Select Blinds is an online-only specialist that focuses on creating affordable, fully customizable window treatments with a DIY-friendly approach. In contrast, Home Depot is a big-box home improvement retailer that offers a vast range of both off-the-shelf and custom window coverings, with the advantage of in-person shopping and professional installation services.
Let's break down everything you need to know to choose the right retailer for your windows.
Select Blinds: The Custom Online Specialist
Select Blinds is a leading direct-to-consumer online retailer that focuses exclusively on blinds, shades, shutters, and curtains. Their business model is built around making custom window coverings accessible and affordable, empowering homeowners to achieve a perfect fit without the designer price tag. Their streamlined website makes it easy to order free samples, customize dimensions and features, and follow simple instructions for a DIY installation.
- Product mix: A comprehensive selection of custom window treatments including blinds (wood, faux wood, aluminum), shades (roller, cellular, zebra, Roman), shutters, and drapes. They also offer motorized options for smart home integration.
- Style/vibe: Designs typically lean modern, sleek, and minimalist, although classic options are available. The extensive customization allows you to create a tailored look that fits a variety of interior themes.
- Price point: Very competitive, particularly for custom sizes. Basic shades can start as low as $20, with frequent sales and promotions offering significant discounts.
- Fit & Sizing: This is their specialty. Every product is made-to-order based on your precise measurements, ensuring a perfect fit for any window, no matter the size or shape.
- Shopping experience: Exclusively online via their user-friendly website. They offer free samples, virtual consultations, and detailed guides to help you measure and order correctly.
- Delivery & Assembly: Products are shipped directly to your home. The brand focuses on DIY installation, providing clear, straightforward instructions for homeowners to follow.
- Return policy: Offers a satisfaction guarantee. Because items are custom-made, they have specific policies around fit and exchanges, so it's important to measure carefully.
- Sustainability: The company promotes eco-friendly manufacturing, uses sustainable fabrics in many products, and reduces waste through its online-only, made-to-order business model.
Select Blinds is ideal for the budget-conscious homeowner who values a perfect custom fit and is comfortable with a DIY, online-only shopping process.
Shop Select Blinds: selectblinds.com
Home Depot: The One-Stop Home Improvement Shop
Home Depot is a home improvement giant offering a massive array of products for any project, including a wide department for window treatments. You can find everything from inexpensive, ready-made vinyl blinds to high-end custom orders from major brands. Home Depot's key advantage is its physical retail presence, allowing you to see and touch products before you buy, and their option for professional measurement and installation services.
- Product mix: An enormous selection of blinds, shades, curtains, and shutters from in-house brands (like Home Decorators Collection) and third-party vendors. Offers both standard-sized, off-the-shelf products and fully custom solutions.
- Style/vibe: Caters to all tastes with a much broader variety of styles, including traditional, rustic, coastal, and transitional, in addition to modern designs.
- Price point: Covers the entire spectrum, from very cheap ready-made blinds under $15 to premium custom shutters costing thousands. Sale events like Memorial Day and Black Friday offer major savings.
- Quality: Varies significantly. You can find basic, functional options as well as high-quality, durable materials from premium brands. Quality is dependent on the specific product line you choose.
- Fit & Sizing: Offers both pre-made blinds in standard window sizes for quick projects, as well as a full custom-order service available online or in-store.
- Shopping experience: A true omnichannel experience. You can browse online or explore options in a physical store, speak with associates, and view displays.
- Delivery & Assembly: You can choose in-store pickup, direct shipping, or take items home the same day. Home Depot's major advantage is its professional installation service, which is ideal for those not comfortable with a DIY project.
- Return policy: Generally offers a generous 90-day return policy for most in-stock items. Custom orders, however, have stricter return limitations.
Home Depot is a great choice for shoppers who want the flexibility of in-store browsing, professional installation services, and a massive selection of both ready-made and custom options.
Shop Home Depot: homedepot.com
Select Blinds vs. Home Depot Comparison
Price Comparison
For custom window treatments, Select Blinds often has the edge on price. Their direct-to-consumer model and frequent promotions usually result in a lower cost for a made-to-order product. They consistently offer sitewide sales of 40-50% off.
However, if you're looking for the absolute cheapest option for a standard window, Home Depot's off-the-shelf, cut-to-width basic vinyl or faux wood blinds will almost always be less expensive. When it comes to custom orders at Home Depot, prices can be comparable to or higher than Select Blinds, especially for premium brands. The value at Home Depot comes from its wide price spectrum that accommodates any budget.
Style & Aesthetic
Select Blinds excels in modern, minimalist, and contemporary styles. Their offerings like zebra shades, cellular shades, and sleek roller shades are perfectly suited for today's interior design trends. The customization allows you to create a clean, high-end, tailored look that feels cohesive and intentional.
Home Depot, by contrast, offers a much more diverse catalog of styles. Whether your home is a traditional colonial, a rustic farmhouse, or a coastal cottage, you're likely to find something that fits. The ability to see fabric swatches and operating mechanisms in-store gives many buyers confidence in their stylistic choices.
Quality & Materials
Select Blinds maintains a consistent level of good-to-excellent quality across its product lines. Because they specialize in this one category, they focus on using durable fabrics, reliable mechanisms, and sturdy materials designed for longevity. Customer reviews are generally positive regarding the look and feel of their products for the price.
Quality at Home Depot is highly variable and brand-dependent. In-house brands like Home Decorators Collection offer great value, but the quality can range from entry-level, builder-grade vinyl blinds to premium, solid-wood shutters. Discerning the quality requires more research on the consumer's part by reading reviews and comparing different brands within the store.
Product Selection & Sizing
Select Blinds' entire business is built around providing custom sizes. Their digital tools make it easy to input specs for any window, ensuring a perfect fit that eliminates light gaps and looks professionally installed. Their key strength is making custom sizing the default, not an upgrade.
Home Depot's advantage is providing two distinct options: ready-made and custom. For standard windows in a rental property or a quick refresh, their in-stock products are unbeatable for convenience. Their custom program is also robust, but it's one of many services they offer rather than their sole focus.
Shopping Experience
The shopping experience is the biggest differentiator. Select Blinds offers a polished, efficient online journey. Ordering free samples is easy, their customization interface is intuitive, and resources for measuring are clear. It's designed for a confident online shopper.
Home Depot provides a tangible, in-person experience. You can operate display models, compare opacities against a light source, and get immediate advice from a store associate. This is invaluable for anyone who feels hesitant about making such a significant design decision sight-unseen.
Delivery & Installation
Select Blinds products are shipped to your door, and the end-user completes the installation. Their products are designed for straightforward DIY projects, and most homeowners with basic tools can complete the installation in under an hour per window. It's a great way to save money.
For anyone who doesn't own a drill or isn't comfortable on a stepladder, Home Depot's professional installation service is a game-changer. They can send a technician to measure your windows professionally and return to install the final product, guaranteeing a perfect fit and taking all the hassle out of the process. This added service comes with a cost but provides peace of mind for many.
Which One Should You Choose?
Both retailers offer great solutions for window treatments, but they cater to very different shopping preferences and project needs.
Choose Select Blinds if:
- You need custom-sized blinds, shades, or shutters for a perfect, tailored fit.
- You are a confident DIYer who is comfortable measuring and installing your own window treatments.
- You prefer a streamlined online shopping experience and using free mailed samples to decide on color and material.
- Getting the best possible price on custom products is your top priority.
Choose Home Depot if:
- You want to see, touch, and compare window treatments in a physical store before buying.
- You want professional measurement and installation services and prefer not to do it yourself.
- You need affordable, standard-sized blinds or shades for a quick project today.
- You value the convenience of buying window coverings alongside other home improvement supplies in one trip.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Select Blinds or Home Depot cheaper?
It depends on what you're buying. For custom-made-to-order window treatments, Select Blinds is often more affordable due to its online-only model and frequent sales. For standard-sized, off-the-shelf basic blinds, Home Depot is almost always cheaper.
Which company has better quality window treatments?
Select Blinds offers a consistent level of quality that customers find to be excellent for the price point. At Home Depot, the quality varies widely depending on the brand you choose - they carry everything from budget-friendly options to premium designer brands. You can find high quality at Home Depot, but it requires careful selection.
Can I get custom sizing at both stores?
Yes, both offer custom sizing. However, customization is the core business of Select Blinds, where every item is made to your exact measurements. At Home Depot, an extensive selection of standard sizes are available, with custom ordering offered as a separate service in-store or online.
Which is better for DIY installation?
Select Blinds is designed specifically for the DIY customer. Their products come with straightforward instructions and have numerous online guides and videos to assist with the process.
Does Home Depot install blinds?
Yes. This is a significant advantage of shopping with Home Depot. They offer professional measurement and installation services for a fee, which guarantees sizing accuracy and a hassle-free setup for customers who prefer not to DIY.
Can I see samples before I buy?
Yes, both retailers accommodate this. Select Blinds will mail you free fabric and material swatches directly to your home so you can see the colors and textures in your own space. At Home Depot, you can often see larger samples or even full-sized display products in the store.
Which is better if I need blinds right away?
Home Depot is the clear winner for immediate needs. Because they carry in-stock blinds in common sizes, you can walk in, buy them, and install them the very same day. Select Blinds are all made-to-order and have a production and shipping lead time.
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