Venetian Blinds Made to Measure in Cornwall and Devon
Faux Wood Venetian
Brings the timeless look of wood with the added benefit of moisture resistance.
Real Wood Venetian
Authentic sustainable wood for a warm, natural and sophisticated finish.
Aluminium Venetian
Streamlined, contemporary and extremely versatile light control.
choosing a venetian blind
A Venetian blind is a stack of horizontal slats on ladder cords or cloth tapes. Tilt the slats to steer the light; raise the blind to clear the window. We offer them in aluminium, real wood and faux wood, and the material decides where each belongs. Aluminium and faux wood cope with steam and splashes, so they suit kitchens and bathrooms. Real wood is warmer and lighter, and best kept to dry rooms.
How the slats control light
The tilt is what sets a Venetian apart from a roller or a roman blind. Angle the slats and you keep your privacy while daylight still comes in; set them level and you see straight out; close them and the room goes dim, all without raising the blind. That suits rooms where the sun moves across the window, or a front room where you want privacy from the pavement without sitting in the dark.
The honest limitation is that no Venetian blacks a room out. Light gets through the small cord holes in each slat and around the edges. On wooden blinds, cloth tapes cover those holes and cut down the chinks of light. If a bedroom needs to be properly dark, a blackout roller is the better tool.
Aluminium: slim, tough and plenty of colour
Our aluminium Venetians use slim 25mm slats, which look neat and light inside a window reveal, including the deep stone reveals of older Cornish cottages. They are waterproof and wipe clean, which makes them a natural fit for small kitchen and bathroom windows, and a wand gives fine control over the tilt. There are 95 colours and finishes, from whites and greys through woodgrains and metallics to strong brights, so they can match a kitchen door or a tiled wall rather than just sit there in white.
Real wood or faux wood
Our real wood Venetians are the Everglade range, made from basswood. Basswood is light, which matters on a wide window where a heavy blind is hard work to lift. The stain sits within the wood rather than on the surface, so it is less likely to fade in a sunny room. There are 11 wood colours and seven tape colours. The catch is moisture: real wood isn't right for a bathroom or the window over the kitchen sink.
Faux wood gives you the look of timber in a wet room. The slats are fire-retardant PVC, so steam, splashes and temperature swings won't warp them. Essence has 50mm slats on an aluminium headrail; Expressions has a PVC headrail and slats of 38mm, 50mm or 63mm. Between them there are 28 finishes, from bright whites to oak effects. Faux wood is heavier than real wood, so on a very wide window we may suggest two blinds.
common questions
Are Venetian blinds good for bathrooms?
Aluminium and faux wood are. Both are waterproof and wipe clean, and faux wood PVC slats won't warp in steam the way timber can. Real wood is best kept out of bathrooms and away from the kitchen sink, because timber is vulnerable to water damage.
Do Venetian blinds let light in when they are closed?
A little. Light comes through the cord holes and around the edges, so a closed Venetian dims a room but won't black it out. Tapes on wooden blinds help by covering the cord holes. For a properly dark bedroom, pair a Venetian with a blackout roller or choose a blackout blind.
What are the tapes on a wooden Venetian for?
Tapes are cloth strips that run down the front of the blind in place of thin ladder cords. They give a more tailored, traditional look and cover the cord holes, so less light leaks through. Each wood and faux wood range has its own tape colours, matched to the slat or picked as a contrast.
Are Venetian blinds safe with young children?
Venetians are lifted by a cord, so child safety needs proper attention. Our faux wood blinds come with a breakaway tassel that parts under load, and every blind we supply is compliant with EN 13120 and the BBSA Make It Safe guidance. We fit the right safety device for each window during installation.