Once upon a time, any material that had just been designed to mimic another was immediately cast aside. They were seen as a “poor man’s version” to the alternative and generally didn’t take to the market at all.

In the case of faux wood, at least in the window blinds market, this has proved to be an exception. While it is unlikely to ever dwarf the standard wood market, the popularity of faux wood blinds has risen to an extent that nobody could have ever predicted. They have become one of the most popular types in the industry and on the face of it, it’s no surprise why.

We all crave premium finishes in our home – whatever this focusses on. In relation to window treatments, the effects of a premium blind can just transform a room. For many years wood was one of the few materials that could achieve this, but this came at an extravagant cost that most homeowners felt could be better spent elsewhere.

Therefore, the invention of a product type which looks on first glance identical to real wood, but costs significantly cheaper, is the first and main reason these blinds have done so well. Unless you happen to be an expert in the industry, it’s almost impossible to tell that these blinds are effectively “fake”.

This is where most people stop though and fail to appreciate the other benefits that these blinds bring. While they might be cheaper, the bizarre thing about faux wood is that it’s usually more practical. One of the chief complaints about real wood blinds is that moisture can cause it to warp and after spending a small fortune on the blinds, this isn’t exactly the end result we desire. Faux wood on the other hand is completely resistant to moisture, meaning that it can be placed in any room in the home.

This leads perfectly to the next point, with faux wood blinds being much more durable than wood as well. This should stand to reason really; they aren’t affected by moisture and several of the other issues which prove to be so problematic to wood, so they just last a lot longer overall.

Of course, let’s not kid ourselves, faux wood will never become a permanent replacement for the real McCoy. While they are perfectly suitable for most homes, some people will suggest that they can spot the difference if they scrutinise the slats closely. Additionally, real wood is generally a lot lighter than the faux option and uses a lot fewer slats.

However, for most of us, the faux option will suffice just fine. The benefits firmly outweigh the drawbacks and as most people firstly don’t know the difference in appearance between the two, and secondly won’t analyse the slats closely anyway, this shouldn’t make a difference. It’s one of the few products that has been able to successfully mimic a premium material and based on the performance of this sector over the last few years, we just see faux wood blinds becoming even more popular.