Accent Blinds

These days many people are opting for blinds over curtains for the interior of their homes, but if you want something to cover and protect the windows on the outside of your home, then you’ll need to choose either awnings, shutters or outdoor roller blinds.

In this post we’ll take a closer look at outdoor blinds and the top reasons you should choose them for the exterior of your home. It’s also easy to learn more about them by looking up roller blinds online.

Let’s get started.

#1 – Outdoor Blinds Keep Your Home Cooler

Having blinds on the exterior of your windows is even more effective at keeping out the heat of the sun than installing just internal blinds. Without outdoor blinds the sun directly hits the glass and heats it up, which in turn increases the ambient temperature inside the room.

Outdoor roller blinds are the most convenient, as operation is easy and you can adjust the height and coverage of the blind as needed. For example, you can cover the window half way, blocking out the angle of the sun whilst still being able to see outside.

#2 – Manual Or Motorised Operation

Whether you are wanting indoor roller blinds or exterior ones, you have the option of either manual operation or motorised operation via a remote control. Naturally the motorised version is more expensive, but also super convenient.

Imagine you’re inside your kitchen and have motorised roller blinds installed on the outside of the windows. The sun beams in through the windows while you’re trying to prep a meal. Instead of having to go outdoors and manually lower the blinds, all you need to do is press a button on the remote control from where you are. It’s so simple.

#3 – Enclose Your Patio Area

This is like creating an outdoor room in a way. You get the best of both worlds. You might be sitting on your patio with friends and decide it’s a bit breezy or the sun is too hot. If you have outdoor roller blinds installed around your patio area, all you need to do is lower them to protect your patio space.

These blinds can even help to keep the insects out at night time, allowing you to enjoy some time outdoors even more.

Alternatively, you might have a veranda or balcony. Install roller blinds to help control the light and the breeze, even if you’re living in an apartment. Not only are roller blinds very practical, they look awesome as well.

#4 – A Great Choice of Colours

If you search for outdoor roller blinds online you’ll discover that they come in a fantastic range of fashion colours to suit everyone’s taste and colour scheme. Opt for white or black or practically any colour in between.

White always looks very clean and goes with anything. It’s also the best for reflecting sunlight and keeping the windows and home interior cool. Black and other dark colours are obviously effective at blocking out the light and work well for bedrooms and cinema rooms, internally and externally.

Those are the two extremes, but there are loads of other colours, such as blues, greens, maroon, pastels and lots more.

#5 – Roller Blinds Are Easy To Clean

For the most part your blinds will remain very clean, although light colours will obviously show up dust and dirt more than darker colours.

Cleaning your outdoor blinds usually only requires a light dusting with a soft brush or a feather duster. If the blinds require a more thorough cleaning, then some warm soapy water and a soft cloth will do the trick. Be sure to rinse the blinds clean with fresh water afterwards to really freshen them up.

Essentially, outdoor and indoor roller blinds are very low maintenance.

#6 – Do Your Blinds Shopping OnlineThe internet is a fantastic way to get ideas and inspiration in your hunt for the right blinds for you. Just search roller blinds online and you’ll see a myriad of ideas pop up. Accent Blinds can advise you on the best choice for your home, as well as make your roller blinds to order and install them. In no time you’ll be enjoying your new blinds and add value to your home.

Plantation shutters derive their name from being commonly used in America’s deep to keep plantation homes cool in a hot climate. Although the style and concept has been around for centuries, that doesn’t mean plantation shutters are not trendy today. Quite the opposite is true, with a fantastic range on today’s market for interior plantation shutters and shutters for the exterior of your home.

In this article we’ll be taking a look at just some of the key reasons why you should consider installing window plantation shutters in your home.

You’ll Add Value To Your Home

Practically anything you do to your home to enhance it will add value, and installing plantation shutters will definitely increase both the price and the appeal of your house if you ever decide to put it on the market.

Not only do plantation shutters look great, they are very practical and, when installed on the exterior of the windows, they offer your home protection in storms.

They are a great selling point, and if you ever sell your home for more than you expected, in a way you’ll be getting your shutters for free.

The Ultimate In Privacy

Because the slats can be angled just like with Venetian blinds, plantation shutters allow you to let the air and the light in, whilst still keeping the interior of your home private, if they’re set at just the right angle.

The trick is to angle the slats in an upward direction. That way no one can see in from the outside, even if their face is right up near the window.

Let In Just the Right Amount of Light and Breeze

Just like you can control your level of privacy, the angling of the slats also enables you to let in a lot or a little bit of light, as well as being able to direct the cooling breeze and fresh air in any direction you desire.

You can also open your plantation shutters right up like small doors on the windows, letting all the light and breeze into your house.

Plantation shutters are all about practicality and versatility. You’ll wonder how you ever survived without them.

Fantastic Range of Colours To Suit Any Decor

You really can’t go wrong if you choose traditional white plantation shutters, as white is so clean and neutral it goes with everything and will never look out of place. Having said that, you can really order your shutters in any colour you desire. Some people go for a bold look, such as red or maroon. If you really want to absolutely block out light in a cinema room or a bedroom, then you can even order them in black or a very dark brown.

The choice is yours to make, but keep in mind that dark colours can make a room look smaller. However, you have the option to choose just the right colour to suit a particular room.

A Choice of Materials

The most common choice of material for plantation shutters is timber. It’s timeless, looks stunning and is very organic. You can also opt for manufactured wood, aluminium shutters, or even plastic ones if you’re on a budget.

Timber plantation shutters really look the best though.

Plantation Shutters Are Cost Effective

Once you have them installed, quality plantation shutters will serve you well for many years. They’re not expensive as it is, and when you calculate longevity into the equation, they are one of the most cost effective window dressings you can opt for.

Exterior shutters give your windows added protection too, which means far less chance of any storm damage to the glass. With plantation shutters being highly durable, they can withstand a lot of punishment from the elements.

Very Easy InstallationIf you are looking for plantation shutters Sydney, deal with a company that does it all, from measuring up your windows, making your shutters to order so they fit perfectly and suit your style, as well as handling all the installation. You’ll have the job done from start to finish, all for one handy price. All you’ll have to think about is enjoying the new look of your home.

Window blinds are not usually something that you consider as an item that makes or breaks the interior design, but they are one of the most important elements for setting the mood of the room. Whether you choose Roman or Venetian blinds, selecting the right paint colour and style of your blinds can add that touch that completes the look. If your next question is what colour blinds go with white walls, we have some news that might surprise you.

Setting the Tone
It seems that everyone’s first instinct is to be conservative when it comes to blinds. White is the most common colour choice, and in some cases, this is the perfect colour match. If you have white walls, then white blinds could make the space look larger and draw attention to more colourful accessories. White walls with white blinds are a clean look, if you’re willing to take the risk, there are more interior design choices you can make.

When it comes to blinds, most people focus on the colours of the curtains, considering the blinds to be an afterthought. If you use Accent Blinds to pick up one of the colours of the drapes or curtains, you have suddenly taken full advantage of your windows as design real estate. 

Light and Texture

 The purpose of window blinds is to manipulate the light in your room, but they also add texture. If you still want to keep the light and airy feel of the room, you can choose blinds that are lighter in colour and that allows some of the sun to filter through. You can also use them to exclude light entirely, as you might wish to do in a bedroom. The amount of light that they allow is one thing to think about before deciding on your blinds.

The texture is another consideration. Blinds come in many different materials and textures. You can choose cloth, real wood, vinyl, or exotic materials, such as bamboo. You can select the surface of your blinds to match other textures in the room. Layers of texture are a more recent trend and using blinds can add another textural element to complete the look. 

Adding a Touch of Drama

Matching the colour of the blinds to the curtains can give the room a finished look, but you can also use blinds to add a bit of drama. Consider using vibrant colours, such as red or jewel tones, to add colour in an unexpected way. This is the perfect way to top off a Boho Chic or eclectic design style.

If your style is minimalist or perhaps more contemporary, adding black or grey blinds can give it a modern feel. You might try adding an accent, such as a lamp or accessory, in vibrant colour and then matching the blinds. Using blinds in this way makes them more than part of the building, and they now become part of the design scheme. 

Subtle Accents

Blinds can be used to add drama to the room. They do not have to just fade into the background. You can also use them to enhance the colours of the room in a more subtle way. One way is to choose colour match paint in the exact shade of the blinds. This will make the blinds look as if they are part of the wall. This would be an excellent way to use blinds as the only window treatment.

You could also choose to pick out subtle shades in the décor scheme. For instance, you could use the blinds to pick up neutral, earthy tones in throw pillows or other accents in the room. This would allow the blinds to give the room a finished look. In some neutral colour schemes, white could make the space appear stark. They might be too bright. In this case, a neutral colour blind would create a more peaceful, harmonious feel. 

Final Tips

Now, you can see how the choice of colour in blinds can enhance the design scheme in ways that you never expected. Here are a few tips for choosing the right blinds.

• Avoid choosing a blind colour that isn’t used elsewhere in the room.
• Light colours tend to make the room look larger. 
• Dark colours can make the room look smaller. 
• Matchwood tones in terms of light and dark woods in the room.
• Step back and look at the whole room from a distance. 
• Consider the blinds as you are choosing your colours and accessories. 

You can choose to make the window blinds play a supporting role or make them part of the main attraction. The most important thing is to consider them as part of the entire design rather than as an afterthought.

If you’re considering installing new blinds in your home, the process of making the best choice will be much easier if you first know what types of blinds you’re looking for. In this post we’ll briefly cover some of the popular blinds on the market so you know what you need for your home.

Venetian Blinds

This style of blind is something most people are familiar with, as Venetian blinds have been a staple of the industry for many, many years. In the modern world timber Venetian window blinds are extremely popular for their organic look, elegance, simplicity and timeless style.

The slats of the blinds run horizontally, and one of the practical advantages of this style is you can adjust the angle to let in as little or as much light as you desire. Venetians also offer a great deal of privacy, and have the added benefit of adjusting the slats to direct the breeze where you want it to go.

They are easy to keep clean, simple to adjust, and along with timber, also come in a few other materials to give you some choices.

Roller Blinds

Roller blinds, such as the Holland roller blind, are another very popular choice for modern homes.

A distinct advantage of roller blinds is their ease of use. Operation is really simple as roller blinds simply roll up and down. They also blend in seamlessly with more home decorative and colour schemes and are one of the most versatile types of blinds you can buy.

They are cost effective, stunning looking, and come in a range of styles, sizes and colours to suit everyone’s requirements and tastes.

Roman Blinds

As the name suggests, Roman blinds do indeed date way back to Ancient Roman times. Back in those days people used to use folded sheets of cloth to cover their windows, often dampening the material with water to keep the dust out of their homes. There were no glass windows back in those days, so people had to find other ingenious ways to protect their windows.

In the modern world Roman blinds are synonymous with elegance and class. They really do look a feature when you dress your windows up with Roman blinds.

A very contemporary look with horizontal panels, these blinds are available with a number of operating systems, such as manual operation via a chord or chain, or even motorised operation.

Panel Glides

If you’re looking for something unique with a real touch of class and diversity, then panel glides might be something you should seriously consider.

You get a lot of choices when you opt to install panel blinds, as they come in a fantastic variety of fabrics, materials and hues. They are a great choice for either windows or sliding glass doors, where the panels that make up the blinds simply slide on tracks at the top of the window.

Some people even install panel glides as a room divider, which is another really cool use for them.

The blinds are very easy to operate and the panels simply move from side to side. You can even set up a motorised system for operating panel glide blinds too if you like.

They are extremely easy to keep clean and offer good light and sound control, ensuring your room gives you the ultimate in comfort.

Vertical Blinds

The humble vertical blind is another staple in the blinds range, and one that can be found in many Australian homes and apartments.

One of the great things about vertical blinds is they can be used for small and large windows, as well as sliding glass balcony doors. Very common in rental properties, vertical blinds are super easy to operate, don’t really attract much dust, and you can angle the panels to adjust the amount of light you want to let into the room.

Outdoor Blinds

There is a range of outdoor blinds that can be used to enclose patios and balconies, protecting you from the sun and the elements while enjoying an al fresco meal or entertaining guests by the barbeque.

Many of them are the roller blind style and they look really attractive as well.

When people think about dressing up the windows in their homes, the first things that come to mind are curtains and blinds, possibly even internal shutters. These are all inside the home though? What about the outside?

Outdoor window awnings can be just as attractive – and useful – as curtains, blinds and shutters are inside the home.

In this post we’ll cover some ways window awnings can transform your home, as well as serve a practical purpose.

Some Practical Reasons To Consider Awnings for Your Windows

Aesthetics aside for the moment, awnings on the exterior of your windows, or even to enclose the patio area, provide some very useful solutions to common problems, such as the weather.

Let’s say you install some straight drop awnings on the perimeters of your patio. If the summer sun is dropping in the afternoon sky and basically making your patio sizzle, you can simply drop those awnings, block out the hot sun and enjoy some downtime without getting fried.

The same deal can apply to the windows in your home. Too much hot sun on the glass will definitely heat up the room on the other side, so outdoor window awnings are the answer to this common problem.

Canvas Awnings Are One of the Most Versatile

An outdoor canvas awning for windows really holds the solution to many of your window covering needs. Awnings made from this material are timeless and extremely versatile.

What’s great about canvas is it’s super strong and tough, can handle strong winds, doesn’t really suffer under the harsh Australian sun, and the material is highly water resistant. That’s everything you need for an outdoor awning.

Along with that, canvas window awnings come in many fashionable styles and colours, so you’ll definitely find the perfect match for your home’s exterior. Not only is there are great colour range to choose from, but you can also select from many different patterns as well as solid colours.

Some canvas awning styles include:

1. Straight drop awnings
2. Pivot arm awnings
3. Folding arm awnings

We talked about straight drop awnings for patios. Well, there are straight drop styles designed for windows and well, and you can even use them to block out the sun and weather on those sliding glass patio or balcony doors too.

Straight drop awnings can be used on the extremities of apartment balconies, where you can drop them down to cut out the sun, or use them as a wind break so you can enjoy some balcony time without everything getting blown away.

Some More Positives About Awnings

Along with home protection and stunning looks, awnings also increase your home’s privacy factor. This can apply to both the windows, as well as closing in that patio or balcony area.

When awnings are lowered over your windows, they also help to muffle and reduce outside noise, giving you more peace and quiet, and a better night’s sleep when you have them on your bedroom windows.

You have the choice of your awnings being hand operated (more budget friendly), motorised, and you can even control your motorised outdoor awnings conveniently from inside the home.

Another key point to note is that awnings are very easy to clean. You don’t need to spend an entire weekend cleaning, or be some sort of awning cleaning professional to get the job done.

It’s best to deal with a blinds and awnings company that custom builds awnings. This way you’ll be assured of the absolute perfect fit for your windows, patio, or wherever else you need awnings.

Outdoor Awnings for Your Windows Serve a Two-Fold Purpose

Often times when awnings were used in the distant past, they were there simply to serve a purpose, and no one gave much thought (or concern) to how they actually looked.

It’s a different story in the modern world. While awnings still maintain the role of protecting your home in various ways, you want them to look great as well, and to blend in seamlessly with the aesthetics of your home, or compliment the exterior of your house.

That’s exactly what you achieve with modern day awnings: Protection from the elements along with a visually appealing appearance.

With awnings you really can’t go wrong.

hoosing the right blinds can really give the rooms in your home that wow factor. While curtains are great, blinds can really add another dimension if you choose the right type of blinds, in colours and styles that suit each individual room.

Before racing out and buying some new blinds, first take the time to consider some key points so you make the right choices.

In this post we’ll be taking a look at 5 essentials to consider for window blinds ideas so you can transform the look of your rooms.

#1 – How Much Privacy Do You Need?

The level of privacy will likely depend on which room in the home you’re considering installing blinds. Obviously in bedrooms you’ll be seeking blinds that offer a good deal of privacy, as well as blinds that block out that early morning sunlight if you want to sleep in.

You could shop for timber Venetian blinds online as these are a great choice for bedrooms, or anywhere in the home where privacy is a concern. Not only do they offer total privacy when closed, they look very contemporary and stylish as well and come in a range of styles and colours.

Vertical blinds are a common choice for just about any room in the house and are often the standard “go to” option. To jazz things up a bit you could opt for panel blinds, as many of these are made from block out materials that give you total privacy and well as stopping light entering the room when you don’t want it.

#2 – Consider the Windows

Different rooms in the house will require different types of window blinds ideas.

For example, a bedroom window might only be rather small and set quite a way up from the floor, whereas in the living room you might have sliding glass doors where you want to install some blinds.

A small set of venetian blinds that match the colour and style of the bedroom would work well, or even a nice set of Roman blinds, which are a timeless style that actually does date as far back as the Roman Empire.

With those sliding glass doors you could really install any type of blinds, even ones that operate on a small motor and open and close at the press of a button on a remote. You could opt for:

• Venetian Blinds
• Vertical Blinds
• Panel Glides
• And more…

Just search online for the top trending window blinds to get some great ideas, depending on your window setup.

#3 – You Want Your Blinds To Match Your Decor

This pertains to the colour of the blinds you choose more than anything. If you focus on neutral colours such as white, cream, beige and the like you really can’t go wrong, as these colours will blend well with any colour scheme and decor in the room.

However, if you want to go for some more bold colours, then you will really want the blinds to match up with either the dominant colour of the room or the accent colour of the room.

As a quick example, if the accent colour in your living room is peach, then you might want to find some panel glides or Roman blinds in a similar colour.

#4 – Climate Control and Noise Reduction

Blinds may not be renowned for soundproofing, but they can definitely help reduce outside noise, and at the same time they can help keep warm or cool air (depending on the season) from escaping through your window glass. Alternatively they can stop the hot summer sun from penetrating the room and heating it up.

To provide this solution, seek out double roller blinds.

#5 – Formulate a Budget

Blinds come in many price ranges, depending on the quality of materials, the style of the blinds and the size of the windows they need to cover.

Before beginning your hunt for the right blinds, work out an overall budget for the project, then break it down room by room so you know how much money you actually have to spend on blinds for each room in the house.

It’ll help you plan and save you some stress in the process.