Have you
just moved house or bought a new property? The chances are one of the
first purchases you will make will be the window coverings. Shutters,
blinds or curtains are the most popular options for London homes and
each have their benefits. While ultimately the decision you make
comes down to practicality and personal taste, here are ten questions
you should ask yourself before investing in window coverings:
Shutters London – Click here to find out more about made-to-measure wooden window
shutters and blinds from the Bespoke Shutter Company.
What
Type of Property do I Have? – The style of
property you have is one of the biggest influences on your choice of
window coverings, so think about what works best for your home. While
curtains are an obvious decision, plantation shutters, solid shutters
or wooden blinds give a chic look to a London modern or period style
house.
How
Overlooked is my New Home? – Curtains need
to be fully opened to let the light in, so if your property faces
right onto the street this won’t provide enough seclusion in the
daytime. Made-to-measure shutters or blinds offer greater flexibility
as you can open the slats to vary the light levels, without
compromising on privacy.
Do I
Have Any Unusual Windows? – While shutters
can be made to fit any size and shape of window, you don’t have
that sort of flexibility with curtains. Instead curtains can swamp a
small window and can end up hiding attractive features such as
circular, hexagonal, triangular or oval shaped windows.
How
Much am I Prepared to Spend? If you have a
limited budget, you might want to go for the cheapest option of
window coverings. That said, a timeless and classic choice, such as
tier-on-tier shutters, saves money in the long run as you won’t
feel the need to update this look.
What
Style of Décor do I Want? –While you would
be hard pushed to buy patterned shutters, an extensive range of
colour options and wood stains are available. At The Bespoke Shutter
Company, on certain ranges we can design and install made to measure
shutters to match any colour you choose.
Do I
Want to Keep Out Street Noise? If your home
faces a busy London street, it is worth thinking about installing
wooden plantation or solid shutters as this works as a sort of triple
glazing and helps reduce noise levels from outside.
Will my
Property be Rented Out? If you are buying a
buy-to-let you will most likely want to go for the cheapest window
coverings. However, some rental agencies advise you not to buy window
coverings as the tenants will provide their own. Just check with them
first to find out.
Am I
Hoping to Move Again Soon? If you are likely
to move again in a few years time, you might want to go for classic
options such as shutters and blinds. Curtains – particularly
patterned curtains – are geared towards personal taste and may make
your interior less appealing to potential buyers when you want to
sell on.
Which
are the Easiest to Keep Clean? Whereas
curtains can be costly to keep clean (particularly dry clean only
fabrics), blinds and shutters just need a quick dust to keep them
looking as good as new.
Do I
Want Flexibility with my Window Coverings? For
the ultimate in flexibility, the best option is tier-on-tier
plantation shutters. The benefit of these shutters is that you can
open the top section and open your windows to let the air in, or even
open the bottom half of your shutters, and leave the top section
closed. Again, you can also maximise the amount of light that filters
into your home by tilting the slats.
About
Bespoke Shutters
The Bespoke Shutter Company designs and installs high quality made-to-measure shutters and blinds
for homes and businesses in the London and Hertfordshire area. Click
on the link above to find out more about our service.
