Not quite sure you know your Verticals from your Venetians? Don’t worry, you’re not alone. Our handy guide will help you get to grips with the different types and figure out what’s best to get your windows looking tip top.

Types of blinds

There are a number of blinds to choose from. They are:

• Vertical blinds
• Roman blinds
• Roller blinds
• Venetian blinds
• Wooden blinds
• Fauxwood blinds
• Pleated blinds
• Perfect Fit blinds
• Skylight blinds

Jargon buster

Before we get started, here are some phrases that might be useful:

Cleat: A plastic hook, for child safety on blinds with free hanging cords

Louvres or slats: Individual pieces of fabric or wood which are tilted for light and privacy control

Wand: Long and thin plastic device used to tilt or close blinds

Sidewinder: Control mechanism for roller and Roman blinds, fitted with a bobble-chain

Vertical blinds

What is it?: Vertical lengths of fabric, tilted for light and privacy control.

Great for: All rooms.

Cleaning: Wipe clean with baby wipes or vacuum with the upholstery attachment. Contact our customer services team if in doubt.

How it works: A plastic wand is used to tilt and pull back blinds.

What else?: You can order the louvres by themselves (with or without weights & chain for the bottom). Contact our customer services team to do this. Wherever you want to use yours, we’ve a style for that. Choose from a wide range of special finishes available, including wipe-clean PVC and fire retardant (so we’ve got kitchens and bathrooms sorted). Privacy and light control is wrapped up too. Select your favs from light-filtering and blackout fabrics.

Roman blinds

What is it?: Soft folds of fabric which fold into a decorative pelmet when pulled up.

Great for: Bedrooms, living rooms and dining rooms, or anywhere you’d like a more luxurious look.

Cleaning: Vacuum with the upholstery attachment, or dry-clean depending on the fabric. Contact our customer services team if in doubt.

How it works: Deluxe headrail with sidewinder and chain.

What else?: Cosy Roman blinds are great for rooms which have a tendency to feel chilly. Our Roman blinds are luxurious as standard. They’re all fully-lined, with blackout and thermal linings available across most of the range.

Roller blinds

What is it?: Fabric wraps neatly around a tube at the top of the window.

Great for: All rooms.

Cleaning: Wipe clean with a dry cloth, or wet cloth for water-resistant options.

How it works: Sidewinder with plastic chain to lift and lower.

What else?: Roller blinds are one of the most versatile options. We've got every room covered with our range of special coatings and fabrics. Choose from wipe-clean, flame retardant and PVC finishes. Get trendy with a choice of patterns and designs too.

Venetian blinds

What is it?: Metal horizontal slats which tilt to control light and privacy.

Great for: All rooms.

Cleaning: Wipe clean with a dry cloth.

How it works: Tilt rod to adjust louvres for light and privacy. Cord to lift and lower.

What else?: Stop peeping eyes with the horizontal slats. Also available in PerfectFit style for uPVC windows.

Wooden blinds

What is it?: Wooden horizontal slats which tilt to control light and privacy.

Great for: Bedrooms, living rooms and dining rooms.

Cleaning: Wipe clean with a dry cloth.

How it works: Cords to lift, lower and tilt slats.

What else?: Keep peeping eyes out in overlooked rooms. Customise your look with a wide selection of wood stains and painted colours. Make things super sleek with contrasting and coordinating tape instead of cords.

Fauxwood blinds

What is it?: Wooden effect horizontal slats which tilt to control light and privacy.

Great for: All rooms.

Cleaning: Wipe clean with a dry or damp cloth.

How it works: Cord to lift, lower and tilt slats.

What else?: A fantastic wipe-clean finish makes them perfect for kitchens and bathrooms. Fauxwood blinds are a practical choice, with all the style of real wood. Customise your blind with a choice of slat widths: 38mm, 50mm and 63mm. Coordinating tape instead of cords available across Innovations range.

Pleated blinds

What is it?: Concertina or honeycomb folds of fabric.

Great for: All rooms.

Cleaning: Wipe clean with a dry cloth.

How it works: Cord to lift and lower

What else?: Great thermal efficiency helps to keep spaces a comfy temperature all year round. Choose from light filtering styles with DuoLight or create a cosier space with blackout DuoShade.

Perfect Fit blinds

What is it?: Blinds in a discreet frame that clips between the beading and glazing of uPVC windows.

Great for: All rooms.

Cleaning: Wipe clean with a dry cloth.

How it works: Clear wand to tilt the slats with a tab handle to raise and lower.

What else?: Fits inside each window pane perfectly, becoming an integral part of the window. You'll be spoilt for choices with the pick of the freshest colours, brightest shades and woodgrain styles. No need for drilling - they simply clip into your uPVC window frames.

Blinds for VELUX ®

What is it?: Blackout fabric with side channels, that fit into your VELUX ® window.

Great for: Anywhere that has a VELUX ® window.

Cleaning: Wipe clean with a dry cloth.

How it works: Handle operation that holds at any position.

What else?: This roller blind style is perfect for VELUX ® windows, with the most popular sizes available. If you don't see your size, just give our team a call, we may still be able to help!