0 samplesWindow shopping? See our expert advice on choosing window dressings
If you’re on the hunt for window coverings, you’ve certainly come to the right place – you’ll find lots of creative expert advice on our blog, plus we’ve also produced a blind inspiration gallery full of beautiful photography of our blinds in situ. You can even plan your room with our handy online interior design aid that will help you to visualise our gorgeous blinds within a room set.
With so many products available, the search for the perfect blinds can start to look overwhelming. So we’ve produced a definitive guide to window shopping, with advice on how to navigate the vast array of styles, designs and types of window blinds on the market, along with recommendations for the best type of blinds for every room and environment.
Before you start…
It’s advisable to consider both purpose and practicality as well as where they will be positioned. Think about opacity of the blinds or curtains, how much light enters a room, along with the need for privacy.
A room with a view deserves a transparent or semi-transparent blind that will diffuse harsh light without obstructing the view of outdoor scenery. Similarly a house situated on a main street might need something a little more robust or versatile for privacy, where children or bad sleepers will be thankful for full blackout blinds.
Think also about the environment – is the room prone to damp or dust? Are there computer screens or direct sunlight? There are lots of treatments that can be applied to blinds to stop the colour fading in the sun or to prevent mould and mildew – there’s even an anti-static coating that repels dust! What more could you ask for?
Types of Blinds and Their Benefits
Best for: inexpensive way to update rooms, damp atmospheres
Offering the widest choice in fabric design, colour and texture, the humble roller blind can effortlessly transform a room and is an affordable way to introduce the latest trends into homes. Extremely versatile, roller blinds come with lots of performance features like blackout, anti-mildew, moisture resistant and anti-static coatings. They’re also easy to wipe clean meaning they’re suitable for every room in the home.
Looking for something more unusual with increased control over privacy and light?
Browse our ‘Mirage’ double roller blinds with alternating stripes of sheer and opaque fabric that can give the appearance of a solid block of colour or a striped design at windows, whilst still allowing light to filter into the room.
Best for: Home offices, light control in rooms with screens or lots of sunlight
Vertical blinds can be positioned to significantly reduce glare as the sun passes across the window, while still allowing light to permeate the room, making them the best choice for offices and equally practical for the living room. With colours, textures and patterns to suit every taste, vertical blinds are versatile and easy to maintain. Blackout, anti-mildew, anti-static and moisture resistance options are available.
Roman blinds and curtains
Best for: a touch of luxury for windows, creating a cosy atmosphere.
Elegant and timeless, Roman blinds offer luxurious style in designs that are guaranteed to make a statement. Often paired with curtains for a sumptuous look, the Style Studio Roman blind and curtain collection has been expertly assembled so that materials can be paired to complement one another, allowing perfect coordination.
Quick guide to curtain headers:
Best for: Bifold doors, conservatories, rooms that struggle to maintain a constant temperature, privacy, rooms with a lot of sun. The unsung hero, pleated blinds are some of the hardest working blinds on the market. Available in a range of transparencies from semi-transparent through to blackout, the majority of pleated fabrics are sponge clean and suitable for moist conditions.
With multi-zone functionality there are limitless positions for privacy, whilst still allowing light into the room. A special sun-safe coating can be applied to the blinds to stop them fading with sunlight in very sunny rooms.
Intu Micro pleated blinds are specifically sized to sit within the recess of ever popular bifold and trifold doors.
Hive® blinds feature a cellular pleated structure that provides increased heat blocking/retaining and sound absorbent capabilities, as well as offering a modern, sleek look.
Best for: security, easy to clean, kitchens and bathrooms
Choose simple and stylish Venetian blinds with an easy clean finish for kitchens and bathrooms with the added benefit that they’re noisy and can deter burglars. Available in wood and aluminium.
Once you’ve found a product you love, we’ll send you up to five free samples so you can check how your chosen blinds or curtains look in a particular light and setting.
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