Lockdown restrictions are beginning to lift but for many of us, our homes will remain our sanctuary for the considerable future. And, for this reason, more and more of us are investing in our own 4-walls instead of spending money elsewhere. Skylight blinds are a home accessory that can truly transform your space – giving you privacy, light control and style combined. If you’re considering a rehaul of your conservatory, orangery or extension, read our blog to see why we think skylight blinds are the ideal lockdown interior design accessory.
Like many of you up and down the country, we’ve spent the last 4 months confined to our houses in an attempt to protect the NHS. And, as a result, we’ve become more aware of the home around us. Inspiring a host of DIY projects and renovations, this reflective period has also highlighted just how much maintenance goes into keeping every single room looking pristine. And, as experts in skylight blinds, it only seemed right that we’ve been concentrating on the best ways to clean and maintain these practical home accessories. Our latest blog will give you our top tips on how to keep your skylight windows and blinds looking pristine to prolong their lifespan and ensure your home is an enjoyable place to be.
How much are Roof Lantern Blinds? The most asked question we get and quite simple for us to answer. But first we need to know how big is your roof lantern? The size of your roof lantern window will influence which blind we recommend to you.
For sizses up to 3m wide and 3m long you can opt for either the Honeycomb LanternLITE™ roof lantern blind or the Zip LanternLITE™ roof lanern blind.
So how much do roof lantern blinds cost?
Cost of Honeycomb roof lantern blind 3m x 3m :-
Electric roof lantern blind cost : £1673 inc VAT and delivery (supply only)
LanternLITE™ ZIP roof lantern blinds are a sleek wire free easy to install roof lantern blind.
If you would like a quote for any sizes up to and including these sizes on either or both of these roof lantern types please message us.
The Zip roof lantern blinds are restricted to a maximum square meterage of 9 square meters but you can go for a blind that is up to 4.1m long as long as the width doesn’t take the area above 9 square meters.
The honeycomb blind is not only a cheaper option but is also
a much more flexible product size wise.
We can make blinds up to 3m wide and 8m long with our Twin Honeycomb
LanternLITE™ blind. Please message us
for prices if you have a massive roof lantern that needs a blind.
More information on honeycomb LanternLITE™ blinds
If you would like a quote for any sizes up to and including these sizes on either or both of these roof lantern types please message us.
Every year brings a new colour palette. A decade ago in 2010, it was turquoise that took precedence. Fast forward 5 years and 2015 saw a reddish clay-like colour named Marsala rise to popularity. Tracking colour trends has become just as essential as understanding how interior design and fashion trends evolve to meet our financial climate. So, as we move closer and closer to a brand new decade, it seems only fitting to look at the Colours of the Year that have been announced for 2020. And, while we’re here, show you how to incorporate them using our favourite home accessory – skylight blinds of course.
So, let’s start with the basics. What exactly are smart skylight blinds? Essentially, they are the same as regular window blinds but with a built-in motor. This allows them to be opened and closed (or raised and lowered) without the need of a pull cord or manual labour. You may have heard them under the names ‘automatic blinds’, ‘automated blinds’ or even ‘smart shades’. All of these terms describe the smart skylight blinds we will be discussing here today.
Your family is getting bigger. Those once milk-drunk little bundles are becoming adventurous children and their hoards of toys seem to be taking over your house. If you’re lucky enough to have a significant amount of space available in your loft, a conversion could offer the perfect solution. Playrooms are dedicated spaces just for children where they can let their imaginations run wild and where their toys can be contained to one dedicated space. No more does your sleek and well-designed living room need to play host to singing cars and sassy pig toys. This new space can be theirs to style and decorate to their heart’s content. However, there are a few aspects that you should consider closely when designing a loft conversion playroom.
When it comes to controlling light in all rooms of your home, the right blind really is an essential feature. And, when we look at the rising number of extensions, orangeries and conservatories that keep popping up, it’s no surprise that one of our most popular product is our roof lantern blinds. We already have the Ultimate Guide for Roof Lantern Blinds available over on our website for those looking to understand everything there is to know about these blinds. However, in this blog, we’ll cover the basic points you’ll want to consider when first choosing a roof lantern blind. So, let’s get into it.
Mr Pritchett had a bit of a problem. He had a fantastic and massive roof lantern window which was 1690mm x 5210mm. The problem was the light in the orangery was immense, this caused many problems for him including strong glare all day long meaning it was an uncomfortable room to be in. He was unable to watch the tv and the room was extremely hot. He had contacted many companies who were unable to provide a roof lantern blind so big. He eventually found a company but their quote was more than he was prepared to spend.
There was also another challenge! He had no electricity in his roof space and it was difficult to get electricity there, so he thought that a motorised blind was not a possibility and he would have to settle for a manual solution (which was not ideal).
Mr Pritchett also had a set of bi-folding doors each with a glass size of 70mm wide x 1800mm drop, and there were 7 doors.
The solution:-
Due to the size of the roof lantern, we suggested the Solar powered/battery operated electric Twin Honeycomb LanternLITE™ blind. This is the Twin version of our very popular Honeycomb LanternLITE™ roof blind that we spoke about in detail in our previous article. This clever blind is essentially 2 blinds in one. One blind is on the left and one is on the right and they draw in to the centre of the roof space when closed to meet in the middle without a gap. When the blinds are open they retract back neatly with a small stack at either end of the blind. Each blind travels on discreet steel guidewires which prevent sagging and provide a strong structure for the blind to move backwards and forwards on. The total system is supported on a discrete white shelving system which is 25mm deep.
The Solar powered/battery operated electricTwin Honeycomb LanternLITE™ blind works with the Somfy Tilt 25 motor which is situated in the head of each blind. There is then a rechargeable battery pack and solar panel fitted discretely above the end of each blind. The blind should work effectively for up to 6 months until it needs a top up with the charger that we provide. Charging the blinds could not be simpler, just release the charging wire from each end of the blind. This wire dangles into the reveal, attach the charger provided over-night and then you are good to go for another 6 months.
The bifold door blinds were simple. We supplied matching blinds on a manual Benthin system and they really finished the room off. We think if you have a roof lantern blind it is always best practice to have matching bi-folding door blinds.
What the customer says:-
“The blinds look fantastic! They are easy to use and the glare has completely gone. I can watch the tv now without sunglasses on and the room is also much cooler. I am so glad that I was brave an went with the charcoal coloured fabric as it looks really modern and bold. The delivery was also hassle free with the office keeping me updated all the time and bringing the blind on their own lorry rather than subcontracting the delivery which could have caused unnecessary damages”.
Electric Twin Honeycomb LanternLITE™ blind
Twin LanternLITE™ Honeycomb blind retracted
Twin LanternLITE™ Honeycomb blind closed
Matching bifold door blinds
If you are interested in our Honeycomb LanternLITE™ blinds whether it be for a massive roof lantern or for a smaller roof lantern window please contact us.
As we continue to let more light into our homes, roof lantern windows are dramatically increasing in popularity. Orangeries, Atriums and conservatories are a fantastic way to open up your home, bringing light and openness into your home. Architects and specifiers are replacing traditional ceilings with glass roofs such as skypods, atriums, roof domes and pyramid windows (to name but a few of the horizontal roof windows on the market at the moment).
These glass roofs bring natural light and free solar energy into your home. But our orangeries and sunrooms are becoming unusable at times as they are too hot and bright in the summer and too cold in the winter.
Without a ROOF LANTERN blind you are very likely to experience the following:-
Heat Gain in the Summer
TRANSMITTANCE: The suns rays pass through the glazing, hit objects in the room eg walls, furniture which absorb the radiation and radiate it back into the room: otherwise known as the GREENHOUSE EFFECT.
Heat Loss in the Winter
Even with the heating on you may find your orangery is cold during the WINTER and first thing in the morning and last thing at night.
Heat is lost through:-
CONDUCTION (Loss of heat through the glass of the window)
CONVECTION (THE DRAFT LOOP: Loss of heat through warm room air reaching the glass, cooling then cool air falling back into the room for you to have to re-heat)
AIR LEAKAGE (Heat lost through cracks in the frame or from ill fitting glass)
GLARE
Harsh sunlight which prevents you watching tv and strains the eyes.
So, in order to receive the maximum benefit from your roof window you will need to find a way to control your environment. Our answer is a LanternLITE™ Roof Lantern blind.
Roof lantern windows. Not only do they offer a unique view of the world. They also allow us to flood rooms with light. Always striving to meet the needs of our customers, the latest addition to the Skylight Blinds Direct catalogue addresses the specific needs that come with flat roof windows. The DIY LanternLITE™ Honeycomb Blind is the answer. Practical, easy-to-install and affordable. This flat roof blind is extremely versatile and can be made to fit many different types of flat roof window.
