what do people have at their windows???

[frazzled74]

nets? blinds? any links or suggestions for lovely ones would be good, have one bay window and a large single window , need something as house is practically on the street, but want as much light let in as possible. what nets are nice and not naff?? help please i really have no idea what to have.

I've had sheer panels, sometimes just on the bottom half of the window (if it's sash). They're dead cheap and easy to fit - made of very sheer fabric but they lie flat to the window so aren't ruffled at the top like traditional nets although you can use net cutain fittings to put them up. Shutters are also still popular but big £££. I wouldn't go for traditional nets myself...

I have shutters but Rather's sheer panels sound like a good alternative.

I would say, go for something made of natural fibre (linen ideally), it will always look nicer than something man made.

I have nothing, but if I were you I would have Venetian blinds. I'm liking white wooden ones atm.

We have white venetian blinds at every window apart from the 2 sets of french doors as DD has killed them. They were in when we bought the house and they are practical and unobtrusive, you can tilt them slighlty so people can't see in.

I am however in the process of getting rid of them, we are not overlooked so I don't need them and I'm going for roman blinds and new curtains throughout. Venetians are a bugger to dust .

My cleaner (when I had one) had a special Venetian blind cleaner.

I was well impressed.

I think either sheer panels on the bottom half of windows plus roman blinds/ full length curtains or shutters are nicest.
White wooden venetians are a good alternative to shutters and much cheaper but are harder to clean as they can flap around when you dust them (and you do need to dust them).

I want a cleaner! I have a venetian blind cleaner its still in its box in the futility room .

Have a look here for ideas and info
www.thecaliforniacompany.co.uk/Blinds/Buy-Blinds/

Personally I like these. Haven't got them yet though! Next door do and am "well jel" as imagine they make indoors look a bit French Chateaux-y when they are open. Easier to clean and hardier than flappy cheap venetians. Quite a few companies doing white wooden ones on t'internet so you can probably google for a local firm.

Sorry - forgot link
www.hotfrog.co.uk/Uploads/PressReleases2/interior-wooden-shutters-167963_image.jpg

Or Hillarys appear to do them and have some discount on
www.hillarys.co.uk/shutters/styles-of-shutters/

thanks, I love the shutters but not sure i can afford that much, will look at some venetian blinds i think, the sheer panels sound good but will need the tops of windows covered as well, which may be too much!, may use the idea at the back of the house thoigh or upstairs.

I have plants. Large wafty shrubs outside and rows of tall house plants on the windowsills on the inside. They do block out a fair bit of light though.

John Lewis Dijon voiles. Plain white. www.johnlewis.com/4125/Product.aspx
We have these at every window. They also do some nice patterned ones (in a nice way, not old fashioned nets way). They're polycotton mix but look and feel like cotton muslin.

white wood venetians with tapes everywhere ,just in the process of sourcing some shutters for my kitchen.

Im veering towards white wood venetians! does anyone know of any bargain ones?

now another problem, my curtains are red will they look out of place with white venetian blind? Can change curtains if need be, maybe some lighter summer ones are in order.

I don't think they will look wrong with any colour curtains because they just kind of blend in. When they are open you can hardly see them really, and even when tilted they daylight glow through them makes them kind of blur IFSWIM.

No idea who has offers on at the moment, probably worth a scout around some websites, or try quidco and see if they have any deals.

last question i promise, which size slats? usual bog standard terraced house bay window?? is 25mm too small? which size will look most like shutters?, and thanks for all the advice.

The bigger the slats are the more they will look like shutters. The smaller ones will look more 'invisible' at the window. So base your judgement on that!

I think I would get wide ones and have the shutter look if I were getting them again, the ones I have are thin. Both look nice. Do you have a blind shop near by? Might be worth a quick visit to see how they look in the flesh and then search online for a bargain!

for sun purposes a rolling canopy would be nice (rather than blinds) , but at street level not so practical!

for a street-level window...probs net curtains.

i don't like blinds as they look too office-y

We used privacy film for street facing windows, sash windows with small wooden panes. Just on the bottom half and left 1cm gap round each square of film. Looks very neat and hardly noticeable from outside but stops people seeing me in my pants in. It was meant to be a temporary fix until we decided on blinds or nets but we're leaving it as it is as so much more light now we can draw curtains right back.