About Vertical Blinds
Vertical blinds - an all-in-one solution
More and more people are choosing vertical blinds instead of curtains - and sometimes in addition to them. It's no surprise, because vertical blinds offer plenty of benefits.
Visually, they're suited to any size of window, but vertical blinds are an especially popular choice for tall windows, patio doors, conservatories and other rooms that receive direct or bright sunlight.
Vertical blinds offer versatile control
Comprised of full length slats, vertical blinds can be pulled partially or completely open when you want to let light pour in to a room.
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When buying made to measure vertical blinds, you can specify whether the slats will gather to the left or right hand side of the head rail - or whether to have them split, so they gather evenly to each side as the blind is opened. This can be an important practical consideration when buying vertical blinds to cover patio doors, for example. When fully open, vertical blinds take up very little room - and even then only at the sides of the window, as opposed to blocking any of a window's height (unlike, say, Roman blinds).
When closed, vertical blinds can be highly effective in cutting out light, providing privacy, stopping inbound heat from the sun and stopping heat loss during colder months. You can buy vertical blinds with slats made from various purpose-designed materials, including for use as blackout blinds.
When you want something in between fully open or closed, you can simply twist all of the slats on a vertical blind at an angle to achieve your desired effect. This easy adjustment usually involves pulling on a looped control cord or turning a control rod. For example, you may wish to change the angle of your vertical blinds during the day, so that light falls only where you want as the sunlight changes direction.
» See all featured UK vertical blinds suppliers
For a light filtering effect, vertical blinds are available in voile and sheer fabrics. These can work especially well in combination with curtains. With sheer vertical blinds fully closed during the day, plenty of light can still enter a room whilst at the same time preventing people from seeing in. With both vertical blinds and curtains closed at night, rooms can also benefit from extra heat insulation.
Vertical blinds for bay windows
Vertical blinds can be fitted in awkward spaces like bow and bay windows by using a curved headrail. They're even available for trickier sloped and split drop windows.
Vertical blind slat choices
We've already seen how vertical blinds can provide an all-in-one solution: carpets and furnishings can be protected from direct sunlight, privacy safeguarded and your rooms treated to as little or as much light as you wish. On top of this, there are plenty of options for slat types and styles.
For rooms like kitchens and bathrooms, you can buy PVC vertical blinds, which are waterproof and can simply be wiped clean when necessary.
For other rooms, choose from lightweight, medium or blackout vertical blinds to softly diffuse, dim out or block incoming and outgoing light as desired.
Further options include machine washable, light reflective, flame retardant and even metallic aluminium vertical blinds. Slats come in a wide range of materials, plain and natural colours, patterns and textures.
Buying vertical blinds online
You can buy ready made and made-to-measure vertical blinds to fit yourself from a variery of online retailers in the UK. See our blinds suppliers directory to visit blind retailers' websites, view vertical blinds ranges and compare prices.
When ordering made-to-measure vertical blinds online, you'll need to specify each window's recess measurements along with any other options as explained by each supplier's own online instructions (sizing methods often vary).
If you'd prefer to buy new vertical blinds the easy way - by which we mean having everything done for you, from measuring to fitting - you might consider booking a free home quote with Hillarys Blinds. As an interesting aside, their PVC vertical blinds even feature an anti-static finish to keep dust to a minimum. How's that for attention to detail?
