Bespoke blinds make a stylish, affordable and energy-efficient alternative to curtains. When made to order, close-fitting Roman, London or Swedish blinds can help improve insulation and reduce heating costs.
So why choose blinds for your windows, instead of curtains? Blinds can cover your window to shut the light out and make it cosy, using less fabric and taking up less space than curtains. Like curtains, all of our blinds are handmade to order. We offer a range of blind options for you to choose from:
- Roman Blinds
- London Blinds
- Swedish Blinds
As with our curtain options, we have a selection of different finishes for your blinds that we make here in our little workshop in the Ribble Valley; the main ones you can choose from are:
- Lined Blinds
- Interlined Blinds
- Blackout Blinds
- Bespoke Blinds – a combination of the above!
Most people tend to go for lined Roman blinds – with either added interlining for extra insulation or blackout lining for bedrooms. The choice is entirely up to you and what your needs are – we are happy to advise you every step of the way.
Before we get started, let’s explain what a Roman Blind is – as so many people get in a muddle with what they are asking for! Think about what the Romans are famous for – straight lines; straight roads, straight everything. A Roman blind is sewn in sections to create folds (that, unsurprisingly, fold up in straight lines).
If you need a ‘foldy up’ blind, a ‘one of those special blinds’, a ‘concertina blind’ or a ‘zig-zaggy blind’ – we are fairly sure you want a Roman blind!
Blind Sizes
Generally speaking, Roman Blinds may be made up to 250cm wide for a single window. Blinds work well on smaller windows to medium sized windows.
Siting your blind
When planning on having a blind made, you should consider the following factors:
You are strongly advised to check with your builders/3rd party that the wall/ceiling is suitable for fixing blind mechanisms to. Blind mechanisms need to be fixed firmly and securely to walls/ceilings in order to work properly and not fall out! Some modern houses and extensions will have metal plates put up over and above windows, making it impossible to fix blind mechanisms to the area.
Blind mechanisms should also not be fixed to PVCU window surrounds, as by drilling into the window frames, you may invalidate your warranty or guarantees for your windows.
Inside or Outside a Recess
When ordering your blinds, we will ask you whether you want it to sit inside or outside the recess. Don’t panic! Read on…
What is a recess?
A recess is the area where your window fits into. Subject to your building (and builders advice) you can have your blind inside the recess, nearer the window, or outside the window.
New or Replacement Blinds
Whilst brand new blinds are great, we know that sometimes with a bit of know-how, we can all play our part to help the planet, whilst saving a bit of money. We offer a replacement blind service, whereby you can have the fabric part of your blind replaced, whilst maintaining or re-using the existing mechanism (where possible).
Child Safety Information
All of our new Roman blinds come with a child safety pack; it is the law to provide you with the means to make your blind safe (regardless of whether you have children in your house or not!), and on the off chance a small person gets tangled up in it, the cord strings and chain are easily removable, assuring you with peace of mind.
A child safety pack contains:
- Safety hooks and toggles on the back of the blind
- A safety break chain
- A chain ‘tidy’
- H&S Instructions
Types of Chains
We offer the following colours of chains with new Roman blinds:
- Chrome (comes as standard)
- Bright Brass
- Antique Brass
- White plastic
Lined Roman Blinds
Lined Roman Blinds are just that – fabric covered with a lining (usually cream or white) to create a double thickness of material at your windows. Lined blinds can have several different finishes on their headings. Our standard heading is simply a plain one – this seems to be a popular one, which most people tend to go for, as it’s adaptable. However, you can choose from:
- Standard plain heading
- Envelope heading
- Flop over heading
Standard plain heading
A straight line of Velcro runs along the back of the top of the blind to fix it to the blind mechanism. The outward appearance is simply of a straight line of fabric across the top of your blind.
Envelope heading
Imagine an envelope flap that hasn’t been stuck down yet and you’re imagining this type of heading. Although the blind is still fixed to the mechanism by Velcro, a separate ‘flap’ of fabric hangs down over the front of the Roman blind, creating the envelope look.
Flop over heading
A flop over heading, can hang down across the front of the blind from the top.
Interlined Roman Blinds
Interlining is basically a blanket! And let’s face it, with energy costs sky-rocketing at the moment, this could save you money on your forthcoming energy bills. You never get to see interlining – we secretly stitch it in between the main fabric and the lining of your blinds, providing more warmth (it has great thermal properties!) and a thicker, more plush appearance to your blinds. It looks great hiding behind the scenes when you use linen or linen mix fabrics as your main fabric. Interlining is designed to help improve the drape of the blinds. More of its secret talents are to improve sound insulation levels too; using it creates a fuller look with rounder and softer edges.
When you interline blinds, you do add a little bulk to them, so simple headings work best. We use a heavy cotton interlining.
Blackout Blinds
We all know that light flooding into a room can be a nuisance at times, especially in the summer or for light sleepers. We offer blackout lining to all of our handmade blinds – using our blackout linings are also a great way to use embroidered fabrics, or fabrics with read lines to stop them showing through on the fabric face, ensuring nothing detracts from the blind design. Blackout lining is a durable lining with an excellent drape, the higher density weave offers greater opacity and protection (that’s very little light coming in to you and me!), along with great energy efficiency. The inherent properties of blackout lining resists water (it feels a bit ‘plasticy’ – but it’s hidden, so you don’t see it) and should not be damaged by moisture.
Interlined Blinds with Blackout Lining
This is the double whammy of all blinds – we know that light flooding into a room can be a nuisance at times and we offer blackout lining to all of our handmade blinds – teamed up with interlining these blinds are designed not only to block sunlight, but to offer excellent thermal and sound insulation properties; thus conserving energy, dampening noise and saving money on heating costs. These are a firm favourite for bedroom blinds (especially in children’s rooms or nurseries) – regardless of whether you are in a new build, an old barn conversion or somewhere in between!
Swedish Blinds
A simple roll-up, Scandinavian style of blind, a Swedish blind is a roll-up blind where you can see the roll of fabric at the bottom of the blind – in fact, the roll of fabric becomes a feature of the blind. These are great a covering up small windows, especially on cottage style stable doors, where you may struggle fixing traditional blind mechanisms.
Swedish blinds look great when seen from outside, especially if you use a contrasting or complimentary lining.
We can also let our imagination run wild and see how we can roll these up for you – from mini leather straps and gorgeous vintage buttons, to co-ordinated fabric straps and feature buttons, we can find something to fit your design ideas with flair.