Here are some of the most common mistakes rookies make when they come to buy their blinds.<\/p>\n
![\"Fabric](\"https:\/\/www.dotcomblinds.com\/pub\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/Samples_31.png\" "\\"Order")
Buying Blinds Blind<\/b><\/h3>\n
We offer free samples of any fabric and slats<\/a><\/strong> for our window blinds to show you in person what it will look like. This is because despite our best intentions and hard work, a blind can look slightly different on your screen than in real life. Screen resolution, brightness and all sorts of things can make it look different. These factors also include the amount of sunlight your window gets, the directness of the sunbeams, other windows in the room. These can all impact the way particularly dimout fabric looks. Free fabric samples give you the chance to stick the sample to the window and see how it reacts at different times of the day.<\/p>\n Samples take a lot of the uncertainty out of buying blinds, and you\u2019ll know you\u2019ve picked the correct fabric before you part with your hard-earned cash!<\/p>\n It\u2019s that classic tradesperson\u2019s adage \u2013 measure twice cut once \u2013 that really rings true in this case. Whilst you won\u2019t need to go anywhere near a saw, you need to make sure you\u2019re certain of your measurements for your blinds<\/a><\/strong>. This is because we make your blinds precisely to those measurements, and base any deductions we need to make on them too. The more precise you are, the better the fit of the blind.<\/p>\n It is also worth remembering that a made to measure blind<\/a> is a bespoke item, meaning we can\u2019t take it back and refund it if you measure incorrectly. No pressure! All you have to do is measure, measure again and if you have any discrepancies in the measurements, measure once more just for good measure. Measure.<\/p>\n Whilst on the subject of measuring \u2013 please be sure to identify the unit of measurement you\u2019re using before you get carried away \u2013 it\u2019s always embarrassing when you think you\u2019re getting a 60-inch blind but it arrives in centimetres\u2026<\/p>\n Now we\u2019ve covered this a lot on this blog, and we provide plenty of information<\/a><\/strong> across the website explaining this too, but this is one of the things that catch people out the most.<\/p>\n A recess fit blind means you have measured the window recess and you want us to make the deductions to allow the blind to fit into it.<\/p>\n An exact fit blind is a blind that is made to the exact measurements you provide \u2013 bracket to bracket. This is typically found outside of a recess or when there isn\u2019t a recess at all.<\/p>\n If you get the two confused you can end up with a blind that is too big for the space your fitting it into, or a blind that is too small to comfortably cover a window. An exact fit blind won\u2019t fit in a recess because there will not be any space for the brackets. The measurements you supply us for recess fit blinds is literally one end of the recess to the other, and so without indicating this to us, the blind simply won\u2019t fit.<\/p>\n If you\u2019ve had a glance through our website<\/a><\/strong>, you\u2019ll be aware of the sheer amount of choice we have available. Some of the reasons behind this is because we like giving people options, but another reason is that we like to cater for as many needs as possible. Different fabric performs differently in different situations and environments. These are known as our features and are key to the functionality of the blinds themselves.<\/p>\n Use these features<\/a><\/strong> (listed on the fabric sample labels themselves and on each product on the website), to find a blind best suited to your needs.<\/p>\n This may sound a little over the top \u2013 you might be sitting there saying, \u2018I just want a blind to block out the sun, what is all of this?!\u2019 However, a good blind can be the difference between unnecessarily paying an extra 14%<\/a><\/strong> on your heating bill, UV rays fading your furniture<\/a><\/strong> and mould setting on the fabric of your roller blind.<\/p>\n Some blinds are perfectly comfortable in moist environments such as bathrooms<\/a><\/strong> and kitchens<\/a><\/strong>, whilst others are not so and may warp or become mouldy. This isn\u2019t a negative as these blinds excel in other areas. Many blinds are solar reflective<\/a><\/strong>, which bounce the sun\u2019s rays back out of a room and some are particularly good at improving insulation around your windows. Familiarise yourself with the various features and choose which ones are suited to your needs.<\/p>\n We sometimes find that what you want isn\u2019t necessarily what you need. The correct blind looks perfect in the space it\u2019s installed in, seamlessly blending into the room as though it was built with the window itself. However, sometimes people choose a blind that just isn\u2019t always totally suitable for the type of area it\u2019s going into.<\/p>\n Above we covered fabric, but now we\u2019re going to take a look at actual blind type. It is always worth looking at the type of blind that is best for your window, the room and what you are going to do in the space.<\/p>\n Sure, you\u2019ll be able to shade your window with anything, in the sense a towel stapled above a window can constitute as a blind in some circles. However, the type of blind you need is defined by a variety of factors. For example, if you like to sleep with the window open, a blackout roller blind would likely be the most appropriate blind for you. A vertical blind may move too much and let light pass between the louvre gaps, and a venetian blind may make more noise.<\/p>\n Likewise, doors are another area that can leave you feeling disappointed by your choice of blind. Some have found a roller blind above a door to be frustrating as it has to be raised every time you wish to pass through the door. At the same time, if you come back through the door and the blind is down, you\u2019ll have to scrabble blindly to find the chain to pull it up.<\/p>\n Now, if you have chosen the above combination of window types and blind types and it works for you, don\u2019t let us hold you back. Every window is different and what you need is different. All we ask is for anyone considering a blind does a bit of research to ensure they are choosing the optimum blind for them.<\/p>\nMeasure Thrice or Buy Twice<\/b><\/h3>\n
![\"Measuring](\"https:\/\/www.dotcomblinds.com\/pub\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/DCB_Measuring_In1.jpg\" "\\"Measuring")
Talking of precision, measure the width in three places and your drop in three places. This will show up any variation in the measurements, which can happen if your window is ever so slightly out of shape (sometimes you can\u2019t see it with the eye!). If your window is wider at the top than it is at the bottom, you may find your roller blind\u2019s bottom bar struggles to get all the way to the bottom of the window. Take the smallest width measurement and take the longest drop measurement if you have any variation.<\/p>\nRecess vs Exact Fit Blinds<\/b><\/h3>\n
![\"Recess](\"https:\/\/www.dotcomblinds.com\/pub\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/RecessExact1.png\" "\\"Recess")
<\/p>\nInappropriate Fabric<\/b><\/h3>\n
![\"Feature](\"https:\/\/www.dotcomblinds.com\/pub\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/Samples_11.png\" "\\"Check")
Doing your homework is always better than winging it on the day, as I\u2019m sure you\u2019ve discovered in multiple instances throughout life. Taking 10 minutes to do some research arms you with the knowledge that allows you to make informed decisions, and probably save yourself a few pounds at the same time. One case of this paying off would be in the realm of fabric choices.<\/p>\nInappropriate Blinds<\/b><\/h3>\n
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<\/p>\nSettling for Less Than The Best<\/b><\/h3>\n
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The glorious thing about the internet is that the world is open to you and the choice available when you come to shop for your blind is immense. There\u2019s a blind to suit every taste and every budget, but don\u2019t be fooled: not all blind retailers are equal.<\/p>\n