This is the second post in our Blinds By Room series and today we’ll help you choose the right blinds for your bedroom. In Part 1 we explored the best bathroom blinds – read it here. Installing the wrong blinds in your bedroom can result in poor quality sleep or awkward moments with your neighbours! Don’t waste your money – choose the right bedroom blinds from the beginning.

First Thing’s First

You firstly need to decide what your priorities are and what goals you want your bedroom blinds to achieve…

Do you want to have full control over your privacy?

Do you want some filtered light during the day?

Do you want a full light block solution?

Plantation Shutters

Shutters are not only the most stylish home insulator, but they also provide great privacy control in your bedroom. Whether you choose fauxwood or timber plantation shutters, the level of privacy control is the same. Simply tilt or close the blades to achieve your desired level of light and privacy.

Vertical Blinds

Working on a similar blade tilting principle as shutters, vertical blinds can afford you maximum control over privacy and light in your bedroom. The blades can be rotated and slid completely to one side. The privacy and light control of vertical blinds is also affected by the fabric you choose. Select a blockout fabric for greater light block and privacy.

Duo Roller Blinds

What’s better than a roller blind? Two roller blinds!! Duo roller blinds are effectively two roller blinds situated over one window. Often our customers choose to install one light filtering or solar screen roller and a blockout roller blind. This allows you to draw up the blockout blind during the day to let the light in and draw it down at night to provide privacy.

Blockout Roman Blinds

Roman blinds are a stylish and sophisticated window furnishing that make a fantastic room feature. Made in a blockout fabric, they provide you with excellent privacy and light block. Roman blinds provide you with less control over the level of privacy and light as their simple function is either up or down.

Blockout Roller Blinds

As far as bedroom blinds go, it’s hard to beat the style and colour choice of blockout roller blinds. Barrierscreens has blockout fabrics in a great range of colours and textures so you’re bound to find one that suits your decor. As with blockout roman blinds, blockout roller blinds provide excellent privacy and light block, but limited control over the level of privacy and light block.

We hope you found part two of the Blinds by Room series helpful. Remember, just because a type of blind wasn’t listed above doesn’t mean it is not suited to your bedroom. Talk to a Barrierscreens consultant about all of the types of blinds available and if they are suitable for your needs. You can book your free measure and quote here. If you have any questions, feel free to submit your question to one of our experts.

Okay, you’ve read up on the different types of blinds available. Some go up, some slide across and some have blades that rotate. Got it… But which types of blinds are suited to different areas in your home? A chat with your Barrierscreens consultant will quickly answer your question however, if you’re not quite ready to book a consultation, this blog series will point your research in the right direction.

This first post covers one of the most notoriously difficult rooms to select blinds for… The Bathroom!

Installing the wrong blinds in your bathroom will most likely result in your blinds not lasting as long as they should. Why waste your money? Choose the right bathroom blinds from the beginning.

Fauxwood Venetian Blinds

Fauxwood Venetians are one of the best solutions for wet areas as they resist moisture well. Where Timber Venetians can actually absorb moisture and bow and buckle, Fauxwood Venetian Blinds will not. They are made from a compressed synthetic compound that resists moisture and heat, so they’re actually great for sun-facing windows that suffer a lot of heat.

Fauxwood Shutters

Also made from a compressed synthetic compound, Fauxwood Shutters can resist moisture and heat well. This makes them ideal window coverings for bathrooms. They also provide excellent light and privacy control and come in a range of neutral shades that will tie in with virtually any bathroom colour scheme.

Roller Blinds

Roller blinds can make great blinds for bathrooms provided the correct fabric is chosen. Some fabrics will provide a perfect home for mould when installed in a damp environment such as a bathroom. Barrierscreens does stock some fabrics that are treated with an antifungal solution, which may assist keeping your blinds looking fab. We recommend our either our acrylic coated or solarscreen fabric ranges, as the material is less absorptive.

If roller blinds are your choice of bathroom blinds, talk to your Barrierscreens consultant about the right fabric for your needs.

Vertical Blinds

Vertical blinds are another versatile blind that can be installed effectively in a bathroom. They allow for superior light and privacy control as the blades both rotate and slide along the track and out of the way.

As with roller blinds, the longevity of vertical blinds in a damp bathroom environment is largely down to fabric choice. For bathroom situated vertical blinds, we recommend our acrylic coated fabric ranges. These fabrics are extremely durable and will not absorb moisture from the environment, making them an ideal choice of bathroom blinds.

We hope you found part one of the Blinds by Room series helpful. Remember, just because a type of blind wasn’t listed above doesn’t mean it is not suited to your bathroom. Talk to a Barrierscreens consultant about all of the types of blinds available and if they are suitable for your needs. You can book your free measure and quote here. If you have any questions, feel free to ask one of our experts.

Our customers loved our Free Installation offer so much we’ve decided to extend the offer for the remainder of 2012!

To refresh your memory, here is the offer again:

Customers who book online are eligible for free standard installation of their blinds, shutters, privacy screens or security screens. Don’t forget to mention this offer to your Consultant!

To be clear, most projects require “standard installation” and will be covered in this offer. An example of a non-standard installation would be where special equipment, such as scaffolding, is required.

Book your no-obligation, free measure & quote here to take advantage of this offer.

It’s only September but it’s already becoming balmy. With a steamy season ahead of us Queenslanders, now is the time to ensure your home is ready for Summer.

To help you on your way, we’ve prepared a Summer-ready check list for your home. Download and print your copy here.

1. Clean Your Air Conditioner and Ceiling Fans

Ensure your air conditioner and ceiling fans are running as efficiently as possible by ensuring they are in a clean and safe working condition. We recommend hiring a professional to service your air conditioner, particularly if you run yours a lot. It could save you money!

2. Install Security Screens on Windows & Doors

Receiving your electricity bill can be a cringe-worthy time, particularly during the warmer months when you use your air conditioner most. Many of us are also making an effort to lessen our carbon footprint so it makes sense to minimize our use of electric cooling methods.

High quality security screens allow you to confidently secure your home whilst making the most of natural air flow. For best results, install Australian Standards approved security screens on as many windows and doors as possible on different sides of your home. This allows you to capture breezes no matter which direction they come from. You would be surprised just how cool you can keep your home by making the most of natural breezes and air flow!

3. Check Your Flyscreens

If you haven’t installed security screens on your windows and you like to open them when you’re at home, ensure you check your flyscreens for holes or rips. When the temperature rises, the last thing you need is to be bitten by pesky insects swarming in through damaged flyscreens!

4. Install Blinds

Installing blinds on your windows and glass doors is a stylish and functional way to regulate the temperature of your home.

In Summer, blinds can assist to keep your home cool by reflecting heat that would normally enter through the glass. For best results, when using your air conditioner, close all blinds fully.If you are cooling your home naturally using security screens, close the blinds on windows and doors that receive the most sun.

Our timber and fauxwood shutters are ideal for providing year round insulation on your glass windows and doors. We also offer a range of blinds in solar screen and blockout fabrics that provide excellent glare and heat reduction. If insulation is your primary concern, we recommend fitting the blinds as close to the glass as possible (generally inside mount).

Talk to one of our Experts about which of our eco-friendly, temperature-regulating window furnishings best suit your home.

5. Check Your Smoke Alarms

It’s vital to have working smoke alarms installed in your home all year round, but particularly coming into the “bushfire season.” Test your alarm monthly and ensure it is clean and always replace your alarms before the expiry date. For more information on smoke alarms and fire safety, visit the Queensland Fire & Rescue Service website.

6. Install Fire Escape Screens

The Australian Standards recommends that each bedroom in your home should have a fire escape screen installed in a window. We recommend a SecureView fire escape screen as these allow anyone to easily release the screen from the inside, whilst maintaining superior security when the escape function is not in use.

7. Clean Out Your Gutters

It’s not a glamorous job, but cleaning out your gutters before the Summer season starts could save your home when dry debris can become a fire hazard.

8. Resuscitate Your Pool

If you’ve been a little neglectful of your pool over winter, now’s the time to nurse it back to health! If you have a pool, keeping it in top condition over Summer will allow you and your family to conveniently cool off when the mercury rises.

For a limited time only, receive FREE installation on any product when you book your quote online. Book your in-home consultation online by simply completing our quote request form and we’ll give you a call to arrange a time that suits you. Hurry! Offer ends 30 September, 2012.

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Blinds can drastically change the look of an office or commercial space, yet they are often the most undervalued part of the fit-out. Neglected as they may be, those decorators who do carefully select the right blinds for their office space are richly rewarded with an interior that reflects the mood and culture of the business.

So how do you make the right choices when it comes to commercial blinds? It might sound overwhelming but fear not! Read on to discover our top tips for selecting blinds for your commercial, retail or office space.

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1. Functionality First

Each type of blind, from venetian blinds to roller blinds to vertical blinds, has it’s own functionality and advantages. First, we need to choose the type of blinds that suit our doors or window openings. For example, roller blinds are easy to operate and stylish to boot, whereas venetian blinds and vertical blinds allow more control over light and privacy with their tilting blades.

Fabric blinds such as roller blinds, roman blinds, panel glides and vertical blinds also have the added functionality that comes from fabric choice. For example, a solar screen or sunscreen fabric will cut glare without sacrificing your view to the outside world. This is obviously great for offices with nice views but even an average view that includes a blue sky can boost the mood and productivity of your employees.

Note: For more details on each type of blind and their functional advantages, check out our product pages.

2. Consider the Culture

It is vital that all employees are on the same page when it comes to the corporate culture or personality of a business. What better way to do this than to represent the culture of your business visually with the design of your office interior? This allows your team to be immersed in a vibrant, culture-rich environment every day.

You can create a mood or feeling with interior elements such as paint, furniture and window dressings. Choose roman blinds in a breezy, light-coloured fabric for a coastal chill vibe or go with an elegant pattern for a more sophisticated feel. Or if vertical blinds are your functional match, choose sheer, patterned fabrics for a softer, prettier look or a solid fabric in a bold hue for a striking, edgy mood.

3. Get the Details Right

As with any interior design project, getting the details right can make or break your look. We suggest creating a mood board for your project that includes colours, textures and images that evoke the emotions or mood you want to capture in your interior design. This will help you ensure that every detail ties in perfectly. When choosing the finishing touches of your blinds compare the fabric, chain and componentry samples provided by your consultant to your mood board for best results.

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4. Be Brave With Colour

Our final tip is don’t be afraid to play with colour when it comes to your blinds! Understandably in a domestic setting, people choose muted colours for maximum versatility. When it comes to a commercial, retail or office space, your interior design isn’t likely to change on a whim because it is a visual representation of your business. So, with that in mind, be bold! Don’t be afraid to colour block, play with patterns and mix and match both blinds and colours.

Remember to ask an expert if you have any questions about the right blinds for you.

Happy decorating!

We thought simple Sam was cute but YouTube comments suggest some people don’t agree! What do you think?

Remember, if you have any questions about how to measure and install your custom blinds yourself please feel free to Ask an Expert.

Isn’t it Great to Leave 2011 Behind us?

After a wet start to last year with the Brisbane floods, boy are we glad to see the back of 2011! It was a traumatic time for the entire Barrierscreens team, but we have now moved on and up… to higher ground!

Our new office and manufacturing facility in Darra is a truly excellent space. It has provided us with more room to expand into new product lines.

Over the past 12 months, we have worked hard to rebuild our manufacturing operation and we’ve used the devastation as an opportunity to develop and evolve our production facilities. We are excited to be able to add roller blinds, panel glides and roman blinds to our collection of locally made blinds. We can now offer our customers a full range of interior blinds, including venetian blinds, vertical blinds and shutters!

Say “Hello” to a Stylish New Year!

We’re starting the year in style with our gorgeous new range of Artessa fabrics. Artessa is a stylish new brand of home apparel fabrics bursting into the Australian market.

We are proud to be one of the first retailers to dress Aussie homes to impress with this trendy and versatile range. Our extensive new range of over 155 trendy fabrics will enhance our ability to provide quality, stylish interior blinds to our customers across southeast Queensland.

The downtime our operations experienced has also allowed us to focus on team development and training. This has resulted in us being able to offer an even more dedicated and knowledgeable consultation team, who can answer your questions and help design the perfect customised home improvement solution for our customers.

We’re looking forward to a year that can only be better than the last, and we hoping to making a difference to as many Queensland homes as possible.

Why not start with yours?!

We’ll have our top experts on hand to answer any burning questions you may have about any of our products or service. Plus we have a special entry offer available to our customers. Simply click the link below to download your invitation to visit us at the HIA Home Show and receive discounted entry.

The HIA Home Show runs from 29 – 31 July 2011. We hope to see you there!

Barrier Screens Special Invitation