Types of Blinds

Blinds have a number of design benefits when choosing a window treatment. They can be used when there is no space available on the sides of a window. Blinds can be used inside or outside the window recess and can sometimes be more economical custom curtains. They can however, be used in conjunction with curtains to give a layered effect.

Styles of Blinds

1. Simple styles:

• Roller Blinds

The most practical treatment for windows throughout the home and ideal for the kitchen and  bathroom. Roller Blinds use a minimal amount of fabric, lay flat against the window and roll up to let a maximum amount of light into the room. Best mounted inside the window recess roller blinds can be teamed up with curtains, pelmets and valances to give a co-ordinating look.

2.    Roman styles:

• Roman Blinds

With their clean, sophisticated lines, Roman Blinds are one of the most stylish ways to dress up a window. They are made to fit flat across the width of the window and pull up into folds.
Roman blinds can be made in all weights of fabric and are usually lined. They can be used as a standalone window treatment outside the window recess or hung inside the recess behind curtains and/or top treatments such as pelmets or valances to give a layered effect.

3.  Elaborate gathered styles:

• Austrian Blinds

Austrian Blinds are in reality a curtain, and are made up as such with a fullness of twice the track or batten width. The only difference being that the blind is pulled up from the bottom to the top by means of cords attached at the back, and is made longer than the required finished drop. The extra fabric in the length forms scallops, even when the blind is in the lowered position.

• Cascade Blinds
  

A Cascade Blind is a simple solution for a small window where curtains would be impractical, such as a in a bathroom, kitchen or staircase.
If they are hung on wide windows the style of them can make the sides drape away from the edges of the window.

• London Blinds

London Blinds are a cross between a Roman and an Austrian blind. They are softer than Roman blinds, but more tailored than Austrian blinds with the fullness coming from inverted pleats and can be lined or unlined.

If the window you intend to cover is very wide, it is preferable to divide the width into sections and install a blind for each section rather than 1 blind across the whole width.

Where there are different sized windows in a room, blinds can be used to treat the smaller windows while using the same fabric to dress the larger windows with curtains.