Everything you need to know about installing blinds
by Jamie Shakespeare, Marketing Manager of Helioscreen Australia .
The cost of installing good-quality blinds in a three bedroom home is roughly between $3000 and $5000, a figure which could double if you wanted them to be motorised. However, if you leverage the cost against your reduced energy bills (many manufacturers claim savings of up to 40%) and increased comfort, they are well worth the investment. It should be noted though that blinds should not inhibit the advantages of glass - natural light, view and entry of solar energy in winter - but help reduce damaging greenhouse emissions. Blinds can control the sun’s radiation during summer and help insulate a house during the cooler months, thus saving money on air conditioning bills.
Choosing new blinds
Investing in good quality blinds is an investment that will automatically give your home an upmarket face-lift. Windows and glass doors make up one of the largest surface areas in a house, along with floor and wall space, and yet many people treat their choice of blind as a must -have expense rather than an exciting way of dramatically changing the whole look of their interior.
It really is worth spending a little extra on a quality window treatment product.
Tips:
1. Roller blinds:
The new generation of roller blind is an extremely popular take on the old Holland blind. They can be either chain or spring-pull operated and are often described as ‘zippy' to use. They have the advantage of maximising the size of a small room or minimising the effect of a low ceiling as they roll up into a very tight, slim roll that virtually disappears, especially when the fabric matches the colour of the window frame. Roller blinds are definitely the choice if you wish to make a room appear more stream-lined and less cluttered.
2. External roller blinds
External roller blinds are a favourite among architects, as they look fantastic and are the best form of blind for reducing heat, as they stop UV rays before they even enter your house. They have the added benefit of enabling easy indoor/outdoor living as you can have your blinds down and be protected from the heat but still be able to go in and out of an open door. You also don't have to worry about blinds flapping in the breeze as they are secured by ultra-modern stainless steel cables and most are motorised and fitted with wind sensors that make the blinds retract automatically should a storm blow in.
External roller blinds are particularly relevant for homes facing west as they are more effective than awnings for blocking the intensely hot, low afternoon sun.
3. Panel drapes
A ceiling mounted, multiple tracking system allows flat panels of fabric to slide smoothly across window surfaces. They are an excellent covering method for large expanses of glass and have the best advantages of the old style vertical blinds but with a modern and elegant look. Besides looking beautiful, they have some very practical applications such as temporarily sectioning a sun room/spare bedroom when visitors stay or if used in a block-out fabric, they can close off an open plan area used to watch a rear projection TV that requires darkness.
4. Roman blinds
Roman blinds have elegant, soft folds of fabric when raised and add a feeling of luxury and glamour to a room, in a similar way to curtains. This is an easy way to soften stark, cold rooms, especially when the Romans are made in patterned or textured fabrics. A tip for creating the illusion of taller windows is to mount the blind above the window frame or add a pelmet above the window.
21-Nov-2006