subject: Window Fashion – What is new today and what to expect in the future [print this page] Window Fashion What is new today and what to expect in the future
We have noticed, that in this stagnant time, the public are seeing their houses less as an investment, as was prevalent in recent years, and more like a home. Therefore homeowners are spending longer between moves and hence spending a bit more money and investing in interior decoration with blinds and shutters being high on their list of priorities.
Of course, although the market is evident, so is the competition. Buyers are more savvy, often with exacting requirements and demand the latest designs and styles at the best price. Liam Byrne of Blind Technique says a good example is the increased demand for internal plantation shutters. This is an on-trend product normally more expensive than other blind options, but which represents an investment in the home and is a product that will last for many many years. With this increased demand, there is a greater number of suppliers offering shutters to the market, many of which are produced and shipped from China. And these suppliers are fresh thinking, such as offering a black out shutter by incorporating a pleated or honeycomb blind behind the shutter to cut out light, often a requirement for bedrooms particularly children's.
So where does this ever-changing fashion for interior design come from. Taking a traditional favorite such as a roman blinds, and you can define fashion either by the fabric colour, style, pattern or print - but also the technical side of production. Basically, what starts on the catwalk influences home furnishing peachy pinks and florals are in, and grey is the new neutral. The range of fabrics available is huge, ever increasing, and a roman blind can be made from most of them. Some of the most innovative include a dustblock' fabric that repels dirt and dust, or a fabric designed to be fully compostable at the end of its life. Blind Technique provides a supply your own fabric' option and we will hand make and install the blind for you, with a choice of lining, including blackout.
Then there is the new way to manufacture this window favorite, using traditional blind making skills with no sewing or gluing. Using a system with roller blind fabric and a cleverly designed set of rods there are no visible stitch lines and a blind that is less labour intensive and hence cheaper. This is one way that the blind industry are innovating their products and offering the customer a greater choice. You can now find a panel blind that works on a curved track, privacy wood venetian blinds that are corded without any holes in the slats, and waterproof fabrics, self-cleaning fabrics, and increased use of PVC materials and fabrics. Then for modern windows and conservatories we have seen a keen demand for so-called perfect-fit' and Intu' blinds that clip to the window frame without any holes or screws and which are available in roller, venetian and pleated.
So what does the future hold in our opinion more bespoke options, more shutters and more motorisation. The option of motorizing the control of your blinds has been around for a while, however progress in motors and lower costs mean that this will become more of the norm in the future. Particularly for Conservatory Blinds - in which we specialise motorisation of the roof blinds has been an option for a while and is very useful for the often hard to reach controls. The biggest obstacle has been the requirement to supply mains power to each motor, via a transformer, which is a costly and timely task requiring a trained electrician. Today you can purchase battery powered motors, with sufficient torque, which negates this requirement and means a motorised blind can be fitted almost anywhere. Add to this rechargeable batteries, and a timer control for security purposes, and you have a truly desirable product. Wireless and remote services are becoming common place today and we see your blinds being operated in the very same way if there isn't already..I'm sure there'll be an App for that.
