Blinds prices and design options

the_mixer

I am getting blinds for my living room and kitchen and was quoted £73 for verticals and £88 for venetians from Shades. The latter seems a great price inc fitting and I want go ahead with it, but a bit worried it may be too good to be true.

Are metal ventians of pretty good quality and look nice from the outside, or are wooden ones (weren't quoted for, prob more expensive) much better?

Do most think ventians are better than verticals?

pinkteapot

Wooden venetians look much nicer than metal ones (in my opinion). We had some metal venetians in our house and I've been removing them. I got a wooden venetian for one bedroom and it's lovely.

Regarding verticals vs. venetians, you'll get loads of people tell you that verticals are awful and should only be used in offices. I used to think the same until we bought this house which had verticals in the lounge and dining room, and now I'm converted. They are fairly sheer so let a lot of light in (venetians wouldn't).

The lounge ones are for privacy as our lounge window (which is a big square bay) is close to the pavement. The dining room ones are there because the back of the house is very sunny and the direct sun through the patio door fades everything in the room. It's great on sunny days to be able to close the blind and prevent the direct light but keep a lot of natural light in the room because the blinds are white. You couldn't put venetians or roller blinds on the patio door because they'd blow/vibrate when it's open. The verticals can be opened when we open the patio door.

Both our lounge and dining room additionally have curtains (though we rarely close them) which softens the look of the vertical blinds.

Mr_Ted

Sounds like a job for a blind man?

Beware though, there was once a Nun sat in the bath when a knock came on the door.
She shouted "who is it"
He replied "a blind man"
the Nun replied "Oh thats OK then come in"
In he comes and says "now where is it you want the blinds"

:rotfl:Sorry, couldnt resist :rotfl:

jenniemiller177

Hee Hee Mr Ted very good!

I think the sort of blind you go for is all personal preference. I do agree that wooden Venetian blinds are are a good option though.

jackieb

I prefer the look of wooden venetians, but for me the verticals were more practical, and let in more light, and they angle depending on which way the sun's shining, with venetians you often have to almost completely close them - and they're easier to keep clean (I hate cleaning venetians).