Over the sink
Aluminum does not mind steam or splashes and wipes clean in seconds.
Aluminum Blinds
Aluminum blinds: the slimmest stack, the smallest budget.
Crisp aluminum slats in three sizes, 30-plus colors including metallics, cordless lift, and a stack that almost disappears when raised. CityLights™ blinds for kitchens, bathrooms, offices, and small windows, installed by PAPABLINDS across the Greater Seattle Area.
Three slat sizes, three jobs.
Slat size is the first decision on an aluminum blind. Each size fits a different window.
- 1/2 inch micro
- Lightweight and suited to small windows and French doors. The thinnest stack of the three.
- 1 inch
- The all-rounder for windows large or small. The classic mini blind proportion.
- 2 inch
- Proportioned for larger windows, and the only size with SmartPrivacy® concealed route holes.
- Light control
- Three route-hole options depending on slat size: SmartPrivacy®, Privacy, or regular route holes.
- Lift
- Cordless lift, certified Best for Kids, that keeps the bottom rail level as it rises.
Colors and finishes.
Over 30 colors across whites, neutrals, grays, blacks, golds, metallics, and accents, plus textured and perforated finishes. Availability varies by slat size.
Whites and off-whites
Neutrals and taupes
Grays and blacks
Golds and Champagne textured
Metallics and brushed finishes
Accents: blues, greens, pinks
Perforated slats let a little light through when closed for a softer glow; solid slats close darker.
Where aluminum makes sense.
Humidity every day
No swelling, no fading, no cracking; a 1/2 inch blind fits the smallest bathroom window.
Glare on screens
Slats tilt to cut glare, and the stack is small enough to leave the view open the rest of the time.
Tight spaces
The 1/2 inch micro slat fits door panes and narrow windows where nothing else looks right.
Aluminum or faux wood?
Both live happily in a wet room. They differ in look, weight, and how much window they hide when open.
| Aluminum (CityLights™) | Faux wood (Ultimate™) | |
|---|---|---|
| Slat sizes | 1/2, 1, and 2 inch | 2 and 2 1/2 inch |
| Stack when raised | Very small | Larger |
| Look | Slim, crisp, metallics and textures | Painted-wood finish |
| Moisture and sun | Yes | Yes |
| Slat strength | Thin; can bend if forced | Thick; resists knocks |
| Privacy option | SmartPrivacy® on 2 inch | SmartPrivacy® on both sizes |
| Price | Lower | Middle |
Want the wood look in the same room? See faux wood blinds.
Aluminum blind questions.
Are aluminum blinds the cheap mini blinds from the hardware store?
Same idea, different blind. CityLights™ slats are high-grade aluminum made to resist fading, cracking, and warping, the headrail is valance-free, and the lift is cordless. They are custom-measured to the window, not cut down from a stock size.
Will the slats bend?
Aluminum slats are thin, and a slat forced by hand can crease. In a kitchen or office used with care they last for years; in a kids’ room we usually recommend faux wood.
Can I get privacy route holes?
Yes: SmartPrivacy® concealed route holes on the 2 inch slat, and a privacy route-hole option on the other sizes. Details on the privacy blinds page.
Do they come in metallic colors?
Yes. Metallics, a textured Champagne finish, and perforated slats are part of the palette, with availability by slat size.
Aluminum mini blinds for Seattle-area kitchens, bathrooms, and offices
Aluminum blinds are the practical choice where the window is small, the room is wet, or the budget is tight. Norman’s CityLights™ line comes in 1/2, 1, and 2 inch slats with a cordless lift and over 30 colors, and PAPABLINDS measures and installs them in Seattle, Bellevue, Kirkland, Redmond, and nearby communities.
Which slat size
Use the 1/2 inch micro slat on French door panes, narrow bathroom windows, and anywhere the blind should nearly vanish when raised. The 1 inch slat is the classic mini blind and fits most windows. The 2 inch slat suits larger windows and is the size that offers SmartPrivacy® concealed route holes.
Bathrooms and kitchens
Aluminum does not swell, fade, or crack with humidity, so it belongs in the bathroom and over the kitchen sink alongside faux wood. Where the two differ is the look: aluminum reads slim and crisp, and its metallic and textured finishes suit tile and stainless steel; faux wood reads like painted wood trim.
Home offices and garages
A small stack height leaves the window open when the blind is up, and the slats tilt to cut screen glare in the afternoon. The same qualities make aluminum a common choice for a workshop or a converted garage window.
Care
- Dust with a cloth or a vacuum brush; wipe with a damp cloth in the kitchen.
- Raise the blind by the bottom rail, evenly, so the slats stay straight.
- Tilt closed before wiping to reach the whole face.
Request a free in-home visit to compare slat sizes and finishes in the room, and we measure each window while we are there.