Peter Meyer has a number of specialised window coverings that are beautifully designed for your home.
There is often confusion and indecision over the choice of window coverings available.
Start asking yourself the following questions:
“Do I want the front of the house to look the same?”
“What do I need the window covering to do in each particular room?”
Requirements for each room can include privacy day or night, light block out, heat block or loss, glare reduction, access to ventilation, budget and style.
Decide which are the most important and pressing problems to resolve.
Privacy
If privacy is required round the clock it is hard to beat either Venetians or Plantation Shutters. Both are fixed window coverings that allow you to angle slats or blades to obscure vision from the outside.
Sunscreen fabrics made into either rollers, Romans or panel glides give great day time privacy, but hopeless at night. Combine with an additional blind either in a double roller bracket or a Roman/Roller combo for night time privacy
Light Block Out
For shift workers who require a high degree of light block out for daytime sleep, pick a block out fabric and have made either a roller blind with side channels or a less expensive option of face fit Romans or Rollers. Face fit means that the blind is fitted to the outside of the architrave rather than tucked into the reveal. It is a good look for a Roman, but not as sleek for a roller.
Heat Block or Loss
Exterior blinds or shutters will have at least double the impact of an interior blind. It makes sense to keep the heat out before entering the building. However an exterior window covering has to be robust enough to endure the elements and consequently is more expensive then an interior product.
All internal window coverings will give a degree of heat block, lighter coloured materials will help to reflect solar heat back through the window and darker colours will tend to absorb the heat.
The bigger and more substantial the size of window covering then the bigger the barrier between the house and the heat. Consequently, Plantation Shutters simply due to their bulk are excellent thermal blankets.
The thinnest of fabrics will help prevent heat loss through glass during the winter. I have blinds at home that are only ever used during the evening in winter. They have a huge impact on how easy it is to keep the house warm.
Glare Reduction
Sunscreen fabric was invented for this purpose – the darker fabric is better at absorbing light and therefore reducing glare. Used either on an interior or exterior blind.
The ability to angle blades or slats in Venetians or Plantation Shutters provides great results for reducing glare.
Ventilation
Plantation Shutters are the only window covering that you can successfully leave a window open and still benefit from heat/glare reduction and retain privacy.
Budget
Undoubtedly Plantation Shutters are the most expensive internal window coverings, but probably the most versatile. Currently there are a number of materials ranging in price that they can be manufactured in, coupled with the availability of a mass produced product made either in Australia or off shore which has helped to bring the price to a more affordable range.
Motorised rollers or Romans come a close second, a quality motor will usually add $1000 to the price of a blind, and sometimes it is possible to share a motor across a number of blinds
A good quality Venetian and Romans are a similar price.
Chain driven rollers are the least expensive contempory window covering.
Verticals and slimline aluminium Venetians remain the most budget conscious window coverings
Style
Plantation Shutters are currently the most desired window covering for look as much as versatility.
Roller blinds are great for a more minimalist streamlined look, particular in apartments over stacker and sliding doors.
Roman blinds can either look very beachy and casual or formal and sophisticated depending on choice of fabric.
Roman blinds and panel glides can be made from specialist timber weave materials, giving a range of looks from organic to oriental
