curtains in this room were once so popular. As we all know, during those initial months, sleep comes at a premium. Therefore, the ability to draw shut thick pieces of fabric was welcome for parents around the globe – for the simple reason they pretty much eradicated all forms of natural light and maximized the chances of a good nights’ sleep. This was particularly important for summer babies although in theory at least, every one benefited.
This philosophy hasn’t changed – shunning out light is still one of the primary goals of most parents. The thing that has changed is the way in which we do this, with blackout blinds now entering the picture. These boast the same qualities as curtains from a light-stopping sense, with the blinds able to just prevent sunlight from peeping through and hopefully keep your little one sound asleep for a few hours longer every week.
If it was just about light, curtains would still probably be in some nurseries. However, it’s not. There are several other considerations, with durability being a key factor as well. We all know that paint pots and all sorts of other messy objects go flying in a kid’s room – it’s just part and parcel about growing up. Unfortunately, when such mess comes into contact with curtains, they aren’t exactly constructed to deal with the repercussions. They are generally made up of fabrics which are bulky and just don’t repel spills. Admittedly, you can find lighter and more durable materials, but this usually forgoes the blackout element. In other words, it’s a lose-lose situation.
If we look at blinds on the other hand, these are fittings which can now be finished in all types of materials. PVC is one of the primary ones from a durability perspective, but vinyl is another and can again safeguard the window area in case of any spills. Liquids don’t soak into them and in short, the appearance of the room isn’t ruined.
Similarly, from maintenance perspective there’s only one winner. Curtains have to be hauled down, cleaned and re-hung in a process that can span days. Blinds, on the most part at least, are generally wiped clean. For busy mom and dad, this is an absolute godsend.
For the parents out there that still swear by nurseries, it might be possible to combine a “durable” set of curtains with blinds. However, in general at least, it would be fair to say that nursery blinds trump curtains in every way imaginable. They make everything during those initial months, and years, so much easier and that is something which every prospective parent should never underestimate.