Modern extension- stupid design flaw - help!

[blusherblue]

We renovated our house in 2018. Good architects and builders. A key part of it was putting large sliding glass doors across the back of the house - we overlook woodland and the view of the trees is stunning.

The ceilings are high and the frame of the glass goes pretty much up to the ceiling…

The builders put in a recess in the ceiling above the glass doors for an electric blind to go in. Trouble is, because the ceilings are so high, the recess is not big enough for the roll of the blind to be concealed completely. Therefore the underside of the roll would bulge out slightly and look (I think) crap!

There was no way around this at the time of the build - you’d have to lower the entire ceiling - and the whole project was so overwhelming we just failed to come up with any solution other than ‘just leave it and don’t put a blind in’.

This is fine and beautiful on summer evenings, but in winter it means we are looking out into vast blackness, and I dislike it, even though we make the inside very cosy. Struggling at the thought of another year of this, and wondering if anyone can suggest solutions?

Would it be mad to have a blind that only drops some of the way down? Or perhaps some outdoor lighting is the answer?

It would be great to hear if anyone has any suggestions or thoughts! Thank you x

Have you had a company come in and look at it to fit blinds?

We've got voile curtains on a track which is in a recess like your so we can't see the track. They've got a Wave heading so stack very neatly to the side. Need them for sun protection rather than privacy.

Lovely room, and the blinds work really well.

I agree with the OP it would shit and I also agree with you that no-one would notice (or care). But if the OP notices then it does matter since she’ll be looking at them more than anyone else. Our homes are for us and it matters to the OP so it matters.

There’s probably and RSJ or someone boxing the gap in.

These fit in a very small recess:
www.specialist-blinds.co.uk/blinds/sliding-door-blinds/?utm_source=google-ads&utm_medium=ppc&utm_campaign=sliding%20door%20blinds&utm_term=integrated%20blinds%20for%20sliding%20doors&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=20939360878&gbraid=0AAAAAD_UrhMUkpHWF5K2fB8-cNxxJjbpp&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIwfPRkZSSjwMV6pBQBh2VVgANEAAYASAAEgLtqfD_BwE

This would have been my solution - and cheaper than many others

Or you can retrofit integral blinds that go inside the glass panels.
www.morleyglass.co.uk/integral-blinds/

How about asking the door manufacturers for recommendations? or indeed the builders?

If the problem is that the blinds are visible when rolled up, just fit a baffle. If you do it properly, you could even put a slot on the visible side with an led strip in it which would make the baffle appear to float. Presumably the blinds are electric, so there is already a power source available.

Could you get the windows changed to have the tubes in them. Tubes fully up is closed, tubes half way you get some light and tubes fully open the light floods in

i have no idea how much they are, but I knew of someone at work who got them because their property was white, chrome, black and minimalist-very minimalist, it did look very good tho

Ours sit inside the frame of the window and can be pushed up and are about an inch High, they are also thermal, we got them from a local firm who came out to suggest ideas whereas larger firms don't suggest, I can try and take a picture if you like

Do you have trees in the garden? Twinkly lights on the trees could work

I would either

1. live with a bit of a bulge. Guarantee you won’t notice after a couple of months

2. use outdoor lighting - we have big floor to ceiling sliders too and this is what we have to break up the darkness

3. have full width voile curtain(s) and pull them to the side that doesn’t have kitchen. However this won’t work if the curtain pole is long enough to need a central support

How were full length blinds going to work with the kitchen side, if curtains would overlap??

If the problem is that the blinds are visible when rolled up, just fit a baffle.

Yes you could also do this, although to make it look seamless with the ceiling would be headache

I was going to suggest similar - an extra bit of pelmet to just cover the bulge without restricting it's roll up or down

If I understand you correctly then I had a similar issue, sliding glass doors 5m wide and 3m high, an interior designer suggested a single curtain at one side, which can be pulled all the way across. I was unsure, but it really works. It's a lightweight linen, neutral colour and unlined, so it doesn't take up too much space at all when it is pushed back.

Pretty much identical to us although unfortunately house not big enough for 5m wide!

We have electronic blinds - we encased them in casing same
as the frames so you don’t see them when they aren’t rolled down.
they are sheer but offer some provacy too.

My neighbour hung curtain fairy lights over her doors in the winter - detracts from the gloomy view outside and brings a lovely, warm, inviting glow inside!

You would think it has something considering they are very overlooked in the garden.

We have what you describe. Our recess was a bit small but we managed to get it all in. How big is your recess? We also have garden lighting. I don’t close the blinds at night but during the day when the sun is out to keep the heat out. In the evenings we turn the garden lighting on and it looks stunning.

Totally agree.

I believe with perfect fit blinds you can take them on and off - so if you dont enjoy the look of them open (they can be quite bulky imo) you could take them off over summer, then back on over winter when you dont need them.

I think the blinds that don't reach the bottom are fine though. How much of a gap will there be? It might not be perfect, but will it annoy you as much as the doors do now?
In the daytime you probably wouldn't pull a blind all the way to the bottom anyway, as you'd want some light coming in. And at night it'll stop you looking out to blackness.

I can't visualise this. But maybe just put in blinds and live with the bulge?