Switching to Window Blinds? Interior Blind Tips

Blinds have become exceedingly popular over the last few years, with homeowners opting for easy solutions for their privacy and we understand why. With stylish designs available to suit any type of room, they’re Interior low maintenance and the long-term savings they bring have proven a worthwhile investment.

However, which do you think is easiest – choosing the right blinds to match your interior or installing them?

When it comes to asking yourself “what are the best blinds?” there are many contributing factors that will lead to your final decision. What kind of colour blinds will compliment your interior? Roller or vertical blinds? Pleated or Venetian? It comes down to budget, style and personal preference and we can feel your pain. We’ve prepared a quick, small guide to give you an idea on what blinds work best with particular rooms.

Brief Blind guide:

  • Roller blinds are highly practical – especially for kitchens, bathrooms and bedrooms. They have a protective coating which is a bonus.
  • Venetian blinds provide a more functional look and feel. They are available in metal, wood and plastic and are commonly used in bathrooms, kitchens and living rooms.
  • Vertical blinds are perfectly ideal for floor to ceiling windows and doors. They are used mostly in conservatories.

Now you have a brief guide to go on, we have mentioned a few important things you should consider when installing blinds for your home, just so you avoid potential problems early on.

What Do You Need to Consider?

Accurate Measurements

Measuring your windows should be the first thing on your list when it comes to having blinds fitted. So, grab the tape measure, it’s got work to do!

You can have your blinds installed on the inside or on the outside. (Don’t worry, we explain the benefits of these later in the article). You start by measuring for an outside mount or an inside mount depending on which one you go for, it’s safe to measure both just in case.

  • An outside mountUse the tape measure along the outside edges of the casing which surrounds the window. Accurately measure from the top of the casing to bottom of the window sill or casing.
  • An inside mountPlace the tape measure inside the casing where the glass of the window meets the casing. Take measurements for the width of the window at the top, middle and bottom.

Once you have accurate measurements and you’ve picked some fabulous, high quality blinds, fabulous, high quality blinds, you then have to take on the installation process. Decisions, decisions!

Installation Options for Your Blinds – Inside or Outside?

Roller blinds, Venetian blinds, and vertical blinds were designed to be fitted inside the recess and each have their own advantages and disadvantages.

Fitting blinds outside the recesses allows more light into a room and are easier to fit. This method also allows sizes to be more flexible as opposed to them being fitted inside. Outside the recesses, blinds are most often installed for inward opening doors.

Fitting blinds inside the recesses allows its control mechanism to be hidden, most often tucked away to one side of the blind. This method is especially effective when there is a good height, this is because the blind will not interfere when the door or window is being used.

It’s wise to make this decision based on what blinds you have chosen. Some blind designs are more suited to inside recess whereas others benefit more with an outside recess.

Do Your Doors/Windows Open Internally or Externally?

  • Internally – Many doors open internally, meaning they swing into the house whereas when it comes to windows, it’s the complete opposite. If this is the case, there are potential factors that could harm the blinds and the door in the process. It’s wise to choose a sample blind for either your windows or doors and see how they fit first, it might be that all your blinds need are slight adjustments, so they work more smoothly. Here’s a tip – for doors that open internally, they are ideally suited to outside recess.
  • Externally – For households with doors that open externally, away from the house, there is a range of installation options available as they are more flexible than doors that open internally. It’s recommended that external open-door blinds are better suited for inside recess.

All of the important decisions regarding the installation options for your blinds have been decided (well hopefully) and all there’s left to do is actually fit the blinds. Although we’d love to ramble on, Wiki have an insightful blind fitting guide.

Now you have some useful knowledge on interior blinds, we hope it helps you on your blind buying and fitting journey! If you have any of your own tips, feel free to share them with us and other readers. In the meantime, have fun being the interior designer of your own home.