Curtains & Blinds For The Summer
The summer is now here, and we have already had a some warm and sunny weeks that may have caused a few uncomfortable night’s sleep. With the lighter mornings you may have been woken up earlier than expected due to the bright morning sunshine coming through your windows.
At Sue Cardy, this month we are focusing on tips to keep your home cooler this summer with the use of curtains and blinds to create shading and airiness around your home. It has been reported that over 4.5 million homes in England are experiencing issues with overheating, as the focus for many years has been to insulate homes to keep them warm in the winter and to conserve energy but this is now causing these homes to be too hot during the summer months making them the same temperature as outside or even warmer.
You will find that many homes in Southern Europe use blinds and shutters largely for temperature control, keeping them closed from the early morning so that the home can be kept cool and used as a retreat from the sun during the day and help provide a better night’s sleep.
Keeping Curtains & Blinds Closed
An effective way to keep the house cool during the summer months is to keep your curtains and blinds closed during the day, especially on hot days and then to reopen them in the evening to let the cooler air flow through. Be cautious of dark coloured curtains as these could absorb the sunlight and keep heat inside a room but if you have lighter coloured curtains and blinds then this will help bounce the light off them. So long as the room is cooler than the temperature outside then we advise you keep the windows shut, otherwise you are just letting warm air enter the house.
Blackout Window Blinds
Blackout blinds offer superior light reduction compared to standard fabrics due to their thicker fabric and special coating. They are available in various styles such as roller blinds, day & night blinds, pleated blinds, perfect fit blinds, and vertical blinds. Even Roman blinds, which are made from soft fabrics, can be equipped with an additional lining to block out strong light.
The advantages of blackout options extend beyond light reduction; they also help maintain a cooler temperature, making them particularly suitable for bedrooms during the summer heat and can help make the bedroom feel more comfortable to sleep in.
While blackout blinds do not provide complete darkness due to small gaps between the fabric and window recess, customers seeking total blackout effects are recommended to opt for perfect fit blinds. Perfect fit blinds fit onto the window frame to block out the light, making it perfect for young children who need to sleep when it’s still light outside.
Venetian blinds and shutters, constructed from solid materials, inherently possess blackout properties. The rotating slats of Venetian blinds also offer additional privacy control benefits.
Blackout Curtains
In addition to their exquisite elegance, curtains offer various advantages. Adding a blackout lining to your curtains is not only an effective way at reducing the light entering the room, but it also assists in maintaining a comfortable temperature in your home. During winter, thick curtains act as insulation, keeping the warmth inside your house. In the summer, when closed, curtains help minimise the amount of heat entering your home.
Furthermore, curtains provide the flexibility of leaving them fully open during the day, allowing abundant natural light to illuminate your living space. Paired with voiles or sheers you can create privacy within your home.
Sheer Fabrics and Voiles
In our voile collection, we offer an assortment of Roman blinds and sheer roller blinds to achieve a tidy appearance. Additionally, we highly recommend exploring our exquisite sheer curtains, available in a wide array of styles.
Sheer curtains are particularly well-suited for enhancing the ambiance of living rooms and dining rooms. In bedrooms, they can be beautifully complemented by blackout curtains if you desire a light and airy feel during the day yet require darkness for a restful night’s sleep.
Upgrade your Curtains & Blinds for the Summer
With the warmer weather here for the next few months, you might want to consider upgrading your curtains and blinds for something more appropriate this summer. There is a lot to control in the summer from unwanted morning light, the heat along with hay fever symptoms and privacy. Blackout curtains and blinds are perfect for controlling the light and the heat entering your home. Voiles and sheers are good to add for layering and to block out unwanted pollen entering your home which is what you need if you suffer from hay fever and are also perfect for providing extra privacy when you want to keep your windows and patio doors open to let the air in.
If you would like to discuss changing your curtains and blinds around your home for something more appropriate please get in touch.
