1. Think about privacy
Firstly, think of the needs of your room: What direction is the window facing, and how much passing foot traffic is there outside? These are key aspects in picking the right blind.
Obviously, any blind that blocks light will also help keep out prying eyes when closed. But what if you wanted to deter potential viewers while still letting the sunlight in? If you want clean, crisp light, then any types of Venetian blinds are a good choice. Their innovative tilt-slat system angles the blinds to make them opaque from the viewer’s eyeline but permeable to light coming from above.
Alternatively, you can choose a voile fabric, which is almost sheer in nature, yet blocks views in from the reverse. This means you get plenty of light and almost total privacy during the day. But be wary. At night, with your lights on, that will be reversed and everyone will be able to see your silhouette on the sofa.
2. Match your style and think long term
Everyone’s living room is different, with different decoration, lighting, privacy levels and other idiosyncrasies that we can’t account for. Given this, by all means do not take what we say as gospel. If you know what is right for your room then buck the trend and do something outside the lines of convention. We just want to give you some ideas and get you thinking about the things you may not have considered.
Our first tip is try not to clutter your palette; 3 main colours is generally a good rule of thumb. Blinds can be used to provide a focal point in a room, such as in a monochromatic scheme with a bold red roller blind.
In your living room you are unlikely to have the same challenges as a bathroom or kitchen blind (spills, steam, damp etc…). Therefore you want to think long term. Blinds are a durable item that should last many years with proper care. Ours come a four-year guarantee, so think of this as a minimum term. With that in mind, it’s best to steer clear of ‘what’s hot’ trends and choose a timeless blind that will endure for many years (and a couple of restyles).
3. Control your lighting
How much light do you want to allow into your room, and how much do you need to control it? If you were to get a roller, vertical or roman blind with a blackout lining you don’t need to worry about any light whatsoever; when the blind is down then so too is the sun as far as you are aware. Wide slat faux wood venetian blinds are also good for light blocking, as they are almost entirely blackout (except for a few gaps depending on the angle of the sun). The big advantage of these however is that their adjustable slats also allow for changing light conditions on demand. Fancy full darkness to enhance those at-home movie nights? Blackout blinds are your best bet here.
4. Budget
Another thing to bear in mind is the window that the blind will be covering. vertical blinds have a reasonable price point and offer adjustable louvres (vertical strips), for enhanced light control options. Vertical blinds are perfect for large windows.
Another solution if you are looking to save is to go for a faux wooden blind rather than a real wooden blind. Although some may argue that a PVC blind may ruin a classic feel, in reality it’s very difficult to tell the difference between the two. Faux wooden blinds are also waterproof and super easy to clean, great if you have a little one that likes making a mess.
We think smaller windows are a good choice for luxurious blinds because their comparably lower price point leaves you more budget for quality materials. Additionally, a ‘statement’ blind allows you to turn a small, overlooked window into a focal point for the entire room. If you’re looking for luxe, see our opulent roman blinds.
5. Combining blinds and curtains
The staple of the blind world, roller blinds are one of the most functional and popular types of blind in the UK. This isn’t without reason; they have a lot of properties that endear them to the public. Most importantly, they are versatile. Coming in a staggeringly large variety of colours from intense, red roller blinds to soft blues and yellows, you will be able to find the perfect blind for your living room. A recent addition to our roller range is the voile roller, which twins sheer voile fabric with the convenience of the roller blind.
Voile roller blinds offer a great option for experimenting with both blinds and curtains. Placing a voile in your window allows for privacy and light during the day, while at night a simple draw of the curtains will stop anyone from peering in!
6. Shutters
While we are on the topic of slat-based blinds, we just want to quickly mention shutters. While not technically a blind, they have many of the advantages of wooden venetians – easy to clean, great at moderating light and a brilliant look both inside and out.
Shutters are amazing at helping trap heat in during the winter and keeping your home cool in the summer. And another thing you may not have considered is their safety function. Anyone trying to break through a shuttered window will be met with a wooden gate that, while not impervious, still creates an annoying and noisy barrier that they will struggle to get past.
7. Our choice
While not strictly a tip, we’d feel guilty if you came to the end of this blog and we hadn't given you a starting point to your search. As a fan of the classics and great light control we have to recommend our real wooden venetians. With the ability to add tapes on all our real wood venetians you know this blind style will make your blind a real focal point in the living room.
