What do you use your blinds for? Most of you will use them for protection from the sun, many of you will also use them to keep you room private so you don’t need to worry about prying eyes… But what else could you use them for?

How about using them as a shower curtain?

If your bathroom is laid out in more of a wet-room style, a waterproof blind could be the perfect addition to your bathroom…

Waterproof Roller Blinds

An excellent choice for windows right next to your shower, you can also fit them from the ceiling and use them as a shower curtain:

• Extremely durable – not only are these blinds waterproof, they’re also flame retardant and mould resistant, making them one of the most indestructible blinds available!
• Protect your privacy – the pvc material is completely blackout, that means you won’t even be able to see a silhouette from the outside, perfect for those of you who want to be 100% protected
• Ideal for wet environments – bathrooms, kitchens, hot tubs and swimming pools, these waterproof roller blinds would be suitable for any one of these areas

Rigid PVC Vertical Blinds

With the freedom to choose which side your controls are placed and which way the blind will open, these rigid pvc vertical blinds can make excellent shower curtains in larger bathrooms and wet-rooms:

•  Strong material – the rigid pvc is both durable and long lasting, ensuring that you won’t need to replace it every few months
• Wipe away any marks or stains – you won’t need to worry about leaving unsightly blemishes from your hair dye on these vertical blinds as they wipe clean extremely easily
• No weights or chains – perfectly weighted, there aren’t any weights or chains along the bottom of these blinds, meaning that there’s nothing for you to trip over as you shower!

There are certain fabrics that can give your home a luxurious and glamorous finish.

Silk is certainly a fabulous choice for adding an elegant touch to your home but it is the most practical?

With faux-silk materials also available on the market, which one is the better choice for your home? Take a look through the pros and cons of each before you make your decision…

Real Silk

Pros

• Shines and shimmers – the fabric catches the light beautifully and will create a  gorgeous, rippling effect at your window
• Rich, luxurious texture – smooth to the touch, real silk has a delicate yet recognisable texture
• Full and sumptuous – give your window a striking depth with this  full and fabulous fabric
• Dry Cleanable – if you accidentally splat or splutter anything onto your blinds or curtains, you can simply take them to the dry cleaners who will clean them with expert care

Cons

• Low durability – if you’ve got children or pets who are likely to pull, tug and grab a lot, the fabric can become damaged and worn
• Prone to staining – although you’re not likely to throw liquids or food around, if anything does hit the silk, you’ll need to move quickly to remove it otherwise you could be left with an unsightly stain
• Sunlight damages – if the front of the silk is exposed to direct sunlight, it can fade quite quickly and appear patchy and uneven
• Cost – due to being s luxury material, real silk does come with quite a hefty price tag

Faux Silk

Pros

• Shiny and bright – guaranteed to shimmer in the light and create a wonderful shining effect at your window
• Affordable – faux silk is available at a much cheaper cost than it’s real silk counterpart, allowing you to achieve the same striking effect for a more affordable price
• Extremely durable – stronger and more robust than real silk, you can take them down and wash them then iron them before rehanging if you need to
• Gorgeously glamorous – thick and full, this shining fabric simply oozes luxury and will add an elegant and glamorous finish to your decor

Cons

• Wrinkling – the fabric can often wrinkle when it’s packaged or in transit, which means you may need to iron it before you hang your blinds/curtains
• Not as strong – being a synthetic fabric, it isn’t as strong as real silk and heavily perfumed chemicals and nail varnish remover should be kept away as they can severely damage the fabric
• Ages poorly – more susceptible to wear and tear, therefore can often look worn out as it ages

While both real and faux silk have the same appearance and a near identical texture, their strengths and weaknesses dictate which one is better to use in which situation.

If your room tends to get a lot of light, faux silk will be a better choice as the sun won’t damage the material. If you want to give your room an astonishing finish that it both full and shimmering, you really can’t beat real silk.

We hope that this has been helpful to you but if you have any further questions, please let us know in the comments and we’ll try our very best to get an answer for you.

After careful consideration, you’ve decided that venetian blinds would be best suited for your home… But would real or faux-wood be best? What about an aluminium venetian blind instead? Which one will be the perfect choice?

No need to panic – todays blog will look at the benefits of each type of venetian blind to help you make the ideal choice for your home.

Wooden Venetian Blinds

Pros…

• Classic and charming – real wood venetians carry a timeless charm to them to give your room a beautiful, rustic finish.
• Strong and durable – made from solid wood, these blinds are guaranteed to last so you can keep on-trend for longer.
• Selection of colours and grains – from painted finishes to blend in with your decor to natural wood grains, both light and dark, to create a stunning accent in your home.
• Various slat sizes – from 35mm to 65mm, you can choose the best slat size to suit your window perfectly.
• Excellent light control and privacy protection – with a simple tilt of the slats, you can let the sunlight stream through whilst keeping the view from outside protected, perfect for over-looked windows.
• Perfect for south-facing windows – the real wood slats won’t warp out of shape when subjected to sunlight, offering you a long-lasting solution.

Cons…

• Water damage – real wood can face warping and twisting if they’re fitted in moist environments, such as a bathroom or a kitchen.
• Fading in the light – darker grains can fade if they’re subjected to intense sunlight too often.
• Heavy to operate – larger blinds can be more awkward to raise and lower due to the sheer weight of the wooden slats

Faux-Wood Venetian Blinds

Pros…

• Made from durable PVC – the strong, robust materials used guarantee that your faux-wood blinds are stylish and long lasting.
• Woodgrain detailing – with a strong texture designed to look like a natural grain, you’ll barely be able to see the difference.
• 100% waterproof – ideal for bathrooms and kitchen, the PVC slats are completely water resistant.
• Easy to clean – whether it’s wiping them down with a damp cloth or soaking them in the bathtub, faux-wood blinds can be cleaned quickly and easily.

Cons…

• Bending and twisting – if placed in direct and intense sunlight, the PVC can warp and bend out of shape.
• Weight issues – due to the density of the PVC, faux-wood blinds are not always a lighter choice and can be more difficult to raise and lower if covering a larger window.
• Small selection of colours – many faux-wood blinds are only available in neutral colours, such as whites and creams, and a few wood shades.

Aluminium Venetian Blinds

Pros…

• Sleek and contemporary – straight lines and shining finishes make aluminium blinds a stylish and modern choice
• Affordable – a cheaper option compared to the wood/faux-wood blinds, you can save money but still guarantee style
• Incredible light control – with more slats than its larger counterparts, you can bathe your room in a beautiful glow with just the slightest twist of the tilt-wand
• Keep your privacy protected – great for windows facing the main road or an overlooked apartment, you can keep yourself protected whilst still letting plenty of light into your home
• Suitable for kitchens and bathrooms – the rust resistant aluminium will not be affected by any water splashes or moisture in the air
• No twisting or warping – intense sunlight won’t bend the slats out of shape, making them suitable for south facing windows
• Excellent choice of colours – vibrant colours, subtle naturals and shining metallics are readily available, making them one of the most colourful venetian blinds on the market

Cons…

• Rattles and shakes – if your windows open on a windy day, the aluminium slats can act as wind chimes as they sway in the breeze
• Delicate material – the slats can be bent out of shape if handled too roughly, making them a bit of a nightmare if you have pets or young children who like to grab and explore
• Smaller slats – if you have large windows, the 25mm slats of the aluminium blinds can often make it look a little too busy
• Difficulty cleaning – simple dusting can become quite the task as the smaller slats leave less room between each other when opened, making it harder for you to fit your hand in to wipe them down

And there you have it! The pros and cons of both real wood, faux wood and even aluminium venetian blinds.

To summarise, if you’re looking for a blind to fit in your bathroom, faux-wood or aluminium would be a better choice due to their water resistant qualities. If your room is subject to direct sunlight then a real wood or aluminium blind would be a more practical alternative as the slats will not twist out of shape in the heat.

We hope that this post has been of help to you but if you have any other questions, please feel free to ask us in the comments 🙂

The wait is finally over!

Our brand new range of Plantation Shutters launched on 11th August after weeks and weeks of anticipation… And we’re even offering a massive 50% saving on them if you order them now!

With an outstanding opening offer on, you can pick up your shutters at the amazing price of only £99 per square metre – an absolute steal for such a fabulous product!

We have two stylish and striking ranges to offer- our sleek, contemporary San Francisco style that feature a hidden bar to the rear of the slats that will allow you smooth yet subtle operation and our beautifully traditional Kensington range, with their front middle bar for quick and easy opening and closing.

If that’s not enough, we also offer them in a standard White Satin finish as well as a painted Premium White finish- if you’re not sure which one will be the best for your room, why not order a free sample of each?

Click here to be redirected to our website so you can peruse the selection that we have to offer and remember- we believe in excellent quality and affordable luxury and our shutters deliver these in spades!

There’s excitement in the air at tuiss as we await the arrival of the latest addition to the tuiss family- these sophisticated Plantation Shutters.

We’ve spent the last week working on the finishing touches, making sure that we will have everything ready for their launch in the (very!) near future. From measuring guides and instructional videos to those last few photoshoots, we’re almost there…

But we’re most excited about sharing these shutters with you, our customer! As a special thank you for your custom and your patience, we’re offering 50% off all our shutters at the launch, meaning that you can give your home a this exclusive, stylish finish for just £99 per square metre.

If you haven’t already signed up to receive an email as soon as these exquisite products go live, you can do so here – just fill in your email address and we’ll let you know as soon as our plantation shutters are available to order.

If you’re looking to achieve a beautiful, traditional look to your home or you’re wanting to give your room a little rustic charm, our wooden blinds will be ideal.

We also offer a range of wooden blinds with decorative cotton tapes that add a further sophisticated style to the blinds.

With a great range of colour combinations available, all carefully chosen to complement the grain of the wood, there’s most certainly a blind to suit your home’s style.

If you’re looking for something subtle yet sophisticated, this beautiful Crisp White & White wooden blind is a lovely choice for a more neutral environment. Then if you need something with a little more contemporary style, this striking Black Satin & White wooden blind (white cotton on black wood) creates an eye-catching and modern design.

We also offer a great range of wood shades, from lighter, warmer grains like the Hickory & Sand wooden blind designed to cosy up your rustic space. Plus we have plenty of richer, darker shades such as our Antique Walnut & Brown wooden blind – delightfully dark, creating a stunning contrast in your room.

You can view our full range of wooden blinds with tapes here and take a look at all the beautiful colour combinations available. We’re sure you’ll find the blind that’s right for you!

Today, we’ve decided to take a break from the bright, colourful blinds that we have to offer and focus on something equally as stylish but that little bit more practical- aluminium vertical blinds.

Usually a fixture in offices, these aluminium blinds will also act as a cool, contemporary addition to your home- their sleek design and slight sheen will certainly give your home a modern, minimalist look. They’d be a great addition to a bathroom or kitchen as they are 100% waterproof and easy to clean- in fact, they’re some of the most robust blinds that we have to offer

They also have a brilliantly streamlined finish that adds to the contemporary style- there aren’t any weights or chains along the bottom edge so they’re completely free hanging, which can be a real bonus if you have any pets that like to tangle themselves up in your blinds!

Available in a range of neutral, grey and silver tones, as well as this beautifully stylish black finish, these blinds would be a perfect addition to a chic city apartment- they’d blend in beautifully with the modern decor -but they can also be used to give your home a stylish breath of fresh air.

Our extensive range of roman blinds are a most popular choice when it comes to choosing how you wish to dress your window. There is an excellent selection of sumptuous fabrics, intricate designs and bold patterns to choose from so we have decided to focus on but a few of what we have to offer.

One particular collection that draws a lot of attention is that of our floral designs, featuring bright and colourful blossoms as well as swirling leaves and vines that wind their way across the material.

We have everything from traditional designs like this St Etienne Pewter roman blind that combines a pattern of sweeping leaves with elegant flowers to create a timeless and classic effect, to blinds that boast a striking colour scheme such as the stunning Gabriella Black roman blind with it’s red roses on a black background, creating a glamorous and almost gothic effect.

Then we have designs like the Heeley Poppy roman blind that uses a big, bold floral pattern and fresh, funky colours to create a great statement at your window. A personal favourite also has to be the Malmo Magenta roman blind, I particularily love the way that the hot pink blossoms contrast against the colour scheme, really adding a striking flash of colour and personality to your room.

All our roman blinds come with a choice of standard or blackout lining so you can tailor them to suit your needs, whichever room you are installing them in, meaning that our roman blinds are not only some of the most beautiful blinds we have to offer but also the most versatile.