Sevenoaks

HOME & GARDEN
BRILLIANT BLINDS
Although blinds look less dressy and won’t help
retain warmth in a room like curtains, which can
have an interlining and thermal lining to help
retain heat and cut out draughts, they could be
an easy, economic way to dress windows.
B&Q design manager Fionnuala Johnston is a
real fan.
“Blinds are easy to install and can be used in any
area of the house - they work particularly well in
areas where you need a more practical window
covering like bathrooms and kitchens,” she says.
“Also you can invest in blinds initially and have
the option later of dressing the windows when
the budget allows.” B&Q’s Pleated Linen effect
rollerblind decorated with Mother of Pearl effect
buttons is a steal at £12.98.
Cassabois highlights roller blinds and venetian
blinds as the cheapest option for kitchens,
bathrooms or studies. But her top choice for living
rooms and bedrooms is Roman blinds, a panel of
fabric lifted into soft folds by hidden cords.
“They are cost effective and dress a window
better than a ﬂ at roller,” she says.
“They have the added beneﬁ t that they soak up
any echo and counteract the rather cold feel of
shutters or rollers.”
The company has a range of ex-display blinds
and curtains, and also has frequent offers on
end of line fabrics, so a made-to-measure Roman
blind could cost a wallet-friendly £95.
And Goodwin favours the newcomers on the
blind block. Panel blinds, a new wider version
of vertical blinds, can make a statement in a
contemporary room. Eclectic has an appealing
Kyoto range.
STUNNING SHUTTERS
Shutters, my favourite choice, are rapidly
gathering popularity. They can look brilliant - as
long as you ensure you choose the right style to
suit your home.
They also allow you to wave goodbye to curtain
costs such as repairs, relining, or dry cleaning.
Johnston agrees: “Wooden shutters are really
taking off in the UK. They’re perfect for creating a
seaside or trendy New England look.”
B&Q has teamed up with The California
WICKED WINDOWS Company and has an online shutter service,
B&Q: 0845 850 0175/www.diy.com which gives advice on selection, measuring and
Dunelm Mill: 08451 6565 65/www.dunelm-mill.com installation. Visit www.diy.com/shutters for more
Eclectic: 01594 833 841/www.eclectic-interiors.com information.
John Lewis: 0845 6049 049/www.johnlewis.com Sam Tamlyn, operations manager at Shutterly
Marks & Spencer: 0845 603 1603/www.marksandspencer.com Fabulous, which makes made-to-measure wooden
Natural Curtain Company: 0845 5000 400/www.naturalcurtaincompany.co.uk shutters, believes they also offer one of the best
Next: 0844 844 8000/www.next.co.uk ways to achieve the balance between having
Pret A Vivre: 0845 130 5161/www.pretavivre.com natural and privacy.
Sainsbury’s: 0800 636 262/www.sainsburys.co.uk “Tier on tier shutters have greater ﬂ exibility as the
Shutterly Fabulous: 0845 017 8988/www.shutterlyfabulous.com upper panels open independently from the lower,
This Designs: 020 7349 9494/www.thisdesigns.co.uk and are ideal for rooms that look straight out on
to a street.”
58 | MARCH ISSUE
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