Faux wood, real wood, and vertical blinds

Choose faux wood for rooms with moisture or strong sun, and real wood for dry living spaces where you want grain and warmth. Faux wood blinds are poly composite, so they resist warping and fading in bathrooms, kitchens, laundry rooms, and high-sun windows. Real wood blinds use North American basswood with a stain range that shows the grain, which suits living rooms, bedrooms, and offices. A Golden West designer can recommend the right one for each window during your in-home consultation.

Faux wood blinds come in a 2 inch slat, the classic faux-wood profile. Real wood basswood blinds come in either a 2 inch or 2.5 inch slat. A wider slat shows more glass when the blind is open and gives a cleaner look on larger windows, while a 2 inch slat suits smaller or standard openings. Note these are blind slat sizes, which are different from our shutter louvers, which come in 2.5 inch and 3.5 inch.

Wipe faux wood blinds with a damp cloth, since the poly composite surface handles water without warping or spotting. For real wood blinds, use a dry cloth or duster to avoid moisture on the basswood. Vertical blinds dust easily by hand, and if one vane is damaged you can replace that single vane instead of the whole unit. No special cleaners are needed for any of them.

Choose blinds for budget-friendly light control and a softer look, and shutters for a built-in, permanent fixture that adds more insulation and home value. Blinds use horizontal slats or vertical vanes that lift or draw aside, while shutters mount in a frame with tilting louvers. Both come from Golden West and are measured and installed by our own crew. Many Orange County homeowners mix the two, using shutters in main living rooms and blinds in secondary spaces.

Vertical blinds are the best fit for sliding patio doors, floor-to-ceiling glass, and wide windows. The vanes draw to the side instead of stacking at the top, so they clear large openings without sagging the way a long horizontal slat would. You can tilt the vanes for light control or draw them fully open for door access. Vanes come in fabric, vinyl, and faux wood, and single vanes can be replaced if one is damaged.