Design ideas: decorating with blinds

This room's grand proportions lend themselves to a pretty yet simple blind, teamed with curtains in the same pattern, mimicking the room's decor.

A London blind creates a slightly softer effect than a Roman blind; in subtly floral linen, it works well with the vintage feel of the scheme.

Pale-coloured Roman blinds shield this space from sunlight and soften the scheme, but do not detract from the impressive floor-to-ceiling windows.

As blinds need much less fabric than curtains, they offer greater scope for a more expensive fabric. Here, a large-scale pattern creates a striking focal point.

Roman blinds offer a neat solution to awkward-shaped windows, such as those in this square bay where curtains would not be feasible.

Two fabrics are shown to great effect in this roll-up blind, with florals visible from outside.

Blinds are a good space-saving solution when there is no room either side of a window for curtains, as is the case in this conservatory. Their simple lines also give a fresh, modern feel.

A combination of blinds and curtains is an elegant choice, which allows for the use of dress blinds, such as these simple roll-up versions that are held in place with tape.