Wednesday 10 April 2019

Day & Night Blinds

Day and night blinds have become really popular over the past twelve months and it's easy to see why.

What Is A Day & Night Blind?

Day and night blinds, or night and day blinds as they're sometimes called, are a modern twist on the more traditional roller blind. Whereas a traditional roller blind can be raised or lowered, a day and night blind consists of a continuous length of fabric made up of bands of opaque and translucent fabric that can be aligned to either give total privacy or to diffuse daylight in addition to being raised or lowered.

The magic happens thanks to a clever roller type bottom bar. as the control is operated, the fabric rolls off the top rail and is weighted by the rolling bottom bar. Check out the video below to see this in action.



Are Day & Night Blinds Child Safe?

All window blinds sold in the UK now should be child safe. Some blinds have breakaway connections built into the cords and chains that are designed to break apart if under tension however as day and night blinds are on a continuous loop, the blinds are fitted with roller cleats to prevent any accidents.

Where Can I Buy Day & Night Blinds?

Day and Night Blinds can't be easily cut down and so are generally not available as anything other than made to measure. For the best value day and night blinds in the UK check out the Just Blinds Online Shop. 


Cheapest Day & Night Blinds







Sunday 7 April 2019

Blinds for Patio Doors

blinds for patio doors
Patio doors and French doors lend themselves to different types of blinds but they also prevent a few problems.

Lets have a look at the options available when choosing blinds for patio doors and french doors and the points you should consider before ordering.





Roller Blinds for Patio Doors and French Doors

Roller blinds can be fitted to french doors but not to sliding patio doors as they would prevent the doors from sliding. If your french doors open outwards then you need to consider that your roller blinds may collect a lot of dirt and even get wet sometimes. Roller blinds would be fitted directly onto the door leaf itself. If your french doors are upvc then although it is ok to fit blinds to upvc you need to consider that if one day you decide on a different type of blind then you would be left with screw holes in your doors. 

Perfect fit blinds for Patio and French doors

Perfect fit blinds are sometimes called no holes blinds. The each have their own separate aluminium subframe that fits over the pane of glass using special brackets that simply slide under the gaskets. Again, these blinds would be suitable for French Doors but not for patio doors as they would prevent the door from sliding. Perfect fit blinds would still share the same problem as roller blinds on an outward opening french door but on an inward opening french door they would be ideal. Be aware however, Perfect fit blinds are very expensive and we would recommend that because of the exact measurements needed that you get a reputable blind company to measure and install them. They aren't a job that you can do yourself. 


Vertical blinds for Patio Doors and French Doors

Vertical blinds lend themselves well to both patio and french doors. In fact, they are the only sensible option for sliding patio doors as you can specify when ordering made to measure vertical blinds both the control side (left or right) and the draw. So if your sliding door is on the right you would order your vertical blinds to draw to the left therefore allowing unimpeded access through the opening door. 

Vertical blinds also work well with French doors for the same reason. The brackets would screw into the head of the frame and you can specify extension brackets to ensure that the blinds don't foul the door handles.

Best Blinds for Patio Doors

So in summary, unless you have a large budget, the best blinds for patio doors are vertical blinds. Click the link to see a full range of made to measure vertical blinds for patio doors.



Thursday 28 March 2019

What are the best blinds for a conservatory? - Buying guide

A conservatory on the home serves many purposes, choosing the right conservatory blinds is important if you are to get the most out the conservatory not just in summer but in winter. Let's take a look at the points to consider before you buy conservatory blinds. Fortunately given the advances in conservatory roofs, those hideous pleated insect traps that cost a kings ransom otherwise known as roof blinds are now out of vogue. In this article we'll concentrate on blinds for the windows in your conservatory.

Roller Blinds for Conservatories

roller blinds for conservatories
Roller blinds can look great in a conservatory depending on how you use them. If you have one roller for each "section" of window then you can create nice effects by raising or lowering the rollers to different levels as the sun moves during the course of the day. Rollers are available in a wide range of colours and fabrics at various prices.  Roller Blinds can be retracted fully for ease of cleaning. They are relatively light in weight and so won't put undue stress on the window frame onto which they are attached. 

The downside to roller blinds is that during the Summer months you may have them set at various heights but rarely will you have them fully closed. Come Winter when you want to close them for privacy and insulation reasons then you will notice that because they have been in full sun they will have faded quite badly. If you have had them slightly down, covering your top lights for instance you will now be left with odd looking and unequally faded blinds.  In addition, because most of us will have our conservatory windows and french doors open all during the warm season you will find that you get a lot of insect traffic and dust, insects have a tendency to get trapped in roller blinds leaving unsightly blood stains. 

Roller blinds suitability for conservatories:


Looks                    80%
Light Control         60%
Insulation               80%
Cost                       65%
Durability              40%
Suitability Score   65%

Roman Blinds for Conservatories

Roman blinds for conservatories
Roman blinds have changed considerably since they first became fashionable some years ago. Gone are the fussy home made wooden headrails and wooden dowel rods and in their place are modern aluminium headrails and fibreglass rods. Roman blinds have become popular as although expensive to buy made to measure, if you have sewing skills you can buy your fabric and then purchase cheap Roman blind kits that contain the headrail, rods and controls. Roman blinds are perhaps the best choice for insulation during the summer months. Because virtually any fabric can be used the choice is endless. 

The drawbacks to Roman blinds for conservatories however are many. Much like the Roller blinds they are like magnets for dust and insects. Even when fully retracted they have a deep stack height meaning that much of the window will still be covered which not only restricts your view but also makes cleaning difficult. Roman blinds are usually lined with a blackout fabric. Whilst this will bring light control benefits it also means that they are incredibly heavy. Most people these days have UPVC conservatories and although contrary to popular belief it is ok to fit blinds into upvc (see our article about fitting blinds to UPVC conservatories) you really don't want to start fitting heavy blinds into what is essentially just twin wall upvc. Roman blinds can look stunning in the home but as a conservatory blind they just don't fit the bill. 

Roman blinds suitability for conservatories:


Looks                    80%
Light Control         80%
Insulation               80%
Cost                       30%
Durability              40%
Suitability Score   62%


Venetian Blinds for Conservatories

venetian conservatory blinds
For clarification, we are discussing aluminium venetian blinds here, Real wood blinds simply aren't able to stand the intense heat and often quick changes in temperature that conservatory blinds are subjected to. Whilst we're on the subject PVC venetian blinds aren't able to stand the heat either. In fact, If anyone has chosen to fit these cheap pvc venetian blinds into a conservatory please swallow your pride and send us a photo like the one in this article that shows a melted plastic venetian blind. 

If you are looking for venetian blinds for a conservatory then aluminium venetian blinds are the ones to choose. Venetian blinds do look rather chic and even when not drawn up they offer superb privacy whilst still not impeding your view. They won't discolour and with the various devices available for just a few pounds from the likes of Betterware they are easily cleaned. 

Aluminium venetian blinds are quite light and so won't put stress onto the UPVC window frames to which they are fixed. The colour is anodised and so they won't fade in the sun. When fully retracted they have a medium stack height so cleaning should be relatively easy.  The choice of colours and even patterns of venetian blinds is quite breathtaking. See the full range of venetian blinds here.

Venetian blinds offer excellent light control, superb privacy and reasonable insulation. They aren't that expensive either. Perhaps a good choice overall when choosing conservatory blinds.

Venetian blinds suitability for conservatories:


Looks                    90%
Light Control         80%
Insulation               70%
Cost                       70%
Durability              100%
Suitability Score   82%


Vertical blinds for Conservatories

conservatory blinds - vertical blinds
Vertical blinds are always a popular choice for the conservatory and it's easy to see why. Vertical blinds offer excellent light control especially if you opt for blackout vertical blinds. The many draw options and controls allow for endless light control. insulation and privacy provision. 

Vertical blinds aren't too heavy and so again won't put undue stress onto the UPVC frames. We've already discussed the dust and insect problems in conservatories but depending on the fabric that you choose vertical blinds can be easy cleaned. You can even buy washable vertical blinds and will more than likely be able to find a conservatory blind offer for buying more than one vertical blind. 

Vertical blind slats will fade with time however unlike roller or roman blinds the fading will be uniform and not patchy. The one unique feature of vertical blinds is that in a few years time when the slats are beginning to age you can simply buy replacement vertical blind slats from as little as 50p each! 

Vertical blinds suitability for conservatories:

Looks                    90%
Light Control         80%
Insulation               70%
Cost                       90%
Durability              90%
Suitability Score   84%

The Best Blinds for a Conservatory

So to summarise, Conservatories are very demanding environments. It would seem looking at the above results that the best blinds for a conservatory would be vertical blinds or venetian blinds depending on your personal choice. 

Click the link to visit our online blind shop and see for yourself our range of vertical blinds for conservatories. Read one of our other articles if you're worried about fitting blinds to a upvc conservatory

ultimate conservatory blinds

Friday 18 May 2018

Cheap Interior Design Ideas

Cheap interior design ideas
We've all done it, decided to decorate or do some DIY interior design but after thumbing through all the interior design magazines and looking at photos of stately homes, dockland apartments and country cottages made to look stunning with budgets that are out of out league our inspiration is crushed.

Interior design doesn't have to cost the earth, You can transform any room on a budget. Some things you can even get for free and if you're not afraid of a bit of DIY then you can always reuse some existing items from around your home. Let's take a look at some cheap interior design ideas.

Interior design is all about colours, wallpaper, paint and fabric. First of decide on a colour scheme. Even if you have just one colour in mind then there are some great free tools available online for you to use.

If you need some inspiration first then try this colour scheme generator it's absolutely free and will let you experiment with colours that compliment each other.

Once you've decided on a colour scheme you can start to do your makeover on a budget. Below are some money saving ideas for interior design and decorating on a budget

Sample Paint Pots
These are free from DIY shops and although you won't be able to decorate a full room with them you will be able to paint picture frames, wooden door knobs, bathroom accessories, and so on. You could also use them as a tint by mixing a test pot colour with a full tin of cheap white or magnolia and creating your own pastel shades.  With a little imagination you can make your own stencil and use the sample pots to stencil you own border around windows and doors or make fun stencils for the kids rooms.

cheap interior design ideas
Courtesy of hearthandmade.co.uk
Sample Wallpaper
You can pick up some samples of wallpaper and use them to dramatic effect. Some wallpaper is very expensive and so by using free samples only you can have the luxury feel for zero cost! Use them to create a patchwork panel on a relief wall or cut them into squares and frame them using cheap architrave or picture framing.

The effects can be quite stunning really and with a little imagination and time you can create an interior design look that is unique.

The photo shows a sample of patchwork wallpaper samples.


Flooring
Flooring can be quite expensive. If you have floorboards beneath your carpets then why not consider hiring a floor sander for the weekend and then painting or staining the floorboards? This can have a dramatic effect on any room.

If you don't feel that adventurous then consider a cheap rug instead and match the colour (or co-ordinate the colour) to the design that you've chosen.

interior design on a budget
Furniture
Shelves can be painted either the same colour as the wall to hide them or a contrasting colour to show them off. Change the knobs or handles on your old cupboards or wardrobes, You'd be surprised just how much difference this makes!

Brighten up an old sofa with a throw or some brightly coloured scatter cushions. You can even buy some fabric and make your own scatter cushion covers, if your budget it really tight then recycle some old coats, dishcloths, bedding etc and make cushion covers from these!

Windows
If you're feeling adventurous again then why not make your own curtains? If you hunt around you can buy fabric from as little as 99p so you can make matching curtains, cushions, throws and even your own wall art!

If you already have vertical blinds then why not change just the blind slats? You can buy vertical blind slats from as little as 50p each. They are available in many different colours and you're sure to find some to match your new colour scheme. Click here to see the range of vertical blind slats on offer

Accessories
really cheap decoration ideas
This is the real fun bit! Get out to the car boot sales, trawl ebay, go into your parents attic, I guarantee you'll find something quirky! A metal bucket that you can fill with logs, an old bowl that you can paint and fill with dried pinecones from the local park. Your imagination is your only limit here.

The good thing is, the cost of the interior design ideas above are so low that you can afford to change your rooms decor often. I'll also wager that you'll have far more fun being creative on a budget than if you were to go to your city centre and spend a fortune.

Have Fun!

Monday 16 January 2017

How To Hygge Your Home On A Budget

The term Hygge has taken the world by storm in recent months and it's easy to see why, especially when we delve into the the subject more. Hygge is one of the fastest trending search terms on several internet platforms and even the Oxford dictionary included it in their top ten words of 2016


What Is Hygge?

Hygge, pronounced hoo-ga (rhymes with cougar), is more a concept or feeling rather than something tangible. It's not new amongst the Danes who claim that hygge is woven into the fabric of life for them.

Hygge doesn't translate directly but it's thought to derive from an obsolete meaning for the word hug, which was to make oneself snug. In essence, higgle can be interpreted as a feeling of being cosy and content. The Danes make an effort to hygge things up. Whether that's enjoying a warm bowl of porridge for breakfast by candlelight, whilst wearing chunky knit socks and wearing a soft dressing gown.

Hygee favours times of old rather than technology so candlelight instead of LED lighting, natural fabrics instead of synthetics and creating a sense of occasion from what is usually a menial task.





How To Hygge Your Home


It's relatively easy to hygge your home, remember, that hygge isn't tangible as such, it's a feeling. With that in mind, you need to create a tranquil atmosphere conducive to happiness, cosiness, and calm. Let's take a look at a few cost effective changes that you can make to your home to improve your hygge on a budget. 


Hygge Lighting


First of, candles are one of the must haves in any hygge home. There's no hard and fast rules on which type, if you're going to go all out to hygge then you're going to go through a lot of candles to it makes sense to buy them in bulk. Amazon offers some great deals on tea lights and candle holders.


Lamps are fine also, as long as they are well shaded and add to the ambience, harsh lighting is a big no, no. We're looking to create a certain mood, not a certain headache. 
Think subdued, calming, look for natural materials such as stone or wood lamp bases and hessian or paper shades. 
Less is more but don't forget that this is your choice, it's what makes you feel hygge.





Hygge Blinds, Curtains and Soft furnishings 

Again, we want to achieve that zen look and avoid anything that looks synthetic, it's up to you if you prefer colour or neutrals, your own personal taste will dictate that. Look for chunky knit cushions, faux fur throws, to hygge up that sofa.

For the windows, choose natural woven textiles or vibrant printed vertical blinds or wood blinds, hessian curtains and try to tie these things in with a contrasting or matching long pile rug.


Hygge blinds Hygge Window TreatmentsHygge wood blinds

Click the images above to see more hygge blinds


You can replace your vertical blind slats at a fraction of the cost of a new blind. Replacement blinds slats start from just 50p each. You can see a selection of specially selected hygge blinds here.

Wall colours are again a personal choice, if you've chosen heavily coloured blinds then you may want to keep the walls neutral or vice versa. You can buy hygge wallpaper online or simply choose a scheme that you like from any decorating store.


Hygge Activities



Hygge is about finding comfort, now that you've got your home lit correctly and your furnishings are in place, you might want to start to think about creating a sense of occasion, anything and everything can be made to be more hygge. 

Choose a night per week where you don't put the tv on, instead, light the candles, pull the sofa closer to the fire and read a book with a cup of hot chocolate and marshmallows. 

Turn chores into hygge times, put your favourite music on, light some incense and crash through that pile of ironing. 

Light candles before dinner each evening, warm the plates, serve a small glass of wine, encourage conversation from other members of the household. Take it in turns telling each other about your day but remember! No negativity, why not get others to tell tales of their day focusing only on the positives. Even the worse day has positives. 


Improve Your Hygge Even Further



Spend some time in the kitchen preparing some hygge food, make it enjoyable, you can find some great hygge recipes on the BBC website

Invite friends round to share some simple but satisfying food, light those candles, burn some incense, have some low background music on and create a sense of occasion. Wear that chunky knit jumper, make your bathroom an oasis of calm, before you know it, just like the Danish, you'll be feeling better about yourself and your home. 
SaveSave

Tuesday 29 September 2015

Patio Door Blinds

A question we get asked for often is "what are the best patio door blinds?"

Blinds For Patio Doors Or French Doors?

There is a little confusion between the two so let's clear this up.  A patio door consist of two or more glass doors one or more of which slide to allow egress. French doors are generally hinged and are available to open inwards or outwards.

Blinds For Patio Doors

Now we've clarified that this is a sliding door we now have to be mindful that we are limited to the type of blind that we can fit to this type of door. Horizontal blinds such as venetian blinds are out immediately as when the door is slid into the open position, we would still have a blind covering the opening. 

Patio Door Blinds
In certain scenarios a roller blind may work but would offer very little in terms of light control as it would either need to be opened fully to allow the patio door to be used or it would be closed, there is no middle ground option. 

Perfect fit blinds wouldn't work on patio doors either as they stand too proud and would prevent the door opening. 

The perfect solution for a patio door is a vertical blind. If your slider is on the left then order a vertical blind that bunches to the right, this will enable you to draw the blinds to one side in order to access the door. When not in use the blinds are easily drawn back into place. 

Blinds For French Doors

Whilst still restricted slightly you do have a wider choice when choosing the best blinds for french doors. Horizontal blinds such as venetian blinds are still going to present problems. Roller blinds can be fitted to each individual door leaf instead of the outer frame and as such will open and close with the door. 
French Door Blinds

Perfect fit blinds are also ideal for french doors, these blinds fit under the rubber gasket around the perimeter of the glass. Like roller blinds, these too would open and close with each door leaf and not interfere in any way with the operation of the door. As an added benefit venetian blinds can be used as perfect fit blinds. 

Vertical blinds would work in a similar manner to patio doors. You would simply order the blinds so that they were able to draw towards the slave door leaving the main door free to open. 

Best Blinds For Patio Doors and French Doors?

Now that we know the facts we have a few options and in terms of style and functionality each of the above blinds would work equally as well. 

If price is a factor then the most cost effective solution would be vertical blinds for both styles of door. 

Click here to buy patio door blinds


Thursday 23 July 2015

Green Vertical Blinds

The colour green in Chinese culture has long been associated with health, prosperity and harmony.

In other cultures the colour green has long been a symbol of fertility and during the 15th century it was the preferred colour for wedding dresses.

Green is often thought to have relaxing and calming qualities when used for room decoration. To this end, guests waiting to appear on TV will often wait in "The Green Room" to instil calm prior to making their appearance. It is also said that time passes quicker in a green room!

The colour green is easier on the eye than most other colours, it's for this reason that early computer screens used green writing.

The Colour Green Is Revered Around The World


  • In Ghardaia, houses painted in green signify that the inhabitants have made a pilgrimage to Mecca. 
  • Green is a sacred colors in Iran, where it symbolises paradise. 
  • Green represents the Ireland’s patron St. Patrick and also features on the nations flag.
  • The Japanese regard green as the color of eternal life. 
  • In Aztec culture, green was considered to be royal and was the colour of the plumes used by the Aztec chieftains.  
  • Jade represent virtue and beauty in China. 
  • The Portuguese think of green as the color of hope because of its associations with spring. 
  • In the Scottish Highlands,  green was once worn as a mark of honor.
Cheap green vertical blinds

The Colour Green As Internal Decor

As green is the colour of nature, it represents growth, balance and harmony. It also has a strong psychological association with safety and so it promotes a safe and calming environment. 

The colour green takes up the largest percentage of the colour spectrum visible to the human eye. As it's the most dominant colour in nature it lends itself well to interior design and as it's considered to be soothing and calming it is often thought that it helps with alleviating anxiety, depression and nervous conditions. 

Combining green with blue represents new growth whilst combining greens with natural hues such as browns and beige can enhance calm. When combined with red green becomes festive.   

Adding A Touch Of Green To Your Home

Less is more when it comes to decor. Choosing green accessories or an accent wall is a great way to benefit from the calming and soothing properties that are reported to come from this colour. 

Add some green scatter cushions or lamp shades or even a green window treatment such as vertical blinds

A green rug can make a huge difference and even things like green candles can add a nice touch.

Breathe new life into your existing vertical blinds by buying replacement slats in a green colour. Check out the green replacement slats for vertical blinds below, available for just 50p each!


Peppermint green vertical blind replacement slats
Peppermint Frost Replacement slats for vertical blinds

Everglade Green Slats For Vertical Blinds

Enchanted Green replacement blind slats
Enchantment Green Vertical Blind Slats

Paisley vertical blind slats only
Paisley Green Vertical Blind Slats


Click the caption below each image to find out how to order. 






Monday 31 March 2014

Pay Weekly Blinds

Pay Weekly Blinds
Looking for pay weekly blinds? You might want to think again and here's why.

It's really tempting when balancing a budget to look at offers that supply blinds on pay monthly or pay weekly terms. It's especially tempting when the offer that you've seen states "interest free credit" or 0% interest! 

Are Pay Weekly Blinds Good Value?

In short no, and this is why. Pay weekly blinds, carpets, laminate flooring and other home improvements that you see offered on an interest free basis are generally offered by companies that set up as brokers. This is how it works. 

The broker approaches a company that sells and fits blinds. It works out a deal, for arguments sake lets say the deal is 3 vertical blinds fitted for £95. The broker then does a deal with an independent money lending organisation, usually one that has door collectors. These door collectors have to be paid and the lending company expect a decent return on their money. So, for arguments sake, lets say that the lender wants £200 Pound back for every £100 that they lend out, this is so that they can pay their door collectors, make a profit and also factor in an allowance for bad debtors. 

Naturally the broker want's to earn money from the deal too. He will generally employ canvass teams who will walk the streets knocking on doors. Chances are, in addition to selling blinds on a pay weekly basis, he will also be offering other similar deals such as pay weekly laminate flooring or carpets, Pay weekly burglar alarms etc. Usually things that aren't as portable as a TV or games console.

The broker will be paying the canvasser to produce leads. In addition he will likely be paying a commission to a salesperson who will sign the deal up. So lets look at the math. 

Cost of blinds fitted             £95.00

Canvassers' Commission     £25.00

Salesmans' Commission      £80.00

Brokers Fee (profit)             £200.00

Total Cost of Blinds            £400.00

Interest to Loan Company  £400.00

Total repayable                   £800.00

With some creative accounting in terms of invoicing taking place between broker and the finance company, this can be made to look like an interest free loan. 

Are You Still Looking For Pay Weekly Blinds?

You can see with the example above that pay weekly blinds aren't good value. The blind company who would fit your blinds will be charging just £95, with the rest of the money going in fees, commissions and interest. The facility of paying weekly or monthly exists and it is legal but it doesn't offer good value. You end up paying 8 times more than you would if you saved for a few weeks and then bought direct. 

You could save even more money if you could fit them yourself, Take a look at these vertical blind offers from Just Blinds who are offering 3 vertical blinds for just £72. The equivalent of just a few repayments if you were to choose the pay monthly or weekly option. 

Hopefully this has given you a reason to avoid pay weekly blind offers and opened your eyes to the good value deals that are out there if you save for a few weeks and pay upfront instead. 

Saturday 18 May 2013

Bathroom Blinds

best blinds for bathroom
Choosing new bathroom blinds presents quite a challenge to the homeowner, with such a wide range of blinds on offer how do you choose the ideal blind for a bathroom?

Waterproof Blinds

Depending on the location of the window to be dressed you may not need a truly waterproof fabric. If the blind is very close to the shower then it may run the risk of getting wet. In this case it may be worth choosing a pvc fabric. This is waterproof and wont be damaged if it gets wet. 

In all other cases the worst a blind will have to put up with is condensation. As long as the bathroom is well ventilated by either an open window or an extraction fan then most fabrics would be fine in this environment. Try and avoid a fabric with a flock such as faux suede material as this would hold moisture for longer that could possibly encourage mould growth over time. 

Privacy Blinds

If the location of your bathroom demands privacy then you may want to consider a privacy blind. Typically a blackout fabric or even a venetian blind will offer a window covering that will offer the most privacy even when the bathroom light is on in the evening. The PVC blind that we mentioned as being waterproof is also blackout so this would serve both functions. 

Type Of Blinds

What type of blind that you choose is down to personal choice, roller blinds and vertical blinds are available in all the fabrics that we've mentioned, both are ideal as bathroom blinds, in a dark bathroom then a roller blind will allow more light in during the day whereas vertical blinds will offer better light control on larger windows or windows that have the sun during the day. 

Venetian blinds can look great in the bathroom, It may be advisable to avoid real wood venetians but aluminium or wood effect venetian blinds are ideal. 

Pleated or Roman blinds, aren't really ideal in the bathroom as they would be affected by moisture. 

Vertical, roller and venetian blinds then seem to be the best choice for a bathroom, all are available in a wide range of colours and shades that will blend or harmonise with your colour scheme. Click here to see a range of affordable blinds ideal for bathrooms.


Tuesday 9 April 2013

How To Fit Vertical Blinds

Learning how to fit vertical blinds isn't as difficult as you may think. If you have bought made to measure vertical blinds then you'll see watching the video below that you can fit a blind in just a few minutes.

Things you will need:

  • Tape measure or ruler 
  • Pencil
  • Drill
  • Screwdriver
  • Plugs and Screws
  • Scissors
First of all you need to mark where your brackets will go. If you have a small headrail like the one in the video then you should position them around 5 or 6 inches in from the end. On wide vertical blinds you will have received more brackets. Simply space them out equally along the width of the blind. If you have ordered face fix brackets which would be needed for fitting blinds to a conservatory or for places without a window recess such as in a dormer then you can now simply screw these to either the head of the window frame or to the wall itself. In the video however we show top fix brackets that are the most common method of fitting and would have come with you blind as standard. 

Face Fix or Top Fix Vertical Blinds

As the video shows, you will need to measure 3 1/4 inches from the face of the window frame (around 85mm) drill a hole and use a plug. Normally screws and plugs aren't supplied as there are several different types of material that may be at the head of your frame. The most common will be plaster however if you have a steel lintel then you'd need to use a different type of screw and no plug. Your local DIY store would be able to advise. 

Once the brackets are in place the headrail simply clicks into place. Be sure to offer the front of the rail into the bracket first. Please watch the video below for more details and to see how easy it is to fit vertical blinds. 

Click here to order vertical blinds like the ones in the video. 

Wednesday 13 February 2013

Vertical Blinds - A Buyers Guide

vertical blinds
So you've decided to buy vertical blinds but you simply don't know where to start? We've put together a simple vertical blind buyers guide to answer any questions that you may have.

What Are Ready Made Vertical Blinds?

Ready made vertical blinds are blinds that are available in set sizes. Argos blinds are ready made, the way to buy ready made blinds is to measure your window and then buy the next size up. Ready made blinds are traditionally cheaper than made to measure blinds although the difference in price these days is minimal and often if you shop around you can find made to measure blinds for less than ready made. 

The down side to ready made blinds of course is that you have to cut them to size. This means taking a saw to the headrail which is usually made from aluminium. In addition it means cutting and adjusting each blind slat by hand. On a small window this isn't too bad but on a wider window you should really set aside a full day. 

What Are Made To Measure Vertical Blinds?

Made to measure vertical blinds are as the title suggests, blinds that are made to your measurements. It is simply a matter of measuring your recess size and then the blind manufacturer will make the necessary adjustments and deliver your blinds ready to hang. This is a much easier way to buy blinds especially if you are buying more than one vertical blind. 

Made to measure vertical blinds are usually made from better components than ready made blinds. Very often you have a wider range of fabrics to choose from and once the blind is installed it will look a lot better than a cut down blind. 

Which Vertical Blind Control System Is Best?

child safe vertical blinds
There are two main control systems for vertical blinds. The first and cheapest system can normally be found on ready made blinds. It consists of a plastic rod sometimes called a wand, that simply attaches to the truck at the top of the last blind slat. to tilt the blinds you simply twist the rod, to draw the blinds you literally pull the blinds across using the rod. This system is cheap and cheerful, it doesn't really allow for a split opening option (when your blinds draw equally from the centre like curtains) as you'd have two rods on display in the centre of your window. 

The one single redeeming feature of the wand control system is that due to their being no cords or chains they are considered to be child safe. That said, traditional cord and chain controls can be fitted with child safe devices too. 

The more traditional method of vertical blind control is the cord and chain, the chain controls the tilt of the blind and the cord controls the draw. As already mentioned, this configuration allows a split opening option if required. 

What Should I Look For When Buying Vertical Blinds?

Choosing vertical blinds will always be a personal choice, if however you want some pointers then here goes.

Choose made to measure, this will save you so much time, we're talking a lot of time and also a great deal of frustration. Simply check this guide on measuring vertical blinds and then order them made to measure. Cord and chain controls make for a much more professional and usable blind. If child safety is your concern then specify a child safe option

Ensure that your vertical blind supplier sews each hem on the slats, some companies glue or bond the hems but this can result in the hem coming apart in the heat of the sun or if the blind is installed above a radiator. 

If you're buying blinds for more than one window then you may find that you can qualify for a vertical blind offer

Just Blinds manufacture vertical blinds and supply direct to the public at trade prices. Click here to buy vertical blinds online

Wednesday 9 January 2013

Vertical Blinds - Repair or Replace?

Vertical blinds can often need repairing, sometimes the mechanism in the headrail may fail or sometimes the fabric starts to look a little worn.

Should you repair or replace your vertical blinds? Let's take a look at your options for repairing or replacing.

Repairing Vertical Blinds

Depending on your reasons for the repair then this may be a very inexpensive exercise. Often vertical blinds can get misaligned, if that's the case then you may not even need to buy any parts. See this video below to see how easy you can realign vertical blinds.



If the above video didn't solve your problem then the good news is that most of the parts on a vertical blind are easily replaced. 

If the blinds have stopped tilting or you can no longer draw them then chances are, you'll need a new vertical blind headrail

You may need new stabilising chain that connects to the weights at the bottom of the blinds, this is available literally for pennies! See the full range of vertical blind spares in our shop

Even if your blinds are functioning perfectly then your fabric may be looking a little tired. Some fabrics are washable but most can just be sponged lightly. If they are beyond repair however then you may want to consider replacement blind slats. Available in both 3.5 inch (89mm) and 5 inch (127mm) widths, blind slats come in a wide range of colours and can be made to measure so replacing them is as simple as taking your old slats down and hanging the new ones. Blind slats vary in price from 50p each to around £2 each depending on the fabric chosen. 

Made To Measure Vertical Blinds

You may have made the decision that it's best to replace the whole lot and buy new vertical blinds. Maybe your old blinds are just past their best and even new slats would leave you with an old looking rail and discoloured controls. 

The good news is that vertical blinds are available for considerably little cost. You can buy made to measure blinds from as little as £12.00 and if you need more than one blind then there are some fantastic vertical blind offers in our shop

Hopefully this has given you an insight into what options are available to you when replacing your blinds.