One of the most common questions we get asked when visiting customers in their homes is ‘Which blind would be the best option?’

There is no one answer for each situation, but to provide a solution, I ask a few questions first. Such as why do you need a window covering there? Is it for privacy, making the room darker, or keeping the room cooler – or warmer? Is it purely aesthetic? How do you use the window or door? Is it mostly closed or open, or is it the main access point. Do you need cooling summer breezes at night? How sunny does it get – does it face west?

Once I have established that information, it is so much easier to provide an answer. For example, a Maleny customer I saw yesterday needs a blind on her kitchen window. The main reason she wants that blind is for privacy at night as the window faces her driveway. It is not a sunny or hot situation, and she doesn’t worry about privacy during the day. Since the blind is over a sink, my suggestion was to use a roller blind in a blockout fabric that can be rolled up out of the way in the daytime and closed at night for privacy. By using a low maintenance fabric like Dawn, any splashes can be easily removed.

Another customer I visited last week in Elimbah has a large west-facing living room that has three windows and a sliding door around the room. A priority for this customer is to keep out some of the summer heat and keep the room warm in winter. It was a particularly cold day when I was there, and easy to see how a large amount of glass allows warm air to escape. The floors in the room are tiled, so there are many hard surfaces in the room. To help with thermal insulation and sound absorption, my suggestion was to use curtains with a blockout lining that stacks each side of the windows. These would give the room a balanced and pleasing symmetry whilst providing a soft and inviting look for a family living room. My customer is also very keen to keep the products she uses in her home low VOC, so we chose a Wilson lining that is Oeko-Tex certified and natural linen for the face curtain.

One common question that is asked is what would be suitable for a large sliding door. As sliding doors can be commonly used areas, it is important that what is used on the door is practical and easy to use. The most appropriate window coverings for these situations are Curtains, Panel Glides or Shutters on a sliding track. Panel Glides are excellent for doors as they easily span a large area without compromising their function or appearance. The panels can be stacked away over a wall where possible when not in use and pulled across when needed. The panel glides slide easily along the track and can be opened when access to the door is required. There are many options for fabric in Blockout, Translucent or Sheer to suit your specific needs.

Curtains are also ideal for large areas as they can easily span large widths and be stacked back against or over a wall. The options for fabric choices are almost endless, and any style can be achieved with a curtain.

Shutters are also a lovely option for a sliding door as they can be installed on a tracking system allowing the panels to be stacked over each other. The blades can be left open or closed to suit your privacy or light control needs.

When it is time to choose your window coverings, it is good to think about your needs and requirements for each area and put them in order of priority. This will give you the best chance of choosing the right blinds for your home.