Playing a blinder
There has never been so much choice when it comes to choosing blinds for your home.
Ask yourself are the blinds needed to block out the light, which is particularly important in children’s bedrooms, or are they needed to make a street facing room more private? Alternatively, you may want to invest in blinds to draw interior schemes together or to add a finishing touch to a room.
Here are some options.
Roller blinds
With their simple design, roller blinds can be regarded as a blank canvas on which you can unleash your creativity. Available in a vast array of colours in plain or patterned designs, you can opt for a bold statement or choose a subtle style to complement the rest of your interior scheme.
An additional benefit of roller blinds is that they are often available in blackout fabrics, which will completely exclude any light. They can be a saving grace for those with young children who are kept awake by daylight, particularly on summer evenings, or for those who live in a city centre and find that light pollution can make it difficult to drift off.
You can also team roller blinds with curtains to give added warmth and introduce interest to window spaces.
Room recommendation: bedroom.
Venetian blinds
Venetian blinds allow you to control both the amount of light and the level of privacy. This means they are great for south-facing rooms, where the sunlight can sometimes be a little too bright, or street-facing rooms, where you often want privacy but with sunlight still coming through.
Whereas venetian blinds were once typically available in a white PVC finish, they now come in a host of different materials including aluminium, composite, real wood and even fabric, allowing you to match them to any interiors style.
In the kitchen, aluminium venetian blinds are a great choice as they are moisture resistant and can cope with steam and humidity whereas wooden venetian or Veneto fabric venetian blinds create a softer, more natural feel for the bedroom.
Room recommendation: bathroom and kitchen.
Electric blinds
Electric blinds can be opened and closed at the touch of a button (usually with a remote control or wall-mounted panel) making them really easy and convenient to use. They are especially useful for windows that are high up or difficult to access, or for rooms where lots of blinds need adjusting at once, such as conservatories.
You can add the technology to a wide range of blind styles and some electric blinds are now available wirefree which means there is no boxed in cabling and no hanging cords, so they can be easily fitted and are ideal if you have young children.
Some of the newest ranges also come with programmers allowing you to set your blinds to open and close at a certain time or when the temperature rises and falls to help keep the heat in or out, depending on the time of year.
Room recommendation: living room
Roman blinds
Due to the unique way in which the fabric folds, Roman blinds are often one of the preferred window dressings when a homeowner is trying to create a sense of sophistication in the room. For those looking to capture this style there is a whole array of fabrics and designs to choose from such as the skilfully crafted French Pinoleum which creates a timeless look in garden rooms, orangeries and conservatories. The woven wood design can be finished in a range of gently muted tones, matching the current trend for pastel colours and natural products in the home.
The blinds give a soft, dappled light, providing privacy whilst still allowing you to enjoy some of the view from your window. This makes the blinds a great choice for rural or coastal homes and for lounges and studies where the light provides a soft glow for reading even in the height of summer.
Room recommendation: conservatory
Other options are
Skylight – these can usually be sized to fit specific rooflights, such as Velux. Electric versions are the easiest to operate as the windows are usually well above head height.
Awning blinds – these external blinds are best suited to offering heat protection from the sun’s rays.
Roller shutters – as well as extra security and sound insulation, these external blinds also keep out light and prevent overheating.