Thanks to the search engines, it’s easy to type in the words Conservatory Blinds and bring up hundreds of images, facts, advice and info. Unfortunately, unlike digital cameras and other products, selecting the right blinds requires an artistic level of understanding, as well as basic technical knowledge that you can’t learn overnight. First you have to know the fundamentals of size, shape and colour, and then you have to keep an eye on that all-important budget.
In this article, we’ll cover everything basic you need to know, because while it’s good to put your trust in the hands of the experts, it’s also good to know for sure how the blinds will compliment your home. After all, the experts won’t be living with the blinds, only you will.
It’s all about those windows
First things first, the length of your windows is of vital importance. Conservatory blinds come in countless lengths and thicknesses, and yours won’t look right unless you have a precise measurement to work with. When it comes down to how thick the material is, think about this carefully. The heavier the blinds, the stronger the equipment needed to secure the blinds will need to be.
Width is another thing to take into account, as it is always best not to rely on anything being “standard”. Taking these things into account, it all comes down to how much sunlight you’d like to let in, if any at all, and how smoothly and quickly you would like the blinds to open, close and do their job.
Colour is your friend
Think you know all about colour, or fancy yourself as a budding designer? While many people have it in them to match conservatory blinds with the décor of their conservatory room, it never hurts to consult an expert with a vast range of knowledge and listen to their viewpoint.
One reason to do this is inexperience. You may be used to selecting the best picture frames for your paintings, but buying blinds can be a different matter entirely. Having not learned some of the mistakes to look out for, beginners often go for the colour which they think is correct on the sample, and then find themselves shocked at the brightness of the end result.
Another important point to make note of is that opinions change over time. Last week you may have thought deep purple suited the room perfectly, but that can all change when you come back from holiday having come under the influence of the Spanish sun, only to find that you’d prefer orange.
Lastly, texture and colour can play devious games when brought together. For example, light green may look lovely with one type of blind, and shockingly overwhelming with another where the folds make deep creases.
Hard-wearing, budget or luxury?
One thing many people fail to consider is how their conservatory might be used in the future. For example, it’s a great day when those luxury conservatory blinds are first fitted, but when an excited three-year-old starts running around pulling at them, you may regret being persuaded into buying.
So, when perusing the many different types of products on offer, think about the future and what it may hold, and always consider the fundamentals first. For instance, are you planning on redecorating any time soon? If so, you may be better off with conservatory blinds that are more neutral, or work well with a number of pastel colours. If, however, you intend to change the furniture to deep mahogany, well, in that case then you’ll need to think again.
Then there are the deals, as well as the ever-changing technology of how blinds work. Are you happy to go the traditional route, or would you like to explore the impressive range of more cutting-edge blinds that open and close on their own accord?
You can never know enough about conservatory blinds, so do your research and you’ll see it pays off.