Custom window blinds can be a great way to get the exact function and style you are looking for. Custom window blinds can also be an expensive undertaking. Here are my top 3 choices of where to order blinds online.
JustBlinds.com
JustBlinds offers a wide range of custom window treatments through their website. Horizontal blinds are available in faux wood, wood and aluminum. Shades styles available are cellular, pleated, roman, roller and woven wood shades. Vertical blinds in PVC or fabric and Plantation shutters in wood or faux wood are also available.
The JustBlinds custom window treatment web site has a clean layout and is easy to use. They offer some Bali and Shangri-La products while the majority of the products are non-branded. The greatest cost savings available is on the non-branded products. This can be a bit of a quandary since you cannot determine the quality of any product simply through a website. This can be overcome though by ordering free samples of the products you are considering. Click on the Free Samples tab and order samples of the products and in the colors you are considering.
During the ordering process, simulations of the available colors are displayed. At least for the products and colors I looked at, the color selector was obviously wrong. To verify the color and make certain it came as expected, I would order a sample.
HomeDepot.com
The Home Depot not only provides custom window treatments through their stores, but also through their website, HomeDepot.com. The website offers a wide variety of custom blinds and shades by Levolor, Bali, designview, and Hampton Bay. The pricing is slightly higher on HomeDepot.com than JustBlinds.com, but HomeDepot.com offers many more varieties of the branded shades and blinds. If you want to stay with a specific brand, HomeDepot.com most likely will be a better choice for you on which to order custom blinds or shades online.
The HomeDepot.com custom window treatment web site also has a clean layout and is fairly easy to use. To order sample swatches click the Order Free Swatches button in the navigation area across the top of the page.
Blinds4Cheap.com
Blinds4Cheap.com is a plain looking website offering cheap window treatments. Horizontal blinds are available in faux wood, three grades of wood and aluminum. Horizontal cellular shades are available, single and double cell, plus plantation shutters in wood or faux wood. All products are non-branded, with products from brands such as Bali or Levolor not available.
The ordering process is very straightforward, mainly due to the somewhat more limited product offering as compared to both JustBlinds.com and HomeDepot.com. There is no visible tab or link from which to order sample swatches, but I did find instructions on how to do this on the Contact Us page.
Comparing the 3 websites
To compare these three window treatment web sites, I selected the most similar product with the same options on each. My trial product was a 3/8″ double cell cellular blind, 32 1/8″ wide by 36 7/8″ long. At HomeDepot.com the product selected was a Bali Diamondcell and it priced out at $77.35 (* reflects a 15% off all blinds promotion). At JustBlinds.com the product was a non-branded Light Filtering Double Cell blind which priced out at $62.00. At Blinds4Cheap.com the product was a non-branded double cell blind which priced out at $57.77.
JustBlinds.com stands out over HomeDepot.com and Blinds4Cheap.com with its 30 Day Satisfaction Guarantee, even on custom products. Just be sure to follow all instructions carefully.
