The right blinds finish a room, control light and privacy, and even help with energy bills. With so many styles available, the easiest way to choose is to start with what each window needs to do: let light in, keep it out, give privacy, or keep the heat at bay. Here is a guide to the options we make to measure and fit for Adelaide homes.
Start with light control
Most blinds come in a range of fabrics or finishes that control light differently. Choose the level first, then the style.
- Sheer or screen fabrics cut glare and soften the light while keeping your view out. During the day they give some privacy, but at night, with the lights on inside, people can see in.
- Light-filtering fabrics let a soft glow through while blocking the view in. They are ideal where you want daytime privacy without a dark room.
- Blockout fabrics stop most light and reduce heat build-up, making them the choice for bedrooms, nurseries and media rooms.
Can't decide? Combo or day/night systems put two blinds on one window, usually a sheer for daytime and a blockout for night.
The styles we make and fit
Indoor blinds and shutters
- Roller blinds, clean, simple and versatile. Choose light-filtering for a soft glow or blockout for bedrooms and media rooms.
- Roman blinds, soft fabric folds for a warm, tailored look, lovely in living rooms and bedrooms.
- Vertical blinds, fabric blades that tilt for precise light control and draw back to the side, practical for sliding doors and wide windows.
- Panel glide, wide fabric panels that stack neatly out of the way, great for large windows and sliding doors.
- Veri shade, the soft look of curtains with the control of a vertical blind. The fabric folds are separate, so you can walk through at any point, and there are no cords or chains.
- Aluminium venetian, tilting slats for precise control over light and privacy. Water resistant, so they suit kitchens, bathrooms and laundries.
- Timber venetian, the same tilting control with the warmth of timber. A composite timber-look option suits damp rooms where natural timber could warp.
- Honeycomb blinds, a cellular construction that traps air for excellent insulation, warmer in winter and cooler in summer.
- Ziptrak interior, a roller blind with side channels and a pelmet, for a slimline way to get a near-total blockout without heavy curtains.
- Plantation shutters, a timeless, premium finish that adds street appeal, with wide louvres for light, privacy and airflow.
Outdoor blinds and shutters
- Zipscreen, outdoor blinds that lock into side channels to turn a patio or alfresco into a usable, sheltered space year-round, cutting heat, glare and wind.
- Roller shutters, sturdy aluminium shutters for insulation, privacy, noise reduction and added security.
Insulation and the Adelaide sun
Adelaide's hot, dry summers and cool winters make window coverings a real comfort decision, not just a style one. A lot of summer heat comes in through glass, especially on west-facing windows in the afternoon. Shading on the outside of the glass, such as zipscreens or roller shutters, stops heat before it reaches the window. Inside, honeycomb blinds and blockout fabrics help hold warmth in on winter nights and reduce heat build-up in summer.
Good blinds also protect your floors and furniture from fading in strong sun, which matters if you have just put in new carpet or timber-look flooring.
Room by room
| Room | Good options | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Bedrooms and nurseries | Blockout roller, Ziptrak interior, honeycomb blockout, roller shutters | Dark rooms for sleep, including shift workers |
| Living and dining | Roman, light-filtering roller, combo blinds, plantation shutters | Soft light, daytime privacy, a finished look |
| Sliding doors | Panel glide, vertical, veri shade | Draw to the side for easy access |
| Kitchen, bathroom, laundry | Aluminium venetian, composite timber-look venetian | Cope with steam and splashes, easy to wipe |
| Home office | Screen roller, venetian | Cut glare on screens without losing light |
| Media room | Ziptrak interior, blockout roller, roller shutters | Fewer light gaps around the edges |
| Patio and alfresco | Zipscreen | Shelter from sun, wind and rain |
One safety note for outdoor areas: if you have a gas barbecue or heater in an enclosed alfresco, always raise the blinds while it is running so the space stays ventilated. A licensed gas fitter can advise on your setup.
Inside mount or outside mount?
Inside mount (recess fit) sits within the window frame for a neat, built-in look. It needs enough depth in the reveal, especially for venetians and shutters that tilt, and leaves small light gaps at the sides. Outside mount (face fit) sits over the frame. It blocks more light, can make a window look larger and works where the reveal is shallow or blocked by handles or winders. For bedrooms where darkness matters, face fit is often the better choice.
Also think about stack: the space a blind takes up when open. Roman blinds stack at the top and panel glides stack to the side, which can cover part of the glass.
Child safety and cords
Loose blind cords and chains are a strangulation risk for young children. Australia has a mandatory safety standard for corded internal window coverings, and we install cord and chain safety devices so loops can't hang free. If you have little ones, consider cord-free options such as wand-operated, cordless or motorised blinds, or veri shades. Keep cots, beds and furniture children can climb away from windows.
Made to measure
Every blind we supply is made to measure for your window, so accurate measuring matters. A few millimetres out can mean light gaps or a blind that won't fit the recess, and custom blinds are expensive to remake. That is why we measure for you. We check the width at several points, the recess depth, any tiles, handles or architraves in the way, and which side the controls should sit. Motorised options are available on many styles if you want to raise and lower blinds with a remote or app.
Caring for your blinds
- Dust regularly with a soft brush or the brush attachment on your vacuum.
- Wipe aluminium and composite slats with a damp cloth.
- Spot-clean fabric blinds gently, following the care instructions for the fabric.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Choosing a sheer for a room that needs night-time privacy.
- Forcing an inside mount into a shallow reveal.
- Forgetting stack height on tall Roman blinds or stack width on panel glides.
- Choosing fabric blinds for a steamy bathroom.
- Measuring yourself and ordering without a second check.
How to choose
Think about light, privacy and the room's job, then let us help with the rest. Explore every style on our blinds page, visit our showroom at Shop 15, 750 Main North Road, Gepps Cross SA 5094, or book a free in-home measure & quote and we will bring samples to you anywhere in metro Adelaide. Questions first? Contact us.
