Summer Magazine
All the inspiration you need for light, airy summer styles and tips on how window furnishings can you help manage your household energy bills.
If there’s one thing we’re just as passionate about as we are helping our customers realise their interior design dreams, it’s digitally disrupting the brick and mortar industry. With no more pushy salespeople, no overheads and no commissions, we’ve made buying blinds easy, accessible and affordable!
Australian made means speedy lead times and quality craftsmanship. We use superior materials and fabrics and because of this, our products are all backed by longer warranties - this means that you’ll love your products for the years to come, just as much as you did the day they were installed.
Your guide to protecting your home from the summer heat with DIY Blinds
Summers in Australia can be challenging and unpredictable. One day we’re battling dry, arid heat and the next contending with a sudden change of humid inclement weather.
While we can’t control the temperamental weather, there are some key decisions you can make when it comes to selecting window furnishings that can make a world of difference in your home.
DIY Blinds has solutions that will fulfill both your practical and aesthetic requirements with a wide range of Australian made products built with your specific needs in mind.
By thermally insulating your home with blinds and curtains, the household energy costs will lower which is good for you and great for our environment. Fabrics with white thermal backing will deflect sun rays from penetrating the room, maintaining a cooler indoor temperature.
With a range of beautiful fabrics offering different levels of light-blocking in a myriad of colours and textures, practical doesn’t have to mean sacrificing style this summer.
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Save on your energy bills
Furnishing your windows can add style and value to your home, but did you know that they can also help bring down the cost of household energy bills while reducing your carbon footprint?
Premium quality window furnishings that incorporate blockout and acrylic linings will deflect the sun’s rays, thermally insulating your home while keeping your indoor areas cool.
By reducing the heat of the harsh Aussie sun penetrating your room naturally, your home cooling system won’t need to work as hard to maintain a cooler indoor temperature.
Thermal insulation is your best friend this summer as it will keep energy costs low, and kindness to our planet high - it’s a win-win!
Keep the heat out during Summer, while retaining the heat in your home during Winter.
Pairing a blockout roller blind behind sheer curtains is our most popular combination of window furnishings. The sheer curtains act as the aesthetic hero and allows for day time privacy, while the blockout blind provides functionality in terms of thermal insulation, light control, and complete privacy.
This combination seamlessly blends style and practicality, meeting both aesthetic and functional
Curtain Styles
Sheers
At DIY Blinds, summer means soft fabrics, billowing folds and beautifully diffused light and it’s no wonder why our designer sheer curtains are as popular as ever as we head into the warmer months. Our sheer curtains are ideal for adding texture to your room while softening light.
Summer is often the busiest months on many of our social calendars, a beautiful sheer curtain can provide the perfect backdrop for all of your entertaining needs this summer.
Blockout
Blockout curtains provide the premium solution for both shading and keeping your house cool. The secret to their superior insulating properties come from the silicone or acrylic coating, paired with a made-to-measure fit.
Custom made in a wall-to-wall, floor-to-ceiling fit means fewer gaps for heat to infiltrate, providing maximum insulation. They’re also perfect for a room that needs to be dark, such as nurseries or media rooms.
Double curtains & lined curtains
Our beautiful sheer curtain fabrics can even be paired with a blockout fabric in a double curtain, or joined with a blockout fabric in a lined curtain to allow for nighttime privacy, improved acoustics and extra thermal insulation.
Custom solutions
From corner butting alfresco sliding doors to beautifully dramatic high-voids, we know that your home is just as unique as you are. This is why our friendly team of Design Consultants are ready to address and find solutions for every tricky window, privacy concern and accessibility need - they’ve got you covered!
With free 20-minute video or phone consultations available, you can even get us involved in the early stages of your build if you’d like to discuss luxe solutions such as in-built pelmets, hard-wired home automation and other considerations you may want to make during those initial planning stages.
Curtains can even be paired with other products like roller blinds and PolyLux plantation shutters, too.
Roller Blinds
Roller blinds are one of our most versatile, cost-effective and impactful window furnishing options. With three fabric options you’re sure to find a solution, or a combination, that works both aesthetically and functionally in your space.
Blockout
The fabrics that we have on offer can make a huge difference in keeping your home cool and comfortable in the warmer months. Blockout fabrics are lined with an acrylic backing that will deflect harsh sun rays, thermally insulating your home to maintain a cooler indoor temperature when drawn down. In addition to the cooling properties, blockout fabrics will also protect furniture and flooring from fading in the sunlight.
To ensure maximum thermal insulation, we recommend a blockout roller blind that is designed to face fit and back rolling to minimise gaps and light leakage. Whether it be a tricky window, a specific privacy concern or an accessibility need, DIY Blinds have you covered. Our friendly Design Consultants are well versed in finding the right solution for your space and happy to get involved in your planning stage where you might want to consider luxe in-built pelmets or hard-wired motorisation so that you can control your blinds remotely.Sunscreen vs Light Filtering
In addition to our blockout ranges, light filtering and sunscreen fabrics can offer a solution for spaces where total light-block isn’t the priority.
Light filtering roller blind fabrics will diffuse and soften light while also providing some daytime privacy. Opting for lighter colours in light filtering fabrics that pair closely with your interior paint colour will leave your space feeling bright and airy during the day and are a fantastic option when you wish to hide unwanted external views without compromising on natural light.While sunscreen fabrics allow for daytime privacy by restricting passers-by from seeing in, they’ll also allow you to maintain a view to the outside, making them perfect for living spaces where you’d still like to admire your outdoor areas.
Sunscreen fabrics will reduce glare and heat while blocking 95% of UV rays, protecting your furniture and floors from fading and helping to keep your cooling bills down.
PolyLux plantation shutters
There’s a reason why our PolyLux shutters are the tried and true window furnishing choice for warm coastal areas like sunny Queensland.
Our shutters are built to withstand humidity, heat and sunlight making them a tough opponent for the harsh Australian sun and an excellent option for wet areas such as bathrooms, laundries and kitchens.
Allowing for excellent airflow and control of privacy and light, our shutters are manufactured here in Australia in two weeks. Crafted to withstand the test of time, PolyLux shutters won’t peel, bubble or split and come with a 20-year warranty.
While other suppliers manufacture shutters using hollow louvres that arrive in individual pieces, our shutter frames and louvres have a durable aluminium core and come mostly constructed making it easy to DIY!
Combining Products
Functionality shouldn’t mean sacrificing on style. We know window furnishings
are a commitment.
That’s why we’re so passionate about keeping our customers informed around different product combinations and trends, and how they can tick both of those boxes and continue to love their blinds for the years to come.
Double roller blinds are a versatile and innovative blind system that sees two different blinds on a single bracket. Combining two blinds in one, you can reap the benefits of both a thermally insulated blockout blind for complete privacy at night, and a sunscreen or light filtering blind for privacy during the day.
If depth or size doesn’t permit, it is also possible to pair two separate blinds, a recess fit sunscreen or light filtering roller blind and a face-fit blockout roller blind for nighttime use, for example.
Pairing a roller blind with curtains is an ever popular combination that will provide a luxurious feel whilst also ticking the functionality box.
Popular for bedrooms and living spaces, pairing a practical blockout roller blind behind the aesthetic folds of a sheer curtain will see the gorgeous sheer fabric remain the hero, even at nighttime when the blockout blind is drawn down.
For a combination that doesn’t detract from street appeal, light and air control and nighttime privacy, we often see our PolyLux plantation shutters paired with blockout or lined curtains. This combination is an excellent option for the summer months in particular, due to the insulating properties of the curtain and the versatility of the shutters.
Want to be let in on a little secret from the design professionals?
Lined curtains. Where space doesn’t permit, a sheer curtain can be lined with a blockout fabric to create a single, lined curtain.
Two fabrics are joined together to form one plush, lined curtain on a single track that will not only provide excellent thermal insulation, reduce outside noise, provide privacy and block light - but they’ll look luxe too!
While most homes opt to sit the blockout curtain at the back, leaving the beautiful sheer fabric to be the show-stopping hero, a nod to more traditional styling might see the blockout curtain sitting front-facing and drawn back during the day to allow the sheer to shine.
Motorisation
Picture closing the blinds in your bedroom effortlessly each night with a push of a button or voice control like "Hey Google or Alexa, close blinds."
Imagine waking up to gentle sunlight at the exact time as your alarm clock, or programming the blinds to open based on sunrise. Starting the day with natural light is a fantastic way to start the day!
Accessible
Control out of reach blinds. Perfect for those with disability or accessibility requirements. No strings attached.
Home Automation Voice Control
Schedule around your daily routine. Kickstart your smart home journey or integrate with your current setup.
Security & Child Safety
No chains, no hazards and know who is in control. No strings attached. Give the illusion someone’s home when you’re not.
Reduce Energy Costs
Cut down on your energy bills by installing motorised blinds and curtains. Configure your blinds and curtains to automatically open and close the window coverings on warm days, optimising energy efficiency.
By integrating your motorised blinds with a compatible wifi hub, you can synchronise them with the weather forecast in your specific suburb. This allows you to program your blinds to automatically close when hot weather is anticipated, leading to cost savings on cooling your home. In winter, these automated blinds efficiently retain heat during cold spells, eliminating the need for extra heating expenses.
Enhanced security is another advantage of motorising your window furnishings. You can program your blinds to open and close, creating the illusion of an occupied home even when you're away. This adds significant value to your home, and we provide both hard-wired and non-wired automation options.
Regardless of the stage in your building or renovation journey, there are motor options available for you. You can even retrofit a motor to your existing DIY Blinds! Reach out to one of our Design Consultants today to explore the options that might suit you best!
The Block
DIY Blinds are proud to have worked with the contestants of The Block in 2023.
Nestled in Melbourne’s Hampton East, the 19th season of The Block landed its five fresh contestants on Charming Street where five 1950s brick homes awaited a rebirth that weaved modern luxury into the home’s heritage foundations.
Kyle & Leslie
House 1
Kyle and Leslie focused on incorporating window furnishings in the initial planning stage. The couples living and dining area shows how planning ahead can result in a sleek, streamlined outcome.
Planning a build doesn’t just mean thinking about walls and windows. Thinking ahead to how the structure of a home can accommodate window furnishings so they’re a seamless part of the space can turn a room from so-so to special.
"It means the curtains are an integral part of the space, rather than an afterthought."
- Leslie
After consulting with a DIY Blinds expert Design Consultant to help them plan their custom window furnishings around the structure of their space, Leslie said “we asked the builder to include a pelmet that sat flush against the ceiling.“
Hiding the curtain track makes the space look elegant and considered. In-built pelmets not only create a cohesive, seamless finish but also work as an additional layer of thermal insulation, trapping hot air from escaping into your home.
Leah & Ash
House 2
The Block’s Leah and Ash aren’t a couple to shy away from colour and their kids' bedrooms are no exception. Neutral, muted tones might be on trend and easy on the eye, but filling your home with colour can bring pure joy to a space, something the couple learned working with DIY Blinds.
“Generally, if I’m using brights, I’ll use those throughout the space…keeping to one colour palette can make a space cohesive.”
Unveiling a bright burst of fun in one of their kids’ rooms, Leah, with the help of a DIY Blinds Design Consultant, ventured beyond our online range to discover a stunning fuschia velvet curtain that really put the fun-factor into the room.
"Colour can make a room really happy." - Leah
Wowing the judges with the bold choice, Leah remarked that “the texture adds an extra punch. It’s loud, but it works because it’s deliberate. With colour you have to go for it.”
Kristy & Brett
House 3
The Block couple Kristy and Brett used a clever combination of products to create a beautiful, functional look for their renovation.
Utilising roller blinds in Kew ‘Natural’, the couple wanted something textured to contrast with their Venetian plaster walls and opted for a sheer curtain in our new range Mavi in the colour ‘Opal’.
"It makes the room cosy and inviting, and when the blinds are pulled they let the light through."
-Kristy & Brett
Explaining the combination, Kristy explained, “(the blinds) they’re motorised, and all three blinds work off the same control, which means you can lie in bed and move any blind without getting up.”
Steph & Gian
House 4
‘Japandi’ style enthusiasts Steph and Gian embraced a pairing of interior trends in their beautiful renovation styling.
“While Scandi style is about pared-back functional minimalism, Japanese interiors like to embrace the beauty of life and all its imperfections. When you bring them together, you get a sophisticated look that relies on texture and earthy tones” said architect and contestant, Steph.
The base colours in Steph and Gian’s house are neutral, but they used subtle black elements that link every room together.
"The black bar stools, lights, and bench in the bathroom all provide some grounding to the space."
- Steph
The key to making this work is keeping the touches light so they don’t overpower the room. In their master bedroom, Steph included a DIY Blinds custom black curtain track to help bring the same theme to the space. “It’s subtle but works as a feature in itself,” she said.
Eliza & Liberty
House 5
Renovation newbies, Eliza and Liberty admit they “had no idea where to start” when they took on the challenge of renovating one of the houses on The Block.
Thankfully, a DIY Blinds Design Consultant was there to help. “We had no clue if we should be looking at blinds, shutters or curtains” said Eliza.
"Our consultant talked us through our options so we could make the right decisions." - Eliza & Liberty
The sisters couldn’t be happier with their design consult experience. “It stopped us feeling so overwhelmed,” said Eliza. “I’d recommend everyone uses a DIY Blinds Design Consultant.”
Book a Design
Consultation
Whether you’re stuck deciding between beautiful fabrics or needing extraordinary advice for an out of the ordinary window, our Design
Consultants are here to help! If it’s a tricky window, a specific privacy concern, accessibility need or a particular design requirement that you can’t find online, they are well versed in finding the right solution for every space.
Buying window furnishings doesn’t need to be daunting and that’s why we offer free 20-minute design consults so that we can best understand your aesthetic and functionality needs. Our team are huge interior design enthusiasts and revel in the opportunity to get involved in your project, whatever stage of the journey you’re on.
What else is special about DIY Blinds?
Quality materials and design
Quality materials and designWe use the finest quality materials and componentry and our range is packed with the latest designer options and styles
Australian Made
At DIY Blinds, we custom make your blinds, shutters and curtains right here in Australia. This means you get quality craftsmanship and speedy turnaround all while supporting Aussie jobs.
Free Expert design advice
Book an online appointment with one of our Design Consultants and speak with one of our experts about your project.
Certified VOC free
Our plantation shutters are certified VOC free and safe for your family, so you don’t have to worry about nasty chemicals in your home.
Best price guarantee
We love helping our customers save money. If you find the same product cheaper elsewhere, we’ll beat it by 10%.
Longer warranties
Our superior craftsmanship is reflected in our longer warranties. 20 years for Polylux shutters and 5 years for everything else.
Smarter blinds
Smart blinds are here. Somfy motors are best in class and are the leaders when it comes to motorising your blinds and curtains.
Do It Yourself or professional install
Our blinds, shutters and curtains are easy to measure and install yourself with our helpful guides and videos, however, if you can’t DIY we can also DIFY (do it for you)!
DIY Blinds is proud to introduce our commercial solution for our architect, designer and developer clientele.
Home Pro crafts luxury window furnishings for the discerning client, with exclusive trade solutions for qualifying businesses with an ABN.
We partner you up with one of our expert Design Specialists who will immerse themselves in your projects and provide a personalised, end-to-end service.
Your Design Specialist will work with you on a proposal that meets your aesthetic, functionality and quality requirements to ensure that the outcome aligns with your vision.
Home Pro works with some of the most respected fabric houses in the industry and our window furnishings are proudly custom-made and tested to the highest quality standards, here in Australia.
With reliable delivery and service in select locations in Australia, your installation is performed by qualified professionals who take just as much pride in their work as you do your projects.
Looking for more inspiration?
DIY Blinds Magazines
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