Best blinds for a conservatory

Conservatories and sunrooms are often made entirely of glass, ceiling included, or feature three walls of large windows. More than any other room, this is where you get the brightest sun and the most extreme temperature swings, which is why we rate honeycomb blinds, rollers, shutters, aluminium Venetians and verticals here. First, the things to weigh up.

Table of contents

• What to consider

• The best blinds for conservatories

What to consider

Fabric or hard materials?

All that glass means higher condensation, so fabric may not be ideal as prolonged exposure to moisture can cause mould. The extreme sun can also fade fabrics and make some hard materials brittle, so invest in quality hardware.

Insulation

At the peak of summer it can be too hot to use the room, and you still need to cool it or the heat transfers into the rest of the home. The same applies in reverse with winter cold, so insulating performance matters.

Easy operation

There will likely be multiple blinds in this room, so choose something that is not difficult to use day to day.

Doors

Conservatories have glass doors as well as windows. Curtains and vertical blinds are the best choices for sliding glass doors, and similar advice applies to bi-fold, French or standard doors, where easy access to open the door is the key concern.

The best blinds for conservatories

Honeycomb blinds

• The best blinds for insulation, and excellent for glass ceilings and skylights.

• Blockout and translucent sunscreen fabrics for light and privacy control.

• Lightweight and easy to operate, opening bottom-up, top-down or both.

Shutters

• Very good heat deflection in summer and insulation in winter.

• Control light, airflow and privacy, and look very stylish.

• Available in sliding panels for larger openings.

Roller blinds

• Lightweight and easy to operate.

• Can isolate individual windows to cut direct light when it is too hot or bright.

• Blockout and sunscreen fabrics available for insulation, light and privacy.

Aluminium Venetian blinds

• Tolerate heat better than wood and PVC Venetians.

• Excellent light and privacy control, and will not discolour or fade.

• Not the best at insulating.

Vertical blinds

• Excellent light and privacy control, lightweight and easy to operate.

• Good over sliding doors, and can run on a curved rail to follow the room.

• Not the best at insulating.

A conservatory is a demanding room, so it pays to see the options in your own light. Request a free in-home consultation and a consultant will help you choose blinds that handle the sun, heat and condensation while looking the part.