Choosing and fitting blinds: useful links and our top tips
My previous posts talk about buying and installing curtains and so I thought it would be helpful to write about blinds too since we ended having both blinds and curtains in our flat!
We took a while to decide on which blinds to get and, as I mentioned in a previous post, the IKEA Schottis blinds were so good that we really were in no rush to buy and install our curtains and blinds! In other words…we procrastinated…but we all do, right?!
Sharing some entertaining DIY highlights from our experience:
- Started drilling the first hole in the window recess (side fixing) and when I reached the halfway point, the drill bit wouldn’t go in any further! We ended up abandoning that hole and installed the blinds using the top fixing method instead. Luckily the extra hole isn’t too noticeable!
- Our made to measure blinds arrived and they didn’t fit the two windows. It had been a few weeks since we placed the order and we forgot one of the windows was slightly wider than the other. We had such a panic though, thankfully we realised soon after!
- I drilled a hole and then the drill bit was stuck in the wall! I’m not kidding, it was so firmly stuck, I was worried that we would end up with a drill bit sticking out of the wall or we would accidentally snap the drill bit in half when forcefully pulling it out. Dad was pretty calm when this happened and told us to remove the drill bit from the drill and slowly try to remove it. We eventually managed to take it out. The drill bit had drilled into some plastic material which had melted from the heat of the drill!
Choosing blinds
There are just too many choices online! I thought the John Lewis guide was a quick and useful read for the various types of blinds.
Initially, I loved the idea of venetian blinds but then our neighbour mentioned that she has venetian blinds and her blinds let in quite a lot of light, especially as her room is east facing. As our blinds were for the guest bedroom, also east facing, and one small window in the master bedroom, we decided it was better to get black out roller blinds to block out more light and for a simple look. I’m so glad that we went for black out blinds!
We used blinds2go for our made to measure blinds in the guest bedroom as our neighbour recommended them and when we were looking at the website, I spotted that you can also order fabric samples.
Useful links:
Real Homes: They have a helpful guide with even more types of blinds!
Homebase: Blinds buying guide
Ready made or made to measure
We actually tried both! Unfortunately, our windows are just a little too wide for the the standard ready made blinds measurements with a width of 60cm.
There was a sale at Argos and this blind was only £4! I was so impressed that the colour matches the curtains that we bought from Dunelm.
We tried using the ready made blind for the small window in master bedroom without cutting it to size, even though the 60cm width was 2cm smaller than our window width. Whilst we could fit the blind to the bracket, it's not very secure so I don't recommend doing this!
Tip: It really does need be the correct measurements as our blind currently keeps falling when we use the cord! We should have bought the next size up and cut it down to size.
For the guest bedroom, we decided that it would be more convenient to buy made to measure blinds so we wouldn’t have to cut the blinds to size ourselves. They are more expensive though and ours took a longer time for delivery than the blind from Argos. We waited for when they had a sale before buying and ended up choosing the Choices Horizon Azure roller blind as we wanted to try something different and liked this ombre design.
Measuring for blinds
blinds2go have a very useful guide for how to measure for blinds! I found measuring for blinds much more straightforward than for curtains.
We’re approaching Black Friday and I saw on their website that they have an early Black Friday sale so worth checking their website!
Tip: If fitting the blind in a recess, don’t forget to take the measurements where the blind will be installed and take obstructions, such as window handles, into account!
Installing blinds
If you would like useful links and our tips for drilling holes, please see this post when I wrote about installing curtains!
Fitting the brackets in the recess was tricky when we installed the blind from Argos for the master bedroom. There were two methods of installation and they weren’t the one we needed!
We were planning to do the top fixing method but then our drill wasn’t able to drill a hole at the position we needed because the drill chuck was getting in the way. For more information on how to use a drill, this is a useful guide from Black and Decker.
In the end, Dad helped us two drill two holes into the plastic bracket so that we could use the side fixing method.
As a result, our Argos blinds are installed with a larger than planned gap at the top but at least they are up. We might look to fix that in the future if we get bored in lockdown…
Luckily, when we came to install the blinds from blinds2go, their brackets can be installed in three ways (top, side and face fixing). Top fixing is where the bracket is secured at the ceiling of the recess, side fixing is on the side walls of the recess and then face fixing is onto the face of a wall.
The easy fitting guide for blinds2go was really helpful and easy to follow. You can find it on the product page, in the easy fitting guide section. Their diagrams explain quite clearly the three methods of installation.
Fitting the blind onto the brackets was very easy. Here's a photo of our blinds in the guest bedroom!
I definitely recommend carefully following the installation instructions provided with the blinds to ensure the process is smoother. Don’t forget about child safety!
1. Double check your measurements!
2. Use a metal tape measure for greater accuracy.
3. Before ordering, check how the blind is installed and if your drill is able to drill the hole at the appropriate place.
4. Consider how much sunlight you would like in your room and see which blinds will help you achieve the preferred lighting.
5. Research if there are specific blinds or materials that are better for certain rooms.
Other useful links:
Real Homes: Buyer's guide to roller blinds
blinds2go: 6 things consider when choosing blinds
blinds2go: All you need to know about the DIY of blinds
Hope this was a useful post for you!
Jess
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