Window dressings aren’t just a stylish addition to a home or business space. They’re functional pieces that offer comfort and control when it comes to lighting and privacy. If you’re looking for maximum control over the style and functionality of your space, day & night blinds are here to help.
Day and night blinds are layered shades that enable you to let more light in or block it out. They operate similarly to roller blinds, but instead of one panel of fabric, day and night blinds have alternating sheer and opaque panels. Read on to learn more about how day and night blinds work, why they’re useful, and find tips on where you can mount them in your home and office.
What Are Day and Night Blinds?
Day and night blinds are also known as combination blinds, vision blinds, and sun-up-sun-down shades. Day and night blinds offer a blend of characteristics found in other types of blinds. They are made of alternating layers of blackout fabric and voile — a sheer layer typically made of cotton, silk or wool.
Here’s how day and night blinds work. The slats can be adjusted to increase or decrease light filtering similarly to slats on wooden blinds. The different slats of fabric are raised and lowered using a chain or cord. This can be done by hand or using a remote control if the blinds are motorised.
The different layers of fabric operate on one louvre. This means the different fabric slats slide on top of or below one another using the same mechanism. They move as one unit, not as individual blinds. That makes them different from double roller blinds which have two solid sheets of fabric that operate on two mechanisms.
At the top of the blind, the fabric rolls on a casing — just like roller blinds — to facilitate opening and closing. The sheer strips allow light in while keeping a degree of privacy. The opaque panels block out light, dimming the room for watching movies or getting better sleep.
Benefits of Day and Night Blinds
Day and night blinds are among the most functional types of window dressings. Here are some of the ways day and night blinds can make your home more comfortable.
Light and Privacy Control
These blinds offer excellent light control and privacy thanks to the layered fabrics. You can use the opaque fabric to create an environment that encourages deep sleep. The next day, you can adjust the curtains to display the sheer fabric layer to brighten a room. This functionality puts you in control of how much light and privacy you want at different times of the day.
Energy Efficient
These blinds offer greater control of the temperature in your home so you can save on electricity and heating costs. Dimout and blackout fabrics help to block sun rays out of a room, keeping the indoor area cooler.
Sheer fabric layers allow light in, helping to increase heat and also brightening up the space so you don’t have to constantly keep the lights on. The versatility means you can adjust light and temperature simply by using natural sunlight instead of cranking up the heater or using electricity.
Interior Design Elements
Not only are day and night blinds practical, but they’re also stunning to look at. The alternating fabric layers add dimension and texture to a room. They’re elegant yet simple and can be used in both upscale office environments and comfortable homes. These blinds are also available in a wide range of colours so you can match any colour scheme.
Where to Use Day and Night Blinds
Day and night blinds can be used on just about any window from living rooms to bedrooms. The only spot where they are not recommended is on sloping windows. That’s because the tilted angle may prevent the different fabric layers from moving smoothly. The best alternative if you’re looking for blinds for a sloped window is vertical blinds.
Aside from that, these blinds offer incredible functionality in different rooms of the home and office. Here are some of the best spaces where you can use day and night blinds.
Nurseries and Bedrooms
The light control functionality makes these blinds perfectly suited to bedrooms where you may want more light during the day and complete darkness at nighttime. Research shows that even dim light exposure at night can decrease sleep quality. The blackout blinds fabric helps to block out light, ensuring everyone in your family gets a better night’s sleep. The opaque layers also help to increase privacy.
Media and Entertainment Areas
Day and night blinds are also ideal for entertainment rooms and movie theatres. The opaque fabric is perfect for blocking out light when you want to watch a movie. Then simply shift over to the sheer panels when you want to play a game of pool or break out a deck of cards.
Offices
Day and night blinds are a great choice for office environments. If your office has any light exposure, you’re probably used to turning the brightness up or down on your screen. You may also need to shift your workspace to avoid reflections and glares.
With day and night blinds, you can focus on being productive and leave the distractions behind. The two fabric layers offer better light control so you can adjust incoming light throughout the day. By blocking out bright light using the sheer fabric, you can still enjoy the sunshine without having a glare on your monitors.
How to Measure and Install Day and Night Blinds
If you’ve decided you want day and night blinds, it’s time to measure your windows to ensure a perfect fit. These types of blinds are installed inside the recess, or inside the window frame. We’ve made a complete guide to measuring and installing for day and night blinds, but here’s the basic process.
Measure Blinds
First, you’ll need to grab a tape measure, pen, and notepad and head to your window. Make sure to measure each window individually, even if they appear to be the same size.
Begin by measuring the width of the window recess across the top, middle and bottom. Make sure to measure the recess from wall to wall, not the window or the window pane. Write down the smallest of the three measurements.
Next, measure the drop, or height, of the window recess across the left, middle and right. Record the smallest of the three measurements.
Head to Make My Blinds, navigate to the Day and Night Blinds section and choose your colour and style. Enter the measurements from above and select “recess” under the sizing section. Choose whether you want the control chain to be on the left- or right-hand side of the blind when you’re facing it. Place your order and wait for the blinds to be delivered.
Install Blinds
Your blinds have arrived and you can’t wait to get them installed. Here’s a quick step-by-step guide on how to mount your new day and night blinds.
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Lay out your blind in front of the window with the chain control on the side you choose (either left or right).
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The mourning brackets should start around 20 centimetres in from the edge of the recess. Mark this point with a pencil. If your blinds come with three or four brackets, space them evenly from these marks.
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Identify how far forward you need to mount the brackets. This involves deciding how far forward to mount the blinds from the window pane. To do this, look for any obstructions such as handles and leave a space of at least 1 centimetre between the obstructions and the back of the mounting bracket. Mark this spot with a pencil.
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Place your bracket on the marks and use a pencil to circle inside the holes where the screws will go. Use a drill bit to pre-drill the holes, insert the rawl plug into the hole, and drive in the screws, making sure the bracket is properly aligned.
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Clip the blind into the mounting brackets, making sure to press firmly on each one. You’ll hear a distinct click when the blind is securely mounted into place.
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Locate the child safety device on the control chain. Pull the chain tight and use a pencil to mark the screw holes. Pre-drill and insert rawl plugs. Using a screwdriver or drill, secure the screws so the safety device is mounted securely into the wall.
Where to Find Good Quality Window Blinds
If you’re looking for high-quality blinds, Make My Blinds is here to help. We offer a wide range of blinds including day and night roller blinds, Perfect Fit blinds, skylight blinds, and Roman blinds. We offer a four-year guarantee when you purchase any of our blinds, reflecting the quality of our long-lasting and durable window dressings.
Not sure exactly which blinds you want? Trying to decide if you want a soft white or taupe colour or something more eye-catching like dove grey or pistachio-hued blinds? Order free samples to examine colours and fabrics in person before making a decision.
If you have questions on day blinds or need help measuring and installing, our friendly customer service team is always at the ready. Just reach out via email ([email protected]), phone (0117 457 4242) or on live chat to get answers to all your interior design and blinds questions in minutes.
