Image credit: Room Outside
With its airy feel and abundance of natural light, a conservatory can be a valuable addition to your home. But when your conservatory blinds aren’t up to scratch, your treasured space could end up feeling more like a greenhouse than a glamorous extra living room.
That’s why choosing the right window dressings is key to creating a space you can enjoy all year round. And it’s not just about temperature control. If your conservatory is visible to those outside your home, privacy can also be an issue.
Whether you’re considering a conservatory update or planning for a new one, take a look at our favourite conservatory blind ideas, along with some expert advice to make your windows the best dressed in town.
Add individual blinds for maximum control
If your conservatory is large and has a complex design with lots of roof panels and window panes, don’t be scared to embrace this by panelling each one individually.
Lisa Cooper, head of product at Thomas Sanderson, recommends a type of blind known as Duette blinds for this: “Duette blinds are a practical solution for the conservatory, as they have a honeycomb shape which traps air, preventing heat loss in winter and blocking out the heat in summer.”
Cooper also reassures us that having lots of individual blinds doesn’t mean countless hours opening and closing them. “They can also be motorised,” she adds, “allowing you to control your roof and side blinds easily with an app on your phone or via a remote control.”
Semi-sheer gives you the best of both worlds
When choosing your style of blind, it’s always important to consider your conservatory design, how you use the room and if you need to let some light in for plants.
“If you have a modern conservatory, you may want to choose a sleek and simple style of blinds,” says John Moss, director of English Blinds.
“If your conservatory is used for growing plants, then a sheer or semi-sheer blind, such as a day-and-night blind, might be more suitable.”
According to the English Blinds website, day-and-night blinds are “a special type of roller blind... comprised of alternating stripes of a solid, opaque colour with a more sheer or transparent area".
It adds: “As you roll the blind up or down, the fabric on both the front and back of the tube moves, causing the stripes to align in different formations; a solid block of the opaque colour, alternating stripes of the opaque and sheer, or somewhere in between.” This gives you light but also privacy when you need it.
The horizontal stripes in this design also help to lengthen the room, which can be an additional bonus if your conservatory is on the small side.
Bring the outdoors in
If you’re blessed with a wonderful view, match your blind colour and overall interior scheme to the view outside. That way, when your blinds are closed, you’ll still feel connected to what’s going on outside – and it’ll make you feel less guilty for needing to shut it out.
In this coastal home, the blinds mimic the blue of the sea. In a woodland setting, you could opt for a forest green, or if you’re craving more sunshine, yellow.
These slatted blinds give you more flexibility
If you have an issue with privacy and prefer a more permanent window covering, Venetian blinds can be a good choice. With their tilt-and-turn function and the option to roll them up completely, they can let the light still flood in but keep unwanted eyes out.
Choosing ones that have slats with a cloth tape rather than standard cord will add a sense of luxury, and picking blinds in the same shade as your walls helps them to blend into the overall space and design.
Moss offers some specific advice when it comes to Venetian blinds: “Wooden and faux-wood (PVC) Venetian blinds tend to be more susceptible to warping due to heat buildup from sun exposure, so it is worth considering Venetian blinds made from aluminium for a conservatory.”
We asked Moss to share his top tips when considering conservatory blind ideas. He says that above all, defining the use of the space is key.
Curtains can work in conservatories
Although blinds are the most common form of window treatment in conservatories, if you have an opulent or unusually shaped window, then dress it with some boldly patterned curtains to showcase it in style.
To allow your feature window to take centre stage, tone down any additional blinds to a simple complementary colour and bring the rest of your scheme to life with bold cushions, gold lighting and detailed side tables.
No fixing required
If you prefer a simpler interior design approach, and would like to leave your conservatory frame untouched, consider ‘perfect fit’ blinds.
Perfect fit blinds essentially come in their own frame, which is designed to push and click onto your existing window frame, so you don’t have to drill into walls or windows to attach them. They are great for French or bifold doors, where wall-mounted blinds would get in the way, as well as standard windows.
“Perfect fit pleated blinds offer a neat and tidy installation that doesn't require drilling or screws,” says Moss.
“They are also versatile, allowing for precise control over light and privacy while still allowing for a view of the outdoors.”
Tap into this year’s interior trend for a more natural colour palette and use tranquil tones of stone, white, wood, and a blast of black for a scheme that oozes calm sophistication.
Choose flowing fabric for dappled light
For a softer approach to conservatory roof blinds, choose a silky , flowing fabric to create a billowy roof covering, reminiscent of a boat sail. Add pops of tropical colour with cushions and exotic foliage for a conservatory that brings to mind sunny Caribbean climes.
If you don’t have a tree-lined garden, make your own
Even if you don’t have the perfect view of greenery outdoors, you can create your own using patterned roller blinds with a nature-inspired design.
This simple, repeating silver birch tree design immediately links to the outdoors but equally fulfils the role of preventing too much sunlight entering and damaging precious furniture.
Keeping window coverings lighter also allows for the use of darker tones inside.
Create a sunny terrace indoors with natural coverings
Trailing foliage around a leaf-themed Roman blind and along the roof frame brings a terrace-like feel to your conservatory, creating the mood of al fresco dining while being protected from the elements.
Although the Roman blind is softer, with its linen finish and less structured folds, when you add wood, terracotta and floral inspired soft furnishings into the mix, you create a wonderful textured, layered, shabby chic conservatory. Who wouldn’t enjoy dining here?
They work on windows and conservatory roof panels
If you’re blessed with an abundance of light, choose a pleated conservatory blind idea for maximum sun reflection. Their clever design lets less light in without plunging the room into darkness.
If you have artwork or fabrics that you don’t want to fade in the sunlight, they’re ideal.
“Designed specifically for conservatories, pleated blinds are made from a specialist fabric that actually reflects the sun’s rays right back out of the window,” explains Yvonne Keal, Senior Product Manager at Hillarys. “This keeps the room cool so you can enjoy your space for longer. Pleated blinds can be made to fit windows of all shapes and sizes, so your gorgeous glass roof won’t miss out.
“They can even be motorised,” adds Keal, “so you can open and close them from the comfort of your couch.”
“Pleated blinds have delicate, concertina-like folds, so when it comes to cleaning, they need to be treated with care,” says Keal. Her top three tips are:
