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Original poster

Anyone got perfect fit blinds?

22 replies

MILdesperandum · 26/04/2014 17:56

I'm looking to get them for an awkward floor length window which face the street - we need more privacy. Previous owners kindly left us nets but I'm sick of looking at them! I believe they will have to be manufactured specially as the window is about 2m wide but what I want to know is... will my kids wreck them? I was thinking of the cellular or pleated versions - how robust are they?
thanks all!

OP posts:

HaveToWearHeels · 28/04/2014 10:21

We have roller and pleated perfect blinds, they are amazing. The pleated ones can be wiped, however our 4 year old has no interest in playing with them. If you think your kids will play with them they could get damaged. Will they be on a door or window ?

MillyMollyMama · 28/04/2014 11:06

I have Silhouette pleated and cellular blinds and I don't think I would have floor length ones with children. I notice many families have the wood or white Venetian blinds for privacy (seen these a lot in London) or shutters if you can afford them. I love my Silhouette blinds but you have to trust your children because they are very expensive. I would go for a product which is easier to maintain and clean.

Forago · 28/04/2014 11:09

yes we have the pleated white blackout ones on both sets of patio doors in living room and dining room. The are excellent and work really well. I do discourage my youngest (3y) from opening or closing them as he is a bit heavy handed and think could damage them (or open them wonkily which I think could eventually damage them). We've had thema year and no problems so far. We have shutters at the windows and they look very good together.

Forago · 28/04/2014 11:10

mine weren't that expensive though? From Direct Order Blinds - about £60/70 a window I think?

Forago · 28/04/2014 12:26

by the way I've got cellular not pleated, I've just remembered what the difference is. when I got samples the pleated seemed less robust than the cellular so that's why I chose the cellular ones with kids around.

Original poster

MILdesperandum · 28/04/2014 13:12

Thanks for the replies, I went to a local supplier/fitter to check them out today but was told they don't manufacture perfect fit blinds wider than about 1.4m. My window is floor to ceiling but the bottom panel is full width (1.8mish) so I don't think they'll be cheap.

I would love to consider shutters but not sure how they would look on a modern (60s) property....

OP posts:

EddieVeddersfoxymop · 28/04/2014 13:19

I have something very similar to perfect fit, and I'm surprised you're struggling. The local company I used was able to manufacture custom fit triangular ones for my gabled conservatory. The lower, horizontal part of the triangles would be very close to 2m.

Forago · 28/04/2014 13:22

check out the measurement thing on direct order blinds it will tell you the Max size the manufacturer makes them at - I went to a few blinds shops and they knew very little about them and told me they wouldn't fit my door bead size, they did. it also calculates the price from the size.

I have shutters on a 10y old house - they look awesome (many, many referrals) - but get the ones with hidden tilt rods as they look better on modern houses IMO, the ones with the rods down the middle suit period properties more.

happy to send you pics of the shutters/blinds in situ if it would help as I remember how hard it was to get a sense of how they'd look when I was looking.

HaveToWearHeels · 28/04/2014 13:36

I had the other problem OP, local company said they couldn't make them narrow enough (I needed 4 panels for my bedroom). I just went online and contacted loads of suppliers, one finally said he could do them. I had watched our guy measure up so I knew how to do it.

Original poster

MILdesperandum · 28/04/2014 13:37

OK - first time photo uploading! This is the offending window (please ignore previous owners curtains and nets!)

The bottom panel is non-opening. The top left panel opens inwards.

Would shutters work/look good? I was imagining having perfect fit blinds and (more modern) curtains framing the window. It's a quiet road but such a big floor length window does make it feel quite exposed. I was imagining keeping the lower pane covered most of the time for privacy.

OP posts:

Original poster

MILdesperandum · 28/04/2014 13:38

Which company heels?

OP posts:

ContentedSidewinder · 28/04/2014 13:59

Oh my goodness my parents had that sort of window when I was a child!

Could you use frosted film on the bottom section to give privacy as you were looking to keep that part covered anyway, then have the perfect fit blinds for the top section?

Or contact companies directly by phone because they may be able to manufacture them for you.

I have perfect fit blinds and I love them.

HaveToWearHeels · 28/04/2014 14:10

I used this company off Ebay in the end. They were very good.

I think you are right about having the bottom panel covered most of the time. I have actually mounted mine upside down in my patio doors so you pull them up, that way I can cover the bottom half and not the top.

iggymama · 28/04/2014 14:41

Could you fit the blind so it opens side to side rather than up and down?

This would be a narrower size. Or else price up having frosted glass fitted if you intend to keep it mostly closed.

iggymama · 28/04/2014 14:46

Could you fit the blind so it opens side to side rather than up and down?

This would be a narrower size. Or else price up having frosted glass fitted if you intend to keep it mostly closed.

iggymama · 28/04/2014 14:46

Could you fit the blind so it opens side to side rather than up and down?

This would be a narrower size. Or else price up having frosted glass fitted if you intend to keep it mostly closed.

HaveToWearHeels · 28/04/2014 14:54

What iggy suggested would work, but email the company I used they might be able to help. I am sure some just do standard sizes and can't think outside the box.

Original poster

MILdesperandum · 28/04/2014 15:08

Thanks for the suggestions - I will explore doing side to side opening and the company heels suggests,

OP posts:

MillyMollyMama · 28/04/2014 16:59

The blinds I mentioned previously are made by Luxaflex and you can get ones that pull up from the bottom. They cost quite a lot though. I have floor to ceiling windows in several rooms in my house and I don't really worry about privacy and you do seem some distance away from the quiet road. It will only be people walking by who look towards the house so are there lots of them? I think you also have a problem with the opening section of the window tilting inwards because this will impinge on any blinds at this level. You could look at two blinds, side by side, which can look smart. I think I would try full length voile curtains. Harlequin Momentum Sheers has some wonderful fabrics which would really suit a window like this. Their web site has some great ideas.

Fluffycloudland77 · 28/04/2014 16:59

That kind of window isn't around much these days, most of them got bricked up half way in the 1980/90's.

Could you brick up the bottom pane of glass?

Original poster

MILdesperandum · 28/04/2014 19:55

Get quite a lot of nosey dog walkers walk by who do seem to enjoy peering in at my toy-strewn living room .

Do the luxaflex ones fit to the upvc window beading?

I don't think I want to brick up the bottom although some of the neighbours have...

OP posts:

Fluffycloudland77 · 28/04/2014 20:04

I expect they did so for insulation. Double glazing isn't as insulating as a cavity filled wall.

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