Blinding light

Curtains will always help to make a house, adding warmth, colour and style. But window blinds also have a place in a home, and today with their improved construction and new designs, they really can add a great new look to any room.

Choosing the best blind for a specific location is quite an art because there are just so many variations.

Roller blinds used to be one of the most popular styles, simply pulling down in front of the window in a smooth single fabric and they still work really well in many situations. The choice in designs and styles of roller blinds is exceptional, one on line company offers over 120 fabrics alone from plain and patterned prints to jacquard designs plus specialist blackout, dimout and flame retardant blinds. Roller blinds can be made to fit any window and modern fabrication means they really are quick and easy to pull down and let up.

Classical Roman blinds are one of the most universally popular styles for family homes; with their drop down soft pleats and luxurious look they can be used on their own, or with curtains to create really stylish window dressing. Again Roman blinds come in a huge variety of styles and fabrics, with lots of additional options. The good news is that they have at last worked out a totally reliable system for letting them up and down, so there is no more frustration of tangled bits of cord or blinds not quite pulling up as far as they should.

Vertical blinds add a unique style of their own, and can be adjusted to let in varied amounts of sunlight at different angles, giving superb effect. Many people think vertical blinds, because of their strip design, are only available in pvc or perhaps wood, and of course both these are very useful, looking good and great because they can be wiped clean. But vertical blinds today are available in different widths and also in a big range of different and luxurious fabrics as well. Their colour choice, from contemporary to traditional shades, means verticals can be used as a real feature in a room.

Venetian blinds are a term most people know and indeed they were very popular in our childhood years. They have clean lines to give an uncluttered look to a window, and when raised the blinds stack tightly together to take up very little space at the top of the window. Like vertical blinds, Venetian blinds can be adjusted precisely to control the amount of light you let into a room.

The traditional aluminium Venetian blinds are still popular, coming in a variety of finishes such as gloss, matt, soft sheen, pearlised and perforated, and they also come with wooden slats to give a more modern, contemporary look. The choice of wood again is immense, everything from English oak , birch and antique pine to walnut, rowan and Canadian maple. There are also a variety of slat sizes available, and wider slats have become very popular for larger rooms. Venetian blinds are quick and easy to clean, either by dusting or a wipe clean with a damp cloth, and so they are particularly popular for kitchens and bathrooms.

On top of these basic designs, there are a host of specialist products now available for pretty well every style and situation. For instance, there are thin woodweave blinds that combine woven materials to allow diffused light to filter into a room; or honeycombed pleated blinds designed to boost insulation and provide extra protection against cold air and draughts.

Choosing window coverings and dressings today is no easy matter, but blinds are well worth considering to add a fresh new look to certain parts of your home.

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