For top-to-bottom ease and convenience, it’s got to be panel blinds.
What are panel blinds we hear you ask? Well, to begin with, they look and function nothing like the blinds you’ve come to know. Instead of rolling up, they slide across a simple headrail track and are light and easy to operate. Because of this, they can also double-up as elegant room dividers. Featuring individual panels, they form a sort of fabric ‘screen’ when closed.
Incorporating modern sophistication, our panel blinds are a contemporary take on everyday window furnishings. Thanks to their long, lean looks, panel glide blinds are ideal for large windows and doors, including sliding doors. Their no-nonsense, user-friendly style is minimal, and well-suited for the 21st century home as they look streamlined with clean lines.
As you can open them from the left, right, or have a split stack if you prefer, they’re also quite versatile. This is possible thanks to the easy-glide track system, which isn’t only clever and quiet, but also allows the panels to neatly stack away when open. Hello pretty views and sunlight!
Similar to their cousin vertical blinds, they use flat fabric panels which can be tailored to your taste. These panels are, however, wider in comparison. Pick the colour, fabric and pattern, for a truly bespoke look. No matter what your preference is, they’ll always look stylish and help with privacy and light control.
So without further ado, let’s look at five reasons why panel glide blinds could be the blinds you never knew you needed.
1. Panel blinds are a modern alternative
Some of our customers have, in the past, told us about how they want their new blinds to be more modern.
Since typically people tend to change their window furnishings only every 10 years or so, we completely understand this need. By the end of that time, it’s natural to feel like your blinds are looking a little raggedy and due for an upgrade. Well, panel glide blinds are a great choice as they’re quite straightforward, and a modern alternative to vertical blinds.
And what’s more modern than being multi-functional? The best products today are those that can kill two birds with one stone, which panel blinds achieve most efficiently. For one, when you buy panel glide blinds, you can use them for windows, doors and as room dividers. Do you have kids who share a room and need defined spaces? Panel blinds can help.
Besides, if you’re fortunate enough to have high windows and expansive sliding doors, why hide them behind drab window furnishings? Display them in all their glory, and allow your house to put its best face forward. These features are a rarity today, and must be celebrated whenever you can!
2. Enhanced privacy and light control
Functionality is key for any blind, and panel glide blinds tick off all the boxes in this regard. As the panels themselves are designed to overlap one another when drawn, light gaps are eliminated. So you’re in total control of how much light you want in your space at any given time. This feature also means that you also can expect ample privacy.
They’re able to achieve this so effortlessly because of the panel track that can accommodate a number of channels. These channels are assigned to each panel, and the number of channels depends on how many panels you want.
Light has a profound impact on the ambience of a room. Whether you’re staging a home or simply wanting to reduce glare on your TV, the right blinds can help you achieve your goal. Blockout panel glide blinds are especially great for total light blockout. Light filtering panel blinds help transmit light in a gentler way.
3. Versatility
We mentioned earlier that panel glide blinds can be used to cover more than just your windows.
When it comes to blinds, we’re so used to associating them as only window furnishings. While yes, this is what they’re primarily used for, today’s options allow you to think outside the box. This means that you can now use the same superior functionality across other areas, like using panel glide blinds for sliding doors or bi-fold doors.
As panel blinds feature wide and long panels, they offer coverage in a way that no other blind can. This also means that they’re the ideal choice for covering, say, an entrance to a patio or doorway. By choosing left, right, or centre-stack, you can further customise them the way you want.
Additionally, you can hand-pick the fabric for each panel as well as the colour. So you needn’t have all your panel blinds in one shade, you can mix-and-match. Another option is to match them with the rest of your blinds/ interior décor. This flexibility allows you to cater to both traditional and contemporary interior design schemes. Keep in mind that because of their size, panel glide blinds make a strong statement.
4. Easy maintenance
Let’s face it, we’re all busy. The last thing you want is to spend most of your time cleaning your blinds every time they get soiled.
Well, the good news is that panel glide blinds are a breeze to maintain.
As they come with long, flat panels, all they need is a dust every so often. For a better clean, just run a damp cloth and let them dry. There’s no need to take it all down and scrub them.
Additionally, they’re great for homes with kids or pets. If your dog damages a panel for instance because it didn’t trust this new ‘thing’ in your house, we can replace it.
5. Measuring
Installing brand new blinds should be a fun process, not something that causes you endless headaches. By the end of it, you won’t feel like enjoying your new space.
Which is why we place a lot of stress on getting those measurements absolutely right. In saying that, we don’t leave you to sort it out on your own. Our team has put together a range of guides, including for panel blinds, to help. We not only cover how to measure, but also how to install panel glide blinds.
Measuring correctly really is half the battle won. It will ensure that glove-like fit, so your blinds don’t need any extra work once you’ve set them up. This is especially true for blinds that are ‘reveal fit’, or an inside window frame fit. So when buying panel glide blinds online, this is an important part of the equation.
Here are two step-by-step videos of how to measure for custom-cut panel blinds accurately.
OUTSIDE WINDOW FRAME
INSIDE WINDOW FRAME
Note: Always measure in millimetres only.
WIDTH
a) Measure the exact width you would like the blind to cover.
b) Measure to the outside of the architrave or at least 50mm past the window opening.
HEIGHT
a) Measure the exact height you would like the blind to cover.
b) Measure outside of the architrave or at least 50mm past the window opening.
NOTE: The blind will be supplied at the sizes provided (we won’t make any deductions).
Note: Always measure in millimetres only.
DEPTH
Measure the depth of the window frame to ensure you have enough space for the blind to operate.
WIDTH
a) Measure the width inside the window frame in 3 places from left to right.
b) Make a note of the smallest measurement.
HEIGHT
a) Measure the height inside the window frame in 3 places from top to bottom.
b) Make a note of the smallest measurement.
NOTE: We’ll make slight deductions to ensure the blind fits your window.
You will find that if you follow this accordingly, the end result will give you custom fit roller blinds for your intended space.
And there we have it. Five important things to keep in mind when considering panel blinds for your needs. This is a guide to help you get started and explore design options, so if you have any questions or clarifications for us, do get in touch. Our team is passionate about helping you create memories and make the most of your space, so we’re here for support.
