Venetian Blinds

Aluminium venetians are the slim, practical version. The slats are thin and light, the headrail is compact, and the blind stacks into a small bundle at the top so most of the glass is clear when raised. They suit kitchens, bathrooms, laundries, home offices and rentals, anywhere the blind has to be tough and easy to wipe.

The colour range is wide: whites, neutrals, metallics and strong colours, in matte, gloss and perforated finishes. A perforated slat lets a little light through even when closed, which softens the look and keeps a hint of view. Aluminium does not warp, fade or swell, so it is the right call on a window over a sink or in a steamy bathroom.

The trade-off is feel. Aluminium slats are thin, so they can bend if knocked, and they rattle a little in a breeze from an open window. They read as functional rather than warm.

Timber venetians are the warm, solid option. Wider slats in a stained or painted timber bring texture and weight to a room, and they look the part in living rooms, bedrooms, studies and dining rooms. Painted white timber venetians are a popular match for white plantation shutters elsewhere in the house, in a blind you can lift clear of the glass.

Timber is light for its strength, so wide windows can be covered with a single blind where PVC would need splitting. Stains show the grain and come in pale through to dark tones; paints give a clean, even colour.

Keep timber away from water. Bathrooms, laundries and the window above the kitchen sink are PVC jobs. Timber also needs a deeper stack when raised than aluminium, so on a short window the raised blind covers more of the glass.

PVC venetians give the look of a painted timber slat in a material that does not absorb moisture. They are the answer for bathrooms, laundries and kitchens where you want the timber look without the risk. The slats come in whites, off-whites and wood tones with a smooth or embossed grain finish.

PVC is heavier than timber, so very wide windows are split into two or three blinds on one headrail or fitted with a stronger lift mechanism. We plan that at the measure. The finish wipes clean and does not fade, chip or peel the way a painted timber slat can in a wet room.

If you want one material through a whole house, PVC does the job in every room. If you want the best of each, timber in the living areas and PVC in the wet areas is the usual mix.

Slats come in a few widths. Narrow slats, most common in aluminium, give more lines across the window, a finer look, and a smaller stack when raised. They suit small windows and spaces where the blind needs to disappear at the top. Wider slats, most common in timber and PVC, give a cleaner view when tilted open, let in more light, and look more in proportion on big windows.

The width also affects how much you see through the blind when it is tilted open. Wide slats open to a bigger gap, so the view is clearer. Narrow slats keep more of the blind in the way. If the window has an outlook you want to keep, lean wide.

We bring samples in each width to the measure so you can hold them up to the window and judge the proportion in the room.

Bathrooms, ensuites, laundries and kitchens are where venetians do a job no fabric blind can. Tilt the slats closed for privacy while the shower is running, tilt them open afterwards to let the steam out through the window, and wipe them down when they get marked. Aluminium and PVC both handle the moisture; timber does not.

On a window inside a shower recess, or one that gets wet from splashes, aluminium is the safest choice because it is fully non-porous. On a bathroom window away from direct water, PVC gives the warmer look. Fit the blind so the bottom rail clears the sill and any tiles, and choose a lift cord or chain over a wand in a small space.

Wipeable roller blinds for wet areas

Both tilt horizontal blades for light. The difference is the frame. Shutters are a fixed frame with hinged panels that swing open; venetians hang from a headrail and lift clear of the glass. Shutters look more built in and stay put. Venetians are the lighter option that you can raise entirely when you want the whole window open.

Pick shutters when the window is a feature, when you want a permanent fit, or when you want the look from the street. Pick venetians when you want the tilt control in a simpler blind, when you need to clear the glass fully, or in a rental or a room you may change later. White timber or PVC venetians sit comfortably in a house that has shutters in the front rooms.

Compare with plantation shutters

Standard control is a tilt wand or tilt cord on one side and a lift cord or chain on the other. Both cords get child-safe cleats or tensioners fixed to the wall. Motorised venetians replace the tilt control with a battery or mains motor, so the slats angle at the press of a remote. Lift is usually still manual on a motorised venetian, so the motor suits windows where you mostly tilt rather than raise.

Motorised blinds and remotes