Venetian blinds: real wood, faux wood and choosing a slat

Slats hang on ladders of cord or fabric tape. Turning the wand or cord tilts every slat together, from fully open to closed. Pulling the lift cord gathers them into a stack at the top. That gives two separate controls: angle for light and privacy, and height for how much window is covered.

It is the closest a blind comes to what a shutter does, which is why venetians are often chosen by people who like the shutter look but want a lower cost or a window where shutters would not fit.

Basswood is light, takes stain and paint well and has a natural grain. It belongs in dry rooms. Faux wood is a moulded material made to look like painted or stained timber; it will not warp in steam, which makes it the right choice in kitchens, bathrooms and utility rooms. Faux wood is heavier, so very wide windows are often split into two blinds.

Slat width changes both the look and the view.

• 25mm: neat on small or shallow windows and where space in the recess is limited.
• 35mm: a middle ground for average windows.
• 50mm: the most popular for wooden blinds, with fewer lines across the glass and the clearest view when open; it carries a small premium.

Cloth tapes run down the front of the slats and hide the cord holes, giving a softer, more tailored look and slightly better light block when closed. Plain cord ladders are cleaner and more minimal. It is purely a style choice, and one we show samples of on the survey.

A 50mm wooden venetian can look similar from across a room, but it is a blind: it lifts away completely, it costs far less, and it does not add the insulation of a framed shutter. Shutters stay fixed to the frame and are cord-free; venetians have lift cords, so in children's rooms we fit safety fixings or recommend a cordless alternative.

Studies and home offices are a natural fit, because tilting slats cut glare on a screen while keeping daylight. In living rooms a 50mm wooden venetian in a warm stain sits well with timber floors. In bedrooms they give privacy and dimming but not full blackout, since light passes between closed slats, so a blackout roller is better for light sleepers. Kitchens and bathrooms should have faux wood rather than real timber.

Dust closed slats with a soft brush or microfibre cloth, one face then the other. Faux wood can be wiped with warm soapy water; real wood should just be dusted or lightly damp-wiped.