How to choose the right Panel blind

Choosing the right panel blind can be a little difficult to navigate, with different track configurations, understanding wand control, different fabrics, different mounting methods- face fit/recess fit.With all these options in mind, how do you choose the right panel blind for your needs?

At Blinds Downunder we’ve broken down the steps and questions to help you choose the right panel blind for your needs.

Steps for choosing a Panel blind:

1. Familiarise yourself with the room
2. Selecting a fabric
3.  Blind configuration
4. Blind hardware
5. Budget                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

1. Familiarise yourself with your room

Familiarise yourself with the room, have a look at colour scheme, room layout, location of daytime sun, size of the window(s)/doors and any potential obstructions around how your panel blind will function.

Our custom fit panel blinds assist with blocking out external light and can help reduce direct sun glare - create privacy, light control and a cost effective option for large span blinds and help managing your homes energy efficiency.

2. Selecting a fabric

Blinds Downunder panel blind range suit a variety of applications, our fabrics offer an exciting range of colours and textures. We provide technical specifications on all the fabrics we have listed. This can help you choose the best fabric for your Panel Blinds and their desired application.

When choosing your customised Panel blind fabric, it is important you select the right fabric and style that will best suit your blind location, based on your room type, your internal colour schemes, design and style, We provide Shaw Fabrics for Panel Blinds.

Blockout fabrics are solid material and stop a majority of light entering your room when closed. Being that Panel Blinds are large fabric panels, light still bleeds around the sides blockout fabric.

Light Filtering fabrics allow some light to enter your room, however you may only be able to see shadows or silhouettes outside or inside your room depending on the light, day or night. Lighter fabric colours will provide greater light into your space than darker fabric colours.

Sunscreen fabrics can provide great versatility as you can see outside and let more light inside your room, depending on the screen fabric you choose. Screen fabrics can also assist with privacy from outside of your house. Screen fabrics are generally 5% open weave, meaning you can see through more or 3% open weave meaning you can see through less. Our screen/light filtering fabrics can also help protect your floor coverings or furniture from damaging UV rays.

Where can I choose these Fabric Ranges?

Our range can be chosen through the Panel blind section page on our webpage. You may wish to view our Fabric options on go to Blind Fabrics Australia at the top right of the page, under the Panel Blind Fabrics, you can view these prior too heading to our Panel blind selection page.

 When considering how you would like your panel blinds to appear on your windows or doors, there are a few different options which are outlined below.

Recess Fit Panel Blinds 

Recess fit means the panel blind is installed on the inside of the window frame. Generally, recessed blinds need to be accessed for obstructions/hardware on the window or doors.

Important notes regarding vertical Light Gaps

Our panel blinds will let some light through into the room.It is important to imagine light which filters through sides of panels, top and bottom of Panel blind when daylight is present.

Important note on window obstructions

Obstruction within the internal frame (recess) of the window or door, could mean Panel Blinds may need to be externally mounted. This means greater protrusion into the room off the wall.

Face Fit Panel Blinds

This means a blind is mounted on the external window face (architrave or wall) see below image. If Panel blind is a Face Fit, light would be more restricted into the room, as the blind would sit closer to the architrave or wall covering.You may wish to order track past window/door openings to allow for doors to open fully.We recommend if any hardware protrudes further than 50mm to work out the best mounting location, taking into account that you need a solid fixing for your bracket fixing location. The expected panel Panel width is documented on our configurator. you can follow the additional allowances on our Panel Blind Measurement Guide.

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What should I consider if I have a Large Window or door

The beauty of Panel blinds is you can cover large expanses of windows and doors with panel blinds. You can choose the panel blind to stack on one side or for larger opening choose centre open, to increase the overall span.

When should I consider installing Fascia/Pelmets?

To help prevent light entering at the top of your blind, you may consider installing a Sunboss 160mm fascia or bonded pelmet. Depending on your panel blinds overall size will determine which pelmet suits your needs. The choice of Fascia/pelmet will be based on the style you are after also, you can choose these from our Pelmet Selection Page on our website. The size of the pelmet will be based on how your panel blinds are mounted. The pelmet will always protrude further than the panel blind track itself and be longer.Our Fascias don't block the light at the top of the blind, but provide a visual face aesthetic.

Single Linea Valance (Fascia)

4. Blind Hardware 

You can change the look of your Panel Blinds by changing the colour of your track. The wand control, helps with child safety. (Refer to child safety guidelines). 

5. Budget

We always recommend you choose the best Fabric type for your purpose. We have a large variety of Panel Blind fabrics which can meet your desired price range. By selecting our price Filter on the right-hand side of our product page, you can choose a fabric pricing based on lowest to highest. We always recommend to try the different options as our lowest priced fabrics may meet some of your expectations and not other parts. Panel Blinds provide a cost effective to cover larger windows and doors. 

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Panel Blind Selection Page

Panel Blind Fabric Reskin Panels