Curtains/blinds dilema

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Toby

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Need to get window dressing for large open plan area with one normal window and one large bay window at front and two patio doors at the back. The are all within view of each other so should match or compliment each other. Front windows need something (not nets) for privacy during the day.

I don't want to cut out any light so have a problem with velux or roman blinds cos they hang down over the top of the window/door even when they're fully pulled up.

Vertical blinds seem too officy and are a nuisance with kids around.

Roller blinds are a bit naff and leave window looking unfinished.

Curtains are nice and cosy feeling but worried they will get in the way as theres not a huge amount of space to walk past one of the patio door. Shutters would seem to suggest the same problem as surely they stick out when opened.

Nothing seems perfect. What have other people used?
 
Have you considered wooden venetian blinds? Our house is one room deep and double fronted. We have wooden venetian blinds. We have one big window and french doors out to the garden in our living room and one window and a back door with two small windows either side in the kitchen/diningroom . They can be adjusted to give lots of privacy during the day or opened to give lots of light when your at home.
 
You can get shutters which open back to the wall when opened.
They are quite expenisve though.
Have you considered using the same or similiar fabric for a combination of effects such as romans on the smaller windows and full length curtains on the larger windows which can be opened back fully to allow maximum light in.
 
Have roller blinds on windows plus curtains for decoration only, so the 'unfinished' look of the rollers does not apply. The curtains are decorative in the sense that I have pole going all the way across the straight part of the bay, but curtains are never pulled. They would not reach all the way across if pulled, but have enough bulk in them to look like they are the correct size, even though they are tied back all the time.

For the patio, have curtains with tie-backs and it is a sliding patio rather than double french. Never felt restricted by presence of curtain when going in and out.
 
Thanks, still not sure. Have looked at all of the above. I was walking around today looking at houses and found that venetians didn't actually give that much privacy when the slats are fully open so they'd end up half closed most of the time which won't let in much light. Might go with light fabric curtains on patio doors so they can be bunched up well to one side only (fitted furniture will only allow curtains on one side).
 
Hi there, We have opted for roller black out blinds for night time privacy. Then in the frout of the house, we have voile/muslin curtains that can be pulled over or not (don't really need privacy at back). I guess they act as nets do but are hung from a pole (tab tops) or curtain rail (pencil pleats) and are floor length for sitting room, rad length for play room. They look a little better than nets! For the back of the house we only pull the voiles when it is too glary, otherwise they are left open.
 
monkey0804, would you mind me asking where you got your voile/muslim curtains as I have been searching for this material and cannot see it in any of the shops around where I live. I do believe the only way to get privacy is to hang some kind of light curtain. The blinds are no good in that respect because when people go out they have to close them.
 
Monkey, thanks, I love that idea, pretty sure Clerys and Hickeys have lots of voile
 
Hi there, my curtain hunt is not quite over. I bought some in habitat, and some in regular curtain shops (shop in blanchardtown beside dunnes on bottom level). Plain voile or linen look voile is quite easy to find - it's v plain but hopefully this will last the test of time.
 
We've finished our house with 25mm slat venetian blinds, metal slats as opposed to timber. Timber venetians look good but when they're pulled up they look very bulky. That said we dont retract our blinds much but the thinner aluminum slat lets more light in and I certainly wouldn't go roller blinds everywhere- it's all or nothing with them.
 
I have thomas sanderson blinds and think they are fab- so far 3 people who have seen them have now placed an order- with me getting €75 a go! so even happier !! the blinds ar tiny - when you walk into the room you dont even notice them until they are pointed out( main reason I bought them as didnt want to obstruct the view). they actually fit above the glass not above the frame and are only about half inch thick, I choose a light colour - barley and they let in great light. they arent cheap but if you time it right , like i did, they have regular offers with up to 25% off.....
 
Toby, I have a suggestion for the windows to the front but I'm not sure where you'll actuall get them. I have heard that you can get blinds (similar to roller blinds) that actually operate from the bottom up. So during the day you could pull them up to about head height but still let daylight in from the top of the window. An Austrailian friend of mine told me about them.... but I haven't seen any this side of the world.

Gnash
 
gnashers said:
Toby, I have a suggestion for the windows to the front but I'm not sure where you'll actuall get them. I have heard that you can get blinds (similar to roller blinds) that actually operate from the bottom up. So during the day you could pull them up to about head height but still let daylight in from the top of the window. An Austrailian friend of mine told me about them.... but I haven't seen any this side of the world.

Gnash
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Thanks, I've often wondered why noone does blinds that roll up from below.

Not so excited about voile + rollers idea now, after some thought I realised - isn't that just like having net curtains after all? i just don't like the look of them and the dull feeling they give to the light of the room

Carpenter, funny you say thinner slats let in more light as curtain shop in Clerys told me the wider ones let in more light! Also, by metal ones do you mean aluminium? Are they a pain to keep clean?

Will check out the Sanderson blinds site , just seen ads on TV so don't know much

Thanks all.
 
JPSaltee said:
I have thomas sanderson blinds and think they are fab- so far 3 people who have seen them have now placed an order- with me getting €75 a go! so even happier !! the blinds ar tiny - when you walk into the room you dont even notice them until they are pointed out( main reason I bought them as didnt want to obstruct the view). they actually fit above the glass not above the frame and are only about half inch thick, I choose a light colour - barley and they let in great light. they arent cheap but if you time it right , like i did, they have regular offers with up to 25% off.....
Click to expand...

JP

Whats the story with Sanderson blinds, their site doesn't show any detailed pictures. What type of blinds are they and what makes them so special. Do they let in some light when pulled down for privacy during the day? Thanks.
 
Toby, they have one of those roll-up from the bottom blinds in the Argos catalogue, I think they call them cafe style, know I Have seen them in the catalogue
 
what makes them special for me is that when they are not in use - you can walk into a room an not even notice them - that is my favoirite thing about them. they look like a folded fan and act in the same way, you pull them down to whatever height you want anthe material just " pops out into a sort of wavey effect. I suposse it depends on the colour but mine let in alot of light - no need to turn on lights....... ask sanderson to send you out a colour sample and you will see what i mean - stick the sample to the window and take a look.
 
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