David Brooks wonders:


First a little back-story: I love to invite my friends and family over for dinner. To me, this is one of life’s joys. It is not just the food but the camaraderie, conversation and intimacy of this kind of social gathering. It combines some of my most favorite activities: eating, talking and personal connection.

So, it has long been my dream to create a beautiful dining room for my most favorite social time. And it wasn’t until recently that I had the wherewithal to make this dream a reality. Though this isn’t about trying to impress my friends and family – the truth is we would still enjoy our gatherings even if we were eating pizza on a folding card table – but, I do believe in creating beauty and spending money on things that mean the most to me.

The first upgrade came in the form of a new dining room set. My wife and I were so happy to upgrade from the old hand-me-down set that we have been using for many years. The new table (which now seats twelve) and chairs looked good but still there was something missing. So, we went on the internet to look at pictures of finished dining rooms and found some that included the most beautiful window treatments I’ve seen. I came to learn later these shades were called roman shades, which in the picture were combined with some lovely drapes. I just loved the elegant rich folds and fabric and the drapes made an excellent color contrast that really completed the look. I knew instantly that these were right for our new dining room.

My wife and I purchased our own set, along with some nice custom drapes, and installed them ourselves, a first for me. And neither of us could be happier. For days afterwards, I kept walking back into the dining room just to look. You could say that I had been blinded by the beauty of my new dining room and it was the shades and drapery combination that made the difference. Specifically what we ended up purchasing were Levolor sheer roman shades in a very light olive green and custom drapery panels in a burgundy-red. I am not an interior decorator so I just used the same color combination as I saw in the online photo. No need to complicate things, I saw what I liked and copied it.

At our next dinner party, my wife and I were so excited to bring our guests into our new dining room. And the reaction on all of their faces did not disappoint. Later, I made a toast and told my guests that, “this room was dedicated to us, to this gathering and all of those to come.” Sentimental stuff, I know but I can’t think of a better use of money than to spend it on those things that bring you fulfillment. Some people spend their money on cars, some people spend their money on electronics, I decided to spend mine on creating a beautiful sanctuary, a shrine to good food, great wine and great company.

Mike Stephens wonders:


Velux Blackout blinds – Type DKL

These blinds are manufactured from triple weave polyester fabric and come in a range of forty colours. There are four standard colours and thirty-six premium colours to choose from. The colours are highly resistant to light and do not fade.

The external face of all DKL blinds is finished with a solar reflecting aluminium fabric film which keeps out heat in the summer months and helps retain heat in the winter. This aluminium fabric is totally light excluding even when a light colour is chosen for its internal face.

The header of the blind (into which the blind rolls up), the lateral guides and the concave operating bar at the bottom of the blind are manufactured from anodized aluminium with a polished finish.

The header is installed at the top of the window by means of grey plastic fixings. Grey plastic fixings installed at the bottom of the window retain the clips holding the operating cord in its correct position.

Velux Roller blinds – Type RFL

These blinds are made from 100% translucent polyester fabric. They provide privacy and filter daylight without darkening a room completely.

There is a choice of thirty-seven colours; four of which are standard colours and the remaining thirty-three are available in a range of premium colours and designs. The colours are non-fade.

The header of the blind, the lateral guides and the operating bar at the bottom of the blind are made of anodized aluminium with a polished finish.

Grey plastic fixings are used to install the header of the blind and to hold the operating cord at the bottom of the window.

Velux Pleated blinds – Type FHL

These are made from translucent polyester fabric with each horizontal pleat being 20mm in width. The pleats are retained in position and operated by means of a cord. Under normal use the pleats retain their shape and do not flatten.

The blinds are available in a choice of thirty-seven colours; four standard colours and the remaining thirty-three in a range of premium colours and designs. All colours and designs are non-fade.

The header, lateral guides and the concave operating bar at the bottom of the blind are made from anodized aluminium with a polished finish.

All fixings are of grey plastic.

Velux Venetian blinds – Type PAL

The curved laminates of the Venetian blinds are manufactured from aluminium and are lacquered on both sides. The laminates are thirty-five millimetres in width.

These blinds are available in a choice of nine colours, one of which is a standard colour (code 7001) and eight are available in the premium range. All colours are highly fade resistant.

The header, lateral guides and concave operating bar are of anodized aluminium with a polished finish.

All fixings are of grey plastic including the lateral side control which adjusts the laminates to the desired angle.

For further information regarding Velux blinds, their specifications, and the options available for solar operated blinds; contact any official Velux Blinds stockists – they will be pleased to provide specifications, advice and service.

David Brooks wonders:


Here is his story: He, his wife, and one-year-old son live in a small 2 bedroom, Manhattan apartment. Mr. Douglas works as a concierge at a hotel in downtown New York. Mrs. Douglas has just returned to work not far from their apartment. Her hours are the normal 9:00am to 5:00pm. Not wishing to thrust Baby Jonathan out into the world at such a wee age, Mr. Douglas agreed he’d watch Jonathan during the day and work the late shift from 6:00pm to 2:00am. The couple felt quite confident they could keep this up for two years until Jonathan was old enough to attend preschool. As it turned out, it was only two weeks into the new arrangement when, a very cranky Mr. Douglas called me. Apparently Jonathan and Mr. Douglas had different ideas of when the day started. Baby Jonathan woke up bright eyed and bushy tailed at the crack of dawn. Getting three or four hours of sleep a night was grossly insufficient for Mr. Douglas. He could think of little else because, more than anything else, he craved sleep.

It didn’t take him long to realize the east facing windows in each of the bedrooms was the culprit. Thanks go to Mrs. Douglas, who was cruising the web, and found the perfect answer – blackout shades.

The answer I gave to Mr. Douglas is, if nothing else will do and you’re determined to have total blackout, consider a standard roll, blackout roller shade. I went on to explain that for optimum coverage, it should be mounted either on or outside of the window casing. This type of mount is called an outside mount or OB. Be sure to add at least three inches to the width to block light gaps and some sort of valance or cassette to contain light leaking through above the roller. It should extend at least an inch and a half below the bottom molding or sit squarely on the sill. That is the best blackout, period.

Another very good choice would be a blackout cellular shade that is mounted to the inside of the window casing. This type of mount is called an inside mount or IB. The reason this is also a good choice is because you’ll have negligible light gaps due to it’s snug fit inside the window casing. Roman or pleated shades either inside or outside mounted would be the next best option as long as you add a blackout liner.

Whether they are wood, aluminum, or vinyl, regardless of being vertical or horizontal, blinds are not an ideal choice for blackout. Some are better than others though, such as wood blinds with the route-less feature. Rather than being strung together through holes drilled through the center of the slats, they are strung through notches cut out in the back of the slats to hide the holes and keep additional light out. Another way to hide the holes, and avoid light peeping through, is to add the vintage look of decorative tapes. The main problem though isn’t really the little holes, it’s the light gaps in between the slats, louvers, or vanes.

Mike Stephens wonders:


Loft conversions are designed for many purposes and home owners convert vacant loft areas for use as bedrooms, offices, space for relaxation, recreational purposes, to provide an extra bathroom or simply for use as storage. Whatever your particular use, there are Velux blinds suitable for every circumstance.

When a loft room is used as sleeping accommodation then your best choice of blind might be the type known as a ‘blackout’ blind, especially if the windows are south or east facing and you like to sleep late on a Sunday morning. This blind, known as Type DKL, is decorative on its interior face but combines with an aluminium coloured facing on the external side which completely obliterates external light sources. This blind is lowered and raised through aluminium side channels which eliminate any possibility of light entering through the edges.

For the best of both worlds, the blind known as the DUO, offers the combination of blackout blind and a pleated blind which are combined in a single unit. Either blind can be easily adjusted to be fully opened or fully closed or to allow a partial combination of both. The pleated blind does not obscure light completely but filters light so that it is easy on the eye and offers a soft, comfortable appearance so often desirable when furnishing a bedroom.

The pleated blind, Type FHL, can of course be purchased as a separate blind so if total darkness in the room is not a priority then this blind can be installed to create an air of peace and comfort. If your roof window is situated on a north facing slope of your roof then this blind could be your best option.

For office or recreational use, the best choice might be the blind known as a ‘roller blind’ Type RFL. This type of blind can be fully opened, fully closed, or placed at any desired position within its polished aluminium guides. For office use, this blind, made of 100% polyester lends an air of efficiency and is easy to clean. The effect of the ‘roller blind’ is to exclude the full glare of sunlight but is sufficiently translucent to avoid darkening of the room. Light is diffused and softened, thereby creating an ambience ideal for those pensive moments. Sharp shadows and glare are reduced, allowing an even light for working at a computer, playing games or for pursuing ones favourite pastime.

The Velux company also manufacture a range of Venetian blinds. Easy to install and ideal for a bathroom or any other area where there might be a high degree of humidity. Easy to clean and, like all other Velux blinds, they come in a wide range of colours to suit your décor.

Emily Haigh wonders:


Blinds have been brought up to date with fresh fabrics and pretty blind pulls, and continue to be a popular option in the home.

Blind Styles

• Roman blinds: this classic blind style draws up into even panels as it is raised and can be made from all types of fabric.

• Vertical louvre blinds: a set of louvers travel along a rigid headrail so they can be fully drawn out along the rail, or gathered together at the sides of the window when open.

• Venetian blinds: horizontal, overlapping slats suspended from a headrail, supported by a ladder braid or ladder tape.

• Roller blinds: fabric attached to a tubular roller mechanism.

• Pleated blind: similar to a Venetian blind, but with fabric instead of solid slats.

Things to think about

• The size of the blind will alter depending on whether you want it to hang inside or outside the window recess. If inside, measure the window from wall to wall. Be sure to measure the top, middle and bottom of the window, as walls are not always straight or square. For blinds that sit outside the recess, it is recommended that you allow for a 4cm overhang.

• Think about the material you want to use; the way that a room faces should factor in your decision, as the amount of light the fabric is exposed to will affect its colour and longevity.

• In bathrooms and laundry rooms, it’s best not to use natural materials, as they will be badly affected by the damp atmosphere. Instead, use fabrics that can withstand condensation, like faux wood and polyester.

• In conservatories, consider pleated blinds with metalised coatings. These can be made in a range of thicknesses, which will alter the amount of light that is filtered.

For more ideas about where to buy blinds why not have a look at our product finder