Buyers Guide to Blinds and Shutters

Annually we wait with bated breath for the very first rays of spring sunshine to peep through the clouds, then the next moment we're frantically fanning ourselves in an attempt to help keep cool in the increasingly stifling summertime. But while we can't control our fickle climate, we can purchase intelligent window treatments that protect ourselves and our interiors.

More adaptable than curtains and more versatile than voiles, the most recent shutters and blinds come in an entire host of modern materials and super-chic colours, that not just make a feature of your windows, but provide flexible sun protection too.

The most recent trends for blinds and shutters

'Wow colours such as for example yellow, red, orange and juicy green are back, both in textiles, lacquered steel and coloured plexi '. Christina Widholm, chief designer and trend forecaster, Faber.

'We've seen a rise in sales of wooden Venetian blinds with cotton tapes. For summer, I'd expect this to carry on with neutral slat colours and contrasting tapes in coastal blues.' Rebecca Brooks, marketing manager, Novatec and Eclectics.

'Our up-and-coming trend is for high gloss shutters in dark wenge or black. These look stunning with dark floorboards.' Mark Carter, company director, Shutterly Fabulous.

'Following in the footsteps of the US, we're seeing much bigger louvres. We do slats around 114mm for really a modern look.' Aideen Smith, marketing manager, Shaftesbury Shutters.

'Our sliding shutter mechanism is ideal for small spaces and for using shutters as an area divider.' Harriet Shackleton, sales manager, The New England Shutter Company.

Modern blinds do a great deal more than just provide privacy. The newest fabrics also provide solar protection, so no more faded fabrics or floors. In addition they block out heat, so rooms stay comfortable without the air con - an eco-friendly means of keeping cool. With moisture-resistant, anti-fungal and dust-repellent options too, it's easy to keep window treatments in top condition. And if it's too hot to even pull a wire, many come with a motor selection for the greatest in operational ease.

If you need to reduce glare, pick one of the many completeshutters fabrics offering a successful and modern alternative to nets.'A mid-tone grey will take out glare but nevertheless provide good visibility,' says Georgina Clark, showroom manager at Silent Gliss.'White reacts with the light and is harder to look out of, whereas black gives the best visibility but will end up totally transparent through the night - fine if you're not overlooked, but otherwise you may need a secondary window treatment to offer privacy.' These mesh blinds work in an identical method to car screens, gently filtering the sun's rays without completely blocking out an attractive day, making them ideal if you work at home - forget about struggling to see your monitor if you're sat near a window.