Hillarys UK

People who add wooden Venetian blinds to their homes could boost the character of their properties, it has been suggested.

Clare Pascoe, director of interior design firm Pascoe Interiors, suggested that wood in general can bring “natural beauty” to a home and also tends to become “more beautiful with age”.

She added that, as well as being versatile, the material also offers a natural flexibility which makes it suitable for a range of furnishings.

“Wood has a key place in every interior – and will do for the foreseeable future,” she explained.

“Other materials come and go – wood is one that sees no end to its uses and desirability.”

Recent research published by Santander Mortgages revealed that first-time buyers spend an average of £3,782 on kitting out their new homes with items including blinds.

However, one in six also tend to spend less than £1,000 on doing up their home.

Homeowners in the UK are becoming increasingly comfortable with buying certain home items, including window blinds, online.

Don Davis, editor of Internet Retailer Magazine, said that many websites – particularly those based around furniture and customised items – are now offering quality services for those seeking out top products.

He added that this means many people are happy to purchase items including window shades via the internet.

“In general, consumers have been most comfortable buying items they don’t feel a need to touch and feel or that are very complex or expensive,” he explained.

Mr Davis’ comments have come after Simon Hamilton, director of interior design firm Simon Hamilton & Associates, suggested that a key aim behind most home improvements at present is a desire to make properties more comfortable.

He added that this move towards a more personalised feel was different to previous trends, which saw people aim for an increasingly pared down style.

Blinds are among the features that are being added to Longridge’s Welcome Community Centre, it has been revealed.

The window coverings have been included in the facility’s seating area as part of an initiative designed to refurbish the centre, the Knutsford Guardian has reported.

Meanwhile, new computers are also due to be made available to those visiting the centre in the near future, with adult education sessions set to be supported with them.

A number of local companies have provided the centre with the funding it required to fulfil its refurbishment plans, which have also seen extensive paintwork carried out.

However, it is not just the Welcome Community Centre which could benefit from the use of blinds in the months ahead.

An article published by Art and Home recently suggested that mini blinds may turn out to be useful products for country homeowners looking to decorate their kitchens.

Children’s personalities need to be considered before any attempts are made to redecorate their rooms, according to one commentator, which may influence those considering the use of window blinds.

While noting the importance of consistency in the interiors of modern homes, David Ferguson has stated in an article published by yourhome.ca that the bedrooms of youngsters may differ in this regard.

He has written: “Children’s rooms are most often the exception to this rule and should be decorated to the personality of the occupant.”

Mr Ferguson, who was responding to a reader’s query about decorating a family home from scratch, also said in his article that durable furniture fabrics may be needed in properties where youngsters reside.

During the summer months, Andrew Leech, National Home Improvement Council director, recently suggested that property owners should not prioritise holidays over property improvements.

Home improvements should be viewed by people as being more essential than trips away, he remarked.

Blinds could help students to illuminate their dormitory bedrooms with natural light from the sun, one writer has pointed out.

Commenting in an article published by Earth911.com, Chloe Skye has suggested that it may prove useful for people to make the most of natural light if their rooms in halls are not very large.

She wrote: “Make the most of natural sunlight by opening your window blinds.

“This can also help regulate your internal clock and reduce the need for an alarm.”

Ms Skye also said in her article that storage containers may turn out to be a good option for those who do not have a great deal of space to play around with.

Such containers can simply be stored underneath people’s desks, she noted.

Meanwhile, window blinds could also help shed owners to conceal valuable items this summer, it was recently suggested by M&S Money. 

It could be a good idea for property owners to incorporate window blinds into their forthcoming decorating plans, a writer has asserted.

By giving their windows some attention during the warmer months of the year, people might be able to prevent hot rays from entering their homes, Christine Chacha has stated in a feature published by the Citizen.

The reflective qualities of products such as blinds have been discussed by the commentator.

Ms Chacha said: “The intensity of the sun is the single greatest source of heat on the planet … Install blinds [or] white curtains … to reflect heat back outside the house.”

Ceiling fans may also turn out to be effective heat reduction products for people to adopt, the writer added.

In a related development, Mary Hunt has also used an article in the Pasadena Star-News to outline how blinds can block out sunlight from homes.

People’s blinds selection might help them in their efforts to make their homes appear larger than they actually are, it has been noted by one specialist.

Speaking to the Orlando Sentinel, Debbie Sheaf, an expert in interior design, discussed how window coverings can make a room seem more sizeable.

Ms Sheaf remarked: “The less you cover, the more light will flood in … Choose a sheer fabric, or blinds or shades that expose the entire window when drawn up.”

For those looking to improve the levels of lighting in their home interiors, the expert also suggested to the news provider that glass blocks and skylights might turn out to be quite useful in this regard.

Meanwhile, householders can use wooden materials for a number of different design purposes, Carolyn Park, head of design practice at Carolyn Park Interior Design recently stated, as they enable people “to do anything”.