Things that affect the style of your blinds

There is a lot to factor into which blinds you choose. Here we cover colour and pattern tips, why slat width and direction matter, where the blinds hang and how they operate, and the room they are in.

Table of contents

• Fabric, colour and pattern

• Slat width and direction

• Where they hang

• Operation and safety

• Function and the room

Fabric, colour and pattern

With roman blinds, the fabric affects how the blind hangs, how much light it lets in and the privacy it gives. For slatted blinds, wood and faux wood come in natural, neutral colours; for more colour choices, look at aluminium or PVC Venetians. With colour and pattern, the best idea is to get samples and hold them against the wall to see how they work in your space. Darker colours show dirt less and suit high-traffic rooms, while bright rooms suit lighter colours as darker ones may fade. And match pattern repeat to the window: a large pattern on a large window so you see it in full, a small pattern on smaller windows so nothing is lost.

Slat width and direction

Wide slats are bold and chunky, while narrower slats look more delicate and create more lines across a window. Direction matters too. Vertical slat blinds suit very wide windows and sliding doors, hanging straight down and drawing to one side or splitting in the middle, and they handle angled or sloping windows that follow a stair line. Horizontal slats, as on Venetians, honeycombs or shutters, suit smaller windows and make them appear larger.

Where they hang

Decide whether to mount your blinds inside or outside the window frame. An inside mount looks streamlined and minimalist and shows off decorative window surrounds, though it needs a little room to move so may let a tiny amount of light through at the sides. An outside mount sits at the top of the frame or on the wall above it; you can hide the fittings with a decorative pelmet, it is simple to operate, and it offers more style flexibility because you are not restricted by the size of the blind.

Operation and safety

Traditionally blinds are drawn with a cord, which leaves excess cord when they are down. Rather than leaving it hanging loose, which looks messy and is not safe for children, use a p-clip guide or retainer to keep it snug against the frame. Roller blinds can be spring-loaded with no cord or chain, and with a small motor and remote, or our Zero Gravity chainless operation, just a nudge sends them up.

Function and the room

What you want your blinds to achieve influences the type you choose, which in turn affects the look. For privacy, choose opaque materials and fabrics; for light control, slatted blinds let you leave them down and tilt for a little or a lot of light. Pick a type that suits the room too: wood warps in a bathroom and untreated fabric is prone to mould, while in the kitchen your choice should be flame retardant, odour-resistant and easy to clean.

There is a lot to weigh up, so the easiest way is to see samples in your own home. Request a free in-home consultation and a consultant will help you choose blinds that look and work just right.