The Complete Guide to Buying Blinds for Your Home
Blinds are more than just a window covering – they’re a key element in shaping the comfort, style, and atmosphere of your home. Whether you’re looking to add a touch of elegance to a lounge, improve privacy in a bedroom, or regulate temperature in a garden room or conservatory, the right blinds can completely transform your living space.
At Broadview, we’ve been helping homeowners across the South find the perfect shading solutions for over 55 years. Our team of expert design consultants and installers are here to guide you through the process from start to finish. This detailed guide will walk you through everything you need to know before investing in made-to-measure blinds.
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Types of Blinds and Their Benefits
When selecting blinds for your home, it’s important to choose a style that suits both the function and aesthetic of the room. Here’s a breakdown of the most popular options:
Roller Blinds
Modern, understated, and available in a huge array of colours, patterns and textures. Roller blinds are ideal for kitchens, bathrooms and utility rooms thanks to their wipe-clean, moisture-resistant options. They’re also a great fit for children’s bedrooms when paired with blackout fabric.
Best for: Minimalist interiors, practical spaces, and where easy maintenance is key.
Roman Blinds
These fabric blinds fold neatly into soft pleats when raised, adding warmth and luxury to a room. Choose from a wide range of colours, patterns, and linings, including blackout or thermal options for added functionality.
Best for: Bedrooms, lounges and dining areas where a soft, elegant finish is desired.
Venetian Blinds
Featuring horizontal slats made from aluminium, faux wood, or real timber, Venetian blinds offer precision control over light and privacy. You can tilt the slats to let in just the right amount of light or close them completely for total privacy.
Best for: Home offices, kitchens, or any space where flexibility is important.
Vertical Blinds
Perfect for wide windows, patio doors or garden rooms, vertical blinds are easy to operate and come in an array of fabrics, from blackout to sheer voile. They offer a smart, linear look that works well in contemporary interiors.
Best for: Bi-fold doors, garden rooms, and large glazed areas.
Pleated Blinds
A neat and stylish option especially suited to conservatories and garden rooms. Their concertina design helps improve insulation and filters harsh sunlight while maintaining an open feel.
Best for: Garden rooms, conservatories, or any space with large or angled glazing.
Perfect Fit Blinds
Designed specifically for uPVC windows and doors, these blinds clip into place without the need for screws or drilling. They’re ideal for tilt-and-turn windows and French or patio doors.
Best for: Modern homes, patio doors, and rooms with tilt-and-turn windows.
Motorised Blinds
Smart and stylish, motorised blinds offer convenient control via remote, app, or home automation systems. Particularly useful for hard-to-reach windows or for those who want a sleek, modern finish.
Best for: High windows, lounges, and homes with smart technology.
Factors to Consider Before Buying Blinds
While style is important, there are several other practical considerations that will help guide your decision:
Light Control
Think about how much natural light you want to allow into the room. Blackout fabrics are ideal for bedrooms and media rooms, while sheer fabrics allow soft light into living areas without compromising privacy.
Privacy
For rooms that are overlooked – such as street-facing bedrooms or bathrooms – privacy is key. Venetian and vertical blinds offer adjustable slats so you can maintain light while keeping your space private.
Temperature & Insulation
Blinds can help manage room temperature by reducing heat loss in winter and blocking excessive sunlight in summer. Thermal linings, honeycomb pleated fabrics, or conservatory-specific solutions can make a noticeable difference.
Moisture Resistance
In bathrooms, utility spaces and kitchens, opt for moisture-resistant materials like faux wood, PVC, or treated fabrics that won’t warp or discolour.
Window Size & Shape
Unusual windows? No problem. At Broadview, we specialise in bespoke blinds for bay windows, skylights, roof lanterns, arched frames, apex windows and more. Our made-to-measure service ensures a seamless, custom fit every time.
Why Choose Made-to-Measure Blinds?
Unlike off-the-shelf options, made-to-measure blinds are crafted to suit your exact measurements and requirements – both in terms of function and style. Here’s what makes them worth the investment:
When you choose Broadview, you’re choosing quality, care, and craftsmanship.
Blinds for Every Room
Each room in your home has different requirements. Here’s a quick guide to the best blind styles by space:
- Bedroom: Roman, roller, or Venetian with blackout lining
- Living Room: Roman, Venetian, or motorised roller blinds
- Kitchen: Faux wood, roller, or Perfect Fit blinds
- Bathroom: Waterproof roller, faux wood Venetian
- Garden Room: Pleated, vertical, or motorised blinds
- Conservatory: Pleated roof & side blinds, Perfect Fit, or solar fabrics
- Home Office: Venetian or vertical blinds for light management
Why Choose Broadview?
We’re proud to be one of the South’s leading experts in made-to-measure blinds and shading systems. With over five decades of experience, Broadview has built a reputation for quality, reliability and outstanding customer service.
We’ll help you choose a solution that looks beautiful, performs perfectly and stands the test of time.
Book Your Free Design Consultation Today
Let’s bring your vision to life. Book a free, no-obligation consultation with one of our friendly experts. We’ll visit you at home, take precise measurements, show you samples, and provide a detailed quote.
Call us on 01202 679012 or complete the enquiry form and we will call you back to discuss your requirements and arrange a convenient time to meet.
Frequently Asked Questions
Pleated and thermal roller blinds are excellent choices for managing heat. They reflect sunlight and help regulate indoor temperatures. In garden rooms or conservatories, solar-control fabrics and roof blinds are particularly effective.
Yes – at Broadview, we create made-to-measure blackout blinds for a wide range of window shapes, including angled, arched, bay and roof windows. Perfect Fit and pleated blackout options are especially versatile for non-standard frames.
Motorised blinds offer convenient, smooth control and are ideal for hard-to-reach windows or larger installations. They’re also great for integrating with smart home systems, giving you automated shading throughout the day.
Absolutely. Thermal linings and honeycomb-style blinds (like pleated or Duette® blinds) can significantly reduce heat loss in winter and limit solar gain in summer – helping to make your home more energy-efficient.
All Broadview blinds are professionally measured and installed by our expert team to ensure a perfect, safe, and lasting fit. While some off-the-shelf blinds are DIY-friendly, made-to-measure blinds are best left to professionals for optimal results.
It depends on the material. Most fabric blinds can be lightly vacuumed or wiped with a soft cloth. Venetian and faux wood blinds can be dusted with a microfibre cloth or duster. During your consultation, we’ll advise on the best care routine for your chosen blinds.
Yes – we specialise in bespoke shading for skylights, roof lanterns, and conservatories. We offer both manual and motorised options designed to fit seamlessly with your glazing structure.
Once you’ve chosen your blinds and your order is confirmed, installation typically takes place within 3–4 weeks. The installation itself is usually completed in a single visit, depending on the number and type of blinds.
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