Blinds consist of individual, horizontal slats that can be raised, lowered, or tilted to fine-tune the level of light you let in the room. Often considered a “hard” window treatment, blinds are usually made out of wood, vinyl, or metal. Shades, on the other hand, are usually created with a large swath of soft fabric material. Since most shades are a solid material, they cannot be tilted like blinds, and most be fully raised or lowered to match your desired level of light or privacy.