How to choose the right type of blinds for a conservatory

If you want your conservatory to be used to its full potential, it’s very important to make the right choice for the best conservatory blinds for your home.

There are lots of different kinds of blinds available on the market and, with so many different styles and materials, there are a few decisions to make.

At least in part, your decision on which blinds to buy should be made based on your own personal preference and your décor, but it is also a good idea to keep in mind the unique features of your conservatory when deciding which blinds you should have.

The best blinds for your own conservatory will largely depend on what you want those blinds to do.

Here are some things to consider. 

Temperature Control

Temperature control is a very important factor when you’re deciding which conservatory blinds to have fitted.

Conservatories have a lot of glass, of course, which makes them turn into heat traps in summer and a big cause of heat loss in the winter. Well-chosen blinds can really help you to effectively control the temperature in the conservatory all year round, to keep it a comfortable temperature.

You want blinds that will help with insulation in winter and discourage heat absorption in the summer.

Roller, vertical and Venetian blinds will all allow you to effectively choose the amount of sunlight and solar heat you let in to your conservatory during the summer.  Importantly, letting you to change the amount throughout the day.

Roman blinds, particularly with thicker fabric, and shutters can help you provide greater insulation during the colder periods but will block more of the garden views and so are not ideal choices for a conservatory.

Sunlight Control

The point of a conservatory is to let in lots of light and create more cohesion between the indoors and the outdoors in your home. However, you don’t always want harsh light coming in.

A blind which is able to shield the indoors from direct sunlight but still let in plenty of light is perfect. You probably don’t want blinds that will block more of the windows than they have to.

Although fabric and materials used in Roman and roller blinds has advanced greatly over the years, they are exposed to high sunlight exposure in conservatories which does leave them susceptible to colour fading over time.

Vertical and Venetian blinds are very popular options to control sunlight. Both of these kinds of blinds will give you lots of control over how much light comes in, thanks to the rotatable slats which can be used to diffuse direct sunlight without blocking all the light from getting into the room.

Cost

The cost will of course play a part in your decisions for the best blinds for your conservatory. The price of your blinds will vary according to how large your conservatory is, and the materials that you choose for your blinds, regardless of the style of the blinds themselves.

Typically, the cheaper styles of blind are usually roller and vertical blinds. However, as with most things, remember that with blinds you do get what you pay for, and if you want a sleek, tailored, temperature controlling, hard-wearing, and visually pleasing blind in your conservatory an off-the-shelf blinds are less likely to achieve it.

Durability

Blinds can be an investment, especially if you do opt for a bespoke option. This cost means that you really want a blind that will durable. A durable blind will be more resistant to fading, discoloration, and staining.

The best blinds for lasting a long time are vertical blinds or Venetian blinds. Wooden and PVC Venetian blinds can be more susceptible to warping with sun exposure and so it is worth considering aluminium Venetian blinds in a conservatory.

Privacy

If you live in an area that is built-up or you have neighbours who overlook your conservatory, then the privacy which some styles of blinds can offer will be a factor in your decision. Blinds that block the line of sight into your conservatory, but that won’t block your own view out into the garden are the ideal option.

Vertical and Venetian blinds are often the choice with privacy in mins as they give you the most amount of control over how much privacy you want to have.

Vision blinds a popular choice

An increasingly popular option in conservatories are Vision Blinds. They offer contemporary designs that gently filter the light while maintaining a view and providing the option of privacy in your home or office.

The innovative Vision fabric collection features stunning metallics, gorgeous sheers, natural wood woven effects and a popular selection of muted tones that will look great in any conservatory.

Suitability

Some blinds are better suited to the conservatory than others. One aspect that can often be overlooked is how heavy the blinds are. A uPVC conservatory that has large windows will likely not be able to accommodate every style of blind. Roman blinds, for example, are usually very heavy and could put a lot of unnecessary stress on the frame of your conservatory. You can ask a blinds expert to give you some advice on what is possible and best for your conservatory.

The weight of blinds depends a lot on what material they are made of, although a lot of different styles do come with more lightweight options. Lightweight pleated blinds, vertical blinds, and Venetian blinds made from aluminium are usually some of the better options that are well suited to the structure of the average conservatory.

Ease of use, powered blinds

The size, layout and and number of windows in a conservatory tends to mean that you have can have a number of blinds in the one room. This can lead to a lot of opening and closing throughout the day/evening and this can be tricky if the controls are behind furniture, seating and people!

It is not surprising therefore that electric blinds have become a popular choice as it allows you to control all the blinds from one switch and/or remote control. At the touch of a button your blinds can rise, lower, open or close… check out these electric blinds in action:

Flyscreens

In addition to blinds, it is also worth considering a fly screen for your conservatory French doors to keep out flies and insects while enjoying the fresh air. We recently fitted the fly screen to French doors shown above along with the Vision Blinds.

Your local business blinds experts

Based in Ipswich, Westminster Blinds supply and fit blinds for offices, shops, schools and commercial premises across Suffolk, Norfolk, Cambridgeshire and Essex.

Our expert team can provide a wide range of creative and stylish blind solutions that can reduce, sun glare and heat. We then supply and fit the blinds at a time convenient to you… excellent products, brilliantly installed.