Two layers for the darker nights
The nights are closing in and the temperature is dropping a little more each week, so autumn is well and truly here. It is also when the front window starts to matter more, because once the lights are on after dark anyone passing can see straight in.
Two layers are the simplest fix. A blind at the glass stops people seeing in and lets you control the daylight, but it also finishes off a bare window so it looks properly dressed. The fabric you choose makes a real difference to how the room feels, whether that's a soft texture, a warm colour or a pattern that ties in with your cushions. Curtains on a pole or track then take over in the evening for extra warmth.
Why it is worth doing now
Darker afternoons mean the lights come on sooner and you start to feel a draught by the window that you never noticed over the summer. A blind with curtains over it helps in a few ways:
- Two fabrics between you and the glass hold on to more heat overnight
- You can keep daylight soft through the day and shut it out completely later
- Nobody sees in by day and the room feels private once dinner is over
- Richer autumn colours look better under the lights than a pale summer fabric
Choosing the blind
For the glass itself you have a roller, pleated or Roman blind to choose from. Any of them fits neatly behind curtains.
Roller blinds are the straightforward option: one flat piece of fabric that rolls up out of the way or comes down when you want privacy. Pick a light-filtering fabric to keep the room bright or blackout for a bedroom or TV room. A warm neutral roller with lined curtains works well year round.
Pleated blinds are worth a look if the room gets cold. Goldcrest's range includes honeycomb pleated blinds, where the fabric forms small cells that trap air against the glass. They fold up very slim so they don't crowd the curtains and blackout pleated fabrics are available too.
Roman blinds give you soft folds of fabric instead of a flat drop. Goldcrest Romans are fully lined with an optional blackout lining. Fitted inside the window recess (the space inside the frame) they look neat and the fabric makes the room feel warm and cosy, with or without curtains.
No curtains? Then go by the room. A blackout roller suits a bedroom, honeycomb helps most where the room feels cold and a Roman is the one to choose if you prefer soft fabrics.
What each layer does
During the day the blind:
- Gives you privacy from the street
- Softens glare without losing the view
- Keeps daylight off the TV or out of a bedroom
After dark the curtains:
- Keep more of the heat in once the heating is on
- Let you go fully dark or keep it gentle
- Round off the window for the evening
Fabric and colour
For bedrooms and TV rooms, blackout is the fabric that blocks light properly. Curtains in a medium or heavier fabric hang better than a sheer voile through autumn and winter and a lining gives you one more layer at the glass.
Rust, deep green and soft neutrals all hold their colour well after dark. It's worth looking at a sample in the evening under your own lights as well as in daylight, because the difference can be surprising.
Front room first, then the bedroom
A front room has to work at breakfast and again late at night. A warm-neutral roller under deeper curtains is a safe starting point and a honeycomb pleated blind makes sense if the room feels chilly by early evening. Choose a Roman if you like soft fabrics. Curtains usually suit a bay or a wide window better than one long blind across the whole opening. If the sofa and cushions are already patterned, keep the fabric choice plain.
In a bedroom, darkness matters most. Put a blackout roller or Roman at the glass and draw curtains over it for warmth. For a bedroom window that loses a lot of heat, honeycomb behind blackout curtains keeps it warm and dark.
Everything Goldcrest supplies is made to measure, so the blind fits the window properly and light doesn't creep around the edges.
Kitchens, bathrooms and the rest of the house
Add something you can raise and lower easily to windows that get low afternoon sun. A back room you use less can take a light-filtering fabric. In the kitchen or bathroom, choose a wipe-clean PVC roller or a fauxwood blind, as both handle steam.
You don't need to do every window at once. Start with the one that bothers you most.
Come and see the range
Visit the Goldcrest showroom at Unit 10, Craigleith Road, Springkerse Trade Park in Stirling, open weekdays from 9 am to 5 pm. If it's easier, book a free appointment anywhere in Stirling and Stirlingshire and we'll bring samples to your home. Call 01786 447 647 to speak to the team.