During the autumn months, we get a lot of customers asking about blinds, curtains and shutters that will help make their homes feel warmer. Sometimes that means they want advice for keeping the heat in with thermal blinds and even how to still have stylish curtains without blocking heat from a radiator. Other times, it’s about choosing colours and fabrics that make a room feel more inviting.
Privacy becomes more of a priority too, particularly when the lights are on indoors and it’s dark outside.
We’ve asked our Apollo network to share the advice they give customers updating their homes at this time of year.
If a radiator sits beneath your window, long curtains drawn across it can trap warm air behind the fabric, leaving less heat circulating around the room.
You don’t necessarily need to give up full-length curtains. A blind fitted at the window can provide privacy in the evening while the curtains stay open, clear of the radiator. Alternatively, shorter curtains may be more practical.
It’s something worth discussing before choosing your curtain length, especially if that radiator is the room’s main source of heat.
Blackout fabrics are designed to block light. Thermal fabrics and linings are designed to help reduce heat transfer. Some products do both, but a blackout label alone doesn’t tell you how well something will insulate.
For a bedroom, you might want both benefits. In a living room, warmth and privacy may matter more than blocking out every bit of light.
Ask about the construction and lining, as well as the fabric. Honeycomb blinds, for example, have pockets that trap air, while a thermal lining can add insulation to curtains. How the window covering fits also affects its performance.
Some blinds give good privacy during the day but reveal more than you might expect once it’s dark outside. Sheer fabrics, for example, can let people see into a brightly lit room at night.
An easy check is to switch your lights on after dark, then step outside and look back at the window. Check from the pavement or wherever people would normally pass.
If you like a sheer blind for daytime use, adding curtains gives you the option of more privacy in the evening. Similarly, if you have sheer curtains add blinds or shutters, the angle of the slats matters too. Twilight blinds might also be just what you’re looking for as they have sheer and light blocking fabrics all within on blind.
In autumn and winter, most of us want to keep as much daylight as possible. If your room is overlooked, the answer doesn’t always have to be covering the whole window.
Café-style shutters cover the lower section while leaving the top open. Top-down, bottom-up blinds can also screen the part of the window where you need privacy, allowing light through elsewhere.
The best choice depends on the view into your room. Someone walking past on the pavement has a different sightline from a neighbour looking down from an upstairs window.
Start with what’s already in the room. Warm neutrals, earthy greens, rust and muted berry shades can work well, but you don’t need to choose a dark colour to get a cosy feel. An oatmeal fabric with a visible weave can bring warmth to a pale scheme.
Texture makes a difference too. A softly folded Roman blind or lined curtain can make a room feel more comfortable, particularly where there’s a lot of glass or hard flooring.
Always look at samples in the room, both in daylight and with your lamps on. A colour you like in the showroom can look quite different at home on a grey November afternoon.
Here at Apollo Blinds, we can help you choose made-to-measure blinds, curtains and shutters to make your home feel warmer and give you privacy when the evenings draw in. Whether you’re looking for thermal fabrics, better light control or a cosier look, your local team can talk you through the options.
Book a free home consultation with your local Apollo Blinds. We’ll bring the samples to you, so you can see how the colours and fabrics look in your own home.