When we wrote about the new Bali blinds models for the summer of 2009, we were admiring the Bali Diffusion 2″ Glass Essence blinds as being extremely decorative and functional. Since then, many readers asked us to provide a more detailed review of these window treatments, and that’s exactly what I’m going to do in this article.

So, Glass Essence is not really glass, but embossed acrylic, which has the main advantage of offering a good level of privacy while allowing the light to enter the room. As natural light intensity changes, the light in the room will also change,  creating interesting effects. The energy efficiency of these window blinds is good, but one shouldn’t count on it to insulate older models of windows with single panes made of glass which isn’t the LowE we’ve got used to in the case of modern windows.

Bali Diffusion blinds are available in solid colors or in patterns that help creating a unique atmosphere. These patterns are really beautiful and creative, from the very discrete Filament Golden Streak, Filament Grass Streak or Filament Grey Streak, to the artistic Flare Licorice whips, Flare Stout or Flare White Wave. The Scroll series of patterns is also a good choice, mostly if the room decoration is rather simple. The most attractive, however, are the Stained Glass imitations: Stained Glass Craft, Harvest and Plum Mist.  Samples are available for free.

Bali Diffusion blinds are available with four types of tilt: ControlMate remote control tilt system, cord tilt, wand tilt or ring tilt. The double slat valance is discrete and simple, so it can easily pass unnoticed.

In case you need such blinds for bay windows, it is possible to have them butted together for creating continuity. Cut-outs are also possible, as well as installing multiple blinds on the same headrail, for wide windows or patio doors. Customized blinds can fit sidelight windows, so you can cover even narrow openings without any problem.

The maintenance of Bali Diffusion Glass Essence blinds is easy, but they call for regular vacuuming, if you want them to look like new for a long time. These blinds can be immersed in water, but it’s not advisable to use strong detergents. Dry cleaning is not recommended either.

Thanks to latest technologies and mass production, you can now buy cheap mini blinds for your windows without having to take loans or save money in order to afford them. Mini blinds are those horizontal blinds featuring narrower slats, usually 1” or even ½”. They are also known as Venetian blinds.

Cheap mini blinds are available at almost all window treatments companies such as Hunter Douglas, Bali, Levolor, 3 Day Blinds or Gruber. I suppose that you can find some on eBay or in comparison shopping malls online. Of course, nobody should expect top notch quality and latest state-of-the-art safety features or automation, but for the basic needs of privacy and light filtering, most people can now have a beautiful home with windows that look good and are functional. I’ve discussed this in one of the previous articles, with examples of how cheap one can find such window coverings in case they are willing to invest some time in smart shopping.

Most cheap mini blinds models are made either of vinyl or aluminum, colored according to the customer’s preference. The colors spectrum is not as large as in case of premium blinds, but you can have several shades of white or cream, two-three types of brown and even black. Their slats are curved, for offering more strength and flexibility.

Some people may say that cheap mini blinds are only a temporary solution to cover your windows, until you can afford to buy some better ones. I’d argue by telling them that I’ve got these aluminum cheap mini blinds in my home since 8 years ago and they are still looking as good as in the first day. The only maintenance is dusting the slats every other day and cleaning them with a damp cloth every two months or so. The only thing that’s looking like old are the wands that rotate the slats. In the beginning they were transparent, but they turned to yellow and it seems that they are going to be brown soon. Probably I could replace them with new ones with very little money.

Believe me, if I’d need to buy new window treatments today, I’d still go for such cheap mini blinds and be happy.