What are Venetian Blinds? - an in Depth Review From Made to Measure Blinds UK

Metal Venetians are economical, easy to fit and can change the look, feel and mood of the room entirely. The oranges and browns can usher in the autumn or the cool greens can hint at spring. The warm reds and yellows can replicate the summer warmth within the room and the blues and whites can remind one of the winter snow falls. The colours can be mixed and matched to create the desired effect. One could live with the summer warmth while the chill winds of the winter blow outside or bask in the beauty of spring while the autumn makes the trees bare. It is therefore, no wonder that metal Venetian blinds are the most popular blinds and the best selling window treatment.

The slats of the blinds can vary in size. Popular slat widths are 16mm, 25mm, 35mm and 50mm. The slats are made from eight gauge almunium that is tested for strength and durability. The blinds are also provided with crash proof cord locks, baked on enamel finish and are known for the ease of light control and privacy.

The metallic finish of the Venetian blinds is breath taking. Blinds range from brushed aluminium, silver, mirror and chrome to deep and vivid colours and patterns. Perforated slats that are intricately positioned are used to create patterns of light and shade in the room. Metal Venetian blinds are also created to give a wood effect. The material comes in five shades and is available in 25 mm and 50 mm slatting widths.

The Ondulette blind is a blind that is ornamental. The slats are cut and woven into a variety of patterns that create beautiful effects. The designs include ocean, desert, valley, cube, wave, fishbone, arcs, diamond and kite. These blinds are also available in a wide range of colours.

These blinds come with several types of controlling options. The simplest of these is the cord system. Each blind has a cord to raise the blind and a nylon tilt wand which can be twisted to tilt the slats.

The mono commando system is a gear operated system which is controlled by a chain. When the chain is pulled one way, the blind will be lowered. When it pulled the other way, the slats will be tilted and the blind will be raised. It is a finer control system than the cord system as it a single system, that help raise or lower the blind.

Some blinds come with an electrical system. The electrical system can be battery operated or power operated. The battery operated version of the electrical blind is cheaper than the power one. It also has the advantage of having no transformers and wires to conceal. The battery tilt only version has a remote control unit that is powered by a battery that is hidden behind the blind. The remote handset can be used to tilt the slats. Raising and lowering the blind is manual. Venetian blinds that have a full electric power allow lowering/raising and tilting of the blind using the remote control or switch.

Maintenance of metal Venetian blinds is easy. However, care must be taken while handling metal Venetian blinds that are painted. Care must be taken to ensure that the slats do not slap and bang against each other causing the paint to chip. Chipped or scratched slats will be exposed to corrosive elements and moisture and this will reduce the life of the product.

The blind should never be pushed aside or the slats forced aside by persons trying to peek around the blind to the outside. This can cause the slats to bend and crease permanently destroying the look and feel of the window treatment. It could also prove to be very expensive, as the entire blind will have to be dismantled and reassembled with new slats replacing the damaged ones.

The blinds can be easily cleaned using the vacuum cleaner. The slats should be completely closed before the cleaning operation begins. The vacuuming should begin at the top of the blind and gradually move down to the bottom. The blind should be held steady with one hand while the cleaning is done with the other hand. During the process the blind should not be pressed against the woodwork or rubbed roughly. Using the dusting brush a few slats should be brushed gently. Once the whole blind has been cleaned the slats should be tilted closed the other way and the entire operation should be repeated now working bottom up.

The blinds can also be cleaned with a soft dry cloth. Wet cloth is not advisable as it will leave the blind streaky and dirty. Alternately the cleaning can be done with soft clean gloves made of cotton worn on the hands of the cleaner.

Metal Venetian blind manufacturers require the width and the drop information for custom creating the window treatments. The width is measured in two or three places and the minimum width is recorded. The measurement must take into consideration the dado rails, tiles and so on and the measurement must happen between these two points. The drop is also to be measured in two or three places keeping in view any sloping or uneven window sills.

If the Metal Venetian is to be fitted outside the recess of the window, the measurement will take in to account 50mm extra on either side of the window. While measuring the drop a 100 mm allowance is made at the top and the bottom of the window.