We pride ourselves on offering our customers plenty of colour options as we know that the colour is what people are most concerned with. A range of colours are available and we also have plenty of specialised colours such as turquoise and chocolate brown roller blinds. If you are redecorating a room in your home and have a colour scheme in mind then you’ll find by picking out a colour, such as red roller blinds you will be presented with plenty of different options that incorporate red colouring. Examples include polaris red, which is a lovely shade of red in a plain weave, and camila rosa, which has a linen background with red floral prints. It’s very easy to order with us too; simply find the design and colour that you like and order a sample or get a price if you are confident that you have found something that you really like. By entering the width and drop figures of the blind you want, you can calculate the price on the website. Most blinds come with a high quality chain control, smooth running control chain, a sewn bottom pocket, and aluminium tube. Printed roller blinds will always be popular in certain rooms and we hope you will find something from our substantial collection. For a conservatory for example, the Java Sorrell has a brushed patterned effect that gives it a very contemporary feel and you can also find models that come with antibacterial properties.
With So Much Choice, Take A Good Look!
April 11th, 2012Are Patterned Roller Blinds The Best Kitchen Blinds?
March 19th, 2012A question I get asked regularly is “what blinds do you recommend for kitchens?”. I find personally that practically speaking roller blinds are the best. I have seen several kitchens with venetians blinds both wooden and metal and both can look functional more than a design option. A roller blind is best as you can roll it up to the top when you are doing the cooking and washing up and down at night or in the morning when the sun is coming up. We have 100s of patterned roller blinds to chose from that really lend themselves to kitchens. These fabrics have the added advantage of being in the suitable for moist conditions roller blinds category. Another advantage of a roller blind is that you can use the windowsill for plants, jars etc whereas venetians and vertical blinds take away that flexibility.
Prepare For The Clocks Going Forward With Blackout Blinds
March 15th, 2012As the mornings are becoming lighter a lot of the sales I am processing at the moment are for blackout blinds for different rooms in the home. With blackout fabrics available for roller and vertical blinds as well as replacement vertical blind slats the choice has never been better.
Children are very susceptible to light changes and when they get up half an hour earlier they wake the whole house up in the process! As the clocks going forwards swiftly approaches this problem is going to intensify. Blackout roller blinds are fabulous as we have a massive choice of colours and styles all ideal for every decor possible. Nurseries especially can benefit from our large range of childrens blackout roller blinds. Blackout replacement vertical blind slats are also very popular as you can refurbish your existing non blackout vertical blind for a fraction of the price of a complete vertical blind.
Blackout roller blinds come in a large range of plain colours and sophisticated patterns for any room in the home. In addition to all of this you have the peace of mind that all our blinds have child safety in mind and come complete with free child safety fittings.
Blinds – A Round Up of 2011
January 29th, 2012With all manner of economic commentator predicting a difficult 2011 we were cautiously pleased to review the years’ figures and confirm a growth in sales from 2010.
We expected a shift away from the previous years’ obsession with the cheapest blinds and it turned out we were right. People want value for money regardless of how the economy is performing but when times are hard they want more for their money, and they want to know there hard earned money is being spent on a product that is going to last.
Special offer blinds will always have their place in a product range but many blind companies built their business around them and frankly, they didn’t know any better. When a blinds sales person can only sell a cheap special offer blind they don’t have a business, it’s more like a public service charity. These business owners were under the illusion that there were somehow prizes to be had for selling a certain amount of blinds.
After the recession of 2008-9 suppliers refrained from launching new fabric ranges that were already overdue and waited for the dust to settle, hence nearly all suppliers brough out new ranges at the same time. The common theme was to increase prices either directly by increasing established popular fabric by more than inflation, as well as introducing new fabrics at big prices. Hey had realised rather than trying to convince their customers to increase prices they would give them no choice, by increasing the cost of the fabrics.
There has been a noticeable shift in the market now to a more sensible approach to pricing and especially special offers. Once the mainstay for poor one dimensional business owners they are merely an attraction and a courtesy.
Good quality blinds at competitive value for money prices are what the customers wants , and this can be achieved through sale blinds using good quality components and fabrics and its positive that the blind companies that are left after the cowboys have ridden off appreciate this.
Replacement Vertical Blind Slats
November 21st, 2011Replacement vertical blind slats have got to be the best type of blinds for those on a budget who like to keep their decor up to date.
The reason is the ease of replacing the fabric vanes, commonly called slats. The design of the headrails has changed over the last few years with the introduction of smooth slightly curved outer rails replacing the old fashioned square ribbed ones, but the carrier trucks that sit inside the rail hasn’t changed. So as long as your blinds aren’t more than say 20 years old then it’s safe to say the slats can be replaced.
The only technical issue you need to be aware of is that in general if you have had rigid PVC vertical blinds then the carrier truck hooks for these are different to the fabric vertical blinds, so these can only be replaced with rigid PVC and likewise fabric slats cannot be replaced with rigid PVC.
Replacement vertical blind slats will generally save you about 30-35% of the full price. The main advantage is that you can change the slats by the season so you can go for a nice bright yellow or lemon colour in the summer or more warming terracotta in the autumn, all to fit on the same headrail.
Just make sure there are no broken hooks on the track and you can start saving yourself money whilst keeping your decor fresh.
Can Roller Blinds Be Cleaned?
November 10th, 2011Unlike vertical blinds where the fabric can be removed from the headrail often it is advised not to remove the fabric from a roller blind. There are a number of ways that the fabric is attached to the tube but every good quality roller blinds
must have an aluminium tube, if it’s cardboard, I’m afraid its rubbish.
The fabric will be attached with some double sided tape or via a locking tape into a groove on the tube. The reason why its not advisable to remove the fabric from the tube is firstly it will most probably void the guarantee from the manufacturer and secondly it will have been fitted straight by an experienced roller blind maker. If the fabric is not level by even 2mm from one side the other it will cause the fabric to raise unevenly when the fabric is rolled up.
So if you do want to clean the fabric the extent to which you can effectively is limited because the fabric has to stay on the tube. It is best then to take the blind down from the brackets and roll the fabric out full on the floor. Certain fabrics like PVC coated ones can be cleaned regularly and fairly vigorously. If the fabric is a general polyester or polycotton fabric then a more gentle touch is needed.
Cleaning should be done with a damp cloth, with only a small amount of liquid detergent. Don’t use a liquid that with froth or a gel based cleaner as it will leave a mark on the fabric. It’s best to use a liquid washing machine cleaner. Wipe off any excess detergent and hand back up to dry.
In general s with any item the best method of cleaning is to prevent build up of any dirt in the place by wiping it down regularly. I would personally not try and clean a roller blind and wouldn’t advise it either. Preventing the build up of dirt is much better.
How To Clean Vertical Blinds
November 8th, 2011Keeping your brand new vertical blinds clean not only helps them look fresh and new longer but will also save you money in the long run.
There are essentially two types of vertical blind ‘materials’. The most popular in the UK especially is the fabric type, and the other is Rigid PVC, and both require different methods of keeping them clean.
PVC Vertical blinds are the simplest as you just wipe them down. Ideal for bathrooms or kitchens where a build up of dirt or condensation can occur its simple to just get a cloth and wipe them down every day if you are so inclined.
Fabric vertical blinds come in so many different types of yarns with either polyester cotton or linen as the base fabric that a few simple effective measures can be taken to keep them clean and dust free. The thicker the fabric the easier they are to maintain. Generally the thicker the fabrics are textured making them more prone to collecting dust so using a hand held vacuum to lift of any surface dust clears the way for them to be wiped down.
Smoother fabrics with a level surface generally are much better at preventing dust from collecting on them but once the have a dust free surface you need to clean them. Opinions will differ on which is the best method to use but our advice is based on what’s best not what sounds like a good sales pitch.
Many retailers sell ‘ machine washable ‘ fabrics. For us it’s a big no no. Machine washing is for soiled materials. If your blinds are soiled, you’ve chosen the wrong window coverings and we would politely question the hygiene! I can almost guarantee that you would be fighting a losing battle if you bought machine washable fabrics and subsequently tried to claim a refund from a retailer.
This is the best way to clean vertical blinds
1) Take off the chain at the bottom of the blinds and remove the weights.
2) Clip together the top of the slats with a plastic peg.
3) Fill the bath with a few inches of tepid water and mix in a few drop of detergent.
4) Put the fabric in and swish around the fabric to remove any excess dirt.
5) Take out the fabric and refill the bath with clean tepid water and rinse out the fabric.
6) Hang the fabric back up and put the weights and chains back on and open the window to dry.
Vertical blind fabrics rolls are derived from a larger roller blind roll. It is cut into 89mm or 127mm rolls from a 200cm wide roll generally and although the edges are sealed they are not designed to be tumbled around a washing machine.
As with any household cleaning, a regular dust down prevents the build up of dirt and is by far the best way to keep them clean.
Blinds: 5th Step To Choosing Your Window Blinds: Extras
October 27th, 2011After deciding on the type of blind, your budget, colour scheme and design all thats left is whether you want to choose any extras.
It’s a bit like ‘ Pimp my blind! ‘ but with no lights!
The choice of extras depends solely on the type of blind. Some types have many extras that will completely change the look of the blind and some only have one or two extras.We’ll look at the different blind types to better explain the choice of extras available.
Vertical blinds
In recent years the choice of extras has greatly improved. Silver or black headrails with black components have been very popular this year with champagne coloured rails introduced this year. Black or beige weights and chains finish off the look to greatly enhance the visual look of the vertical blind from an office blind into one with a focus on residential property.
Roller blinds
Easily the most varied choice of extras to completely transform the blind. With the choice ranging from different shaped finishes at the bottom of the blind, together with choices of braids, eyelets, control chain colours, bottom bar finishes and many more there are plenty of options to personalise your blind.
Wooden blinds
This is another blind that until recently had no extras at all but Decora blinds have introduced some fantastic extras ranging from leather valances to alternative control cord acorns. Although S:Craft have stepped up the choice to include different shaped valances and a large range of ladder tapes to enhance the look of the blind.
Extras are a great way to personalise your blind but be wary that they also can significantly increase the cost of the blind.
Blinds: 4th Step to Choosing Your Window Blinds: Plain or Patterned?
October 15th, 2011This is really the most important decision because without stating the obvious, you’re going to see the blinds all the time so you’ve got to get it right. Luckily your decision will be helped by the comprehensive choice on the market.
When you are deciding whether you go for a patterned or plain fabric it is totally dependent on either you current decor or if you are embarking on a complete room re-design the intended look of the room you hope to finish off with. You might think that picking roller blinds fabric limits your choice but just as patterned fabrics includes a broad and varied range of designs like florals and stripes for instance; plains materials incorporate a range of different weaves as well as textured and linen finishes. Obviously when committing to a plain fabric the main accept will be the colour, but different types of plain fabrics reflect light differently.
Generally your choice is going to depend on the style of interior design; are you going for a clean sparse look with plenty of space and minimum furniture in which case it’s a good opportunity of making a statement of the window and creating a focal point in the room. If however you are going for a cosier, accessory filled living room for instance then the window blinds is most likely going to complete the room decor rather than be a focal point. With this type of decor it’s the curtains, cushions and flooring that add the pattern into the room.
Blinds: 3rd Step To Choosing Your Window Blinds: Colour
October 11th, 2011Now you’ve decided which type of blinds you want and the price range you want to pay you need to choose a colour. If you’re not into interior design or the room you are buying the blind for is just functional there is a substantial choice of fabrics in white and creams. As these are neutral colours they will suit decor and for this reason nearly all designs come in a neutral colour option.
All window blind types have gone through a design upgrade in recent years due to the major suppliers like Louvolite, Eclipse and Hunter Douglas using interior designers to put their ranges together which has brought much more of a design focus to the fabrics.
The input from interior designers has dramatically increased the range and use of colours. No more than a few years ago you would not have found any window blind fabrics in Aqua, now it’s one of the most popular colours for roller blinds. Silvers, blacks and lilacs have are also popular colour choices with the introductions of more fabrics to choose from.
Portably the most dramatic of changes in the use of colour is the bold prints that incorporate a number of colours to create the funky prints as well as the number of plain colours now over the 100 mark. No longer can you only choose from 2 shades of each colour.
There really is a colour and fabric for every blind now so be brave and bold and consider a bright and bold colour to draw attention to your window blinds.
