How to Dress Up a Room with Venetian Blinds

The original blinds are thought to have been introduced by Venetian traders who brought the blinds to Europe in the sixteenth century. These blinds were made from thick wooden slats which were heavy and noisy to operate, however their popularity grew to such an extent that many historical paintings included then as part of their detailed background.

Colonial houses used wooden Venetian blinds made from walnut and other woods, these were replaced with wooden blinds which were painted white or stone colours which matched the window casement, blinds painted dark green were also popular.

Venetian blinds began to be made from metal slats in the middle of the twentieth century, which could be raised to provide a clear view through the window or tilted to provide both light and privacy. These metal blinds became a very popular window covering in many offices and workplaces.

In the 1980s vinyl replaced the metal slats to provide a less noisy and lighter weight blind, these are also known as 'mini' blinds. People began to realize the versatility of using Venetian blinds within the home as an alternative to net curtains to provide privacy and give control over the amount of light entering a room.

The metal blinds available today are made from aluminium which provide a real contemporary look to homes as well as offices.

Venetian blinds are an excellent choice of window dressing for large expanses of glass such as sliding doors as they are available with horizontal as well as vertical tilt options. The horizontal Venetian blind is also a popular choice for conservatory window covering, bespoke blinds can be made to cover conservatory roofs.

The versatility of Venetian blinds provides different options on the amount of natural light entering a room as the tilt can be used to prevent direct sunlight fading furnishings, the tilt also enables filtered light to enter creating a subtle atmosphere within a room.

Venetian blinds are available to buy ready made and are easy to fit within the frame of the window. There are a vast range of colours to chose from, all of which are easy to clean and maintain offering a practical, flexibility in window coverings.

Natural wooden Venetian blinds are becoming increasingly popular. They are far less noisy than the original blinds and are available in a variety of different woods and colours. Cherry, oak or honey colours compliment any décor and style of room.

For those who want a window covering which is really chic and trendy leather, Venetian blinds are the just the thing!