Aspect Blinds - Jersey

All Taped Up! Wood Venetian Blind Feature

2011-08-13T13:24:00.000+01:00

There has been a recent innovation in the world of venetian blinds... the use of fabric tapes to hang wooden louvre slats rather than traditional draw-strings.

'So what!' you might say, however this addition to the range is well worth taking a closer look.

The use of fabric tapes softens the look & feel of a wooden venetian blind and importantly allows you to colour-match against other aspects of the room, particularly soft-furnishings. A good example of this working well recently was when a customer from St Ouen wanted to have a natural wood stained finish, but also wanted to pick up the soft natural green colour of a lounge sofa. The echo of the green colour within the window blind looked superb and provided a balance between different areas of the room.

The increased cost associated with using fabric tapes rather than draw-strings is not significant and therefore you are free to have the best of both worlds with regard to blinds, wood and fabric in a single complimentary finish.

Background Information on Wooden Venetian Blinds:

Wooden venetian blinds have been one of the most popular choices for a number of years now. With a broad selection of colours, including matt & gloss coloured finishes and natural wood staines there is almost something for everyone.

Size-wise too, wooden venetian blinds are extremely versatile. The wooden louvre slats come in a variety of sizes: 25mm / 35mm / 45mm / 50mm* (depending on colour choice). The size chosen will usually depend on the size of the window, i.e. smaller louvre slats are generally more appropriate for smaller windows and vice versa.

To find out more information and receive a no obligation quotation please call 499919 or alternatively email: sales@aspect.je.

Conservatory or Greenhouse? You Decide.

2011-08-06T11:46:00.001+01:00

Conservatories are an excellent addition to the home. For a reasonable investment you gain added living space with a feeling of openness and light. The potential downside? Heat.

Many of our customers who have only recently had a new conservatory installed express their surprise at just how hot a conservatory can become, particularly at the height of Summer. The problem unfortunately is that even when specialist high-tech glass is installed, heat is still generally a problem.

One solution is to control the amount of heat and light entering your conservatory with blinds. There are generally two choices as far as roof blinds are concerned, 'pleated' and 'wood-weave pinoleum'. Either of these two options are ideal because they can be manufactured to fit exactly into the shape of a conservatory roof.

There are two key differences between 'pleated' and 'wood-weave pinoleum' blinds. The most obvious consideration is that pinoleum blinds have a far more traditional look-and-feel. They often compliment wooden conservatories and orangeries, in addition to providing a perfect partner for the style of furniture often chosen for this area of the house.

Pleated blinds on the other hand are made of fabric rather than wood, and this lends a softer feel and a broader choice of fabrics. A key strength of pleated blinds is that they are far more effective in terms of heat and light control. Pleated blind fabrics are available with a special SPF backing (Solar Pearlised Finish) which reflects and filters light and heat.

Pleated blind fabrics are also available with specialist fabric qualities:

Black-out
Anti-glare
Anti-bacterial & Anti-fungal

All Aspect 'pleated' blinds can fitted with a standard mechanism or alternatively you can opt for a 'Perfect Fit' style. For more information please call 499919, visit our Longueville Road showroom, or alternatively email: sales@aspect.je

This Home Sweet Home: The Weekend Project. make over for office chair.

2011-07-02T12:18:00.000+01:00

This Home Sweet Home: The Weekend Project. make over for office chair.: "Oh my goodness where did this week just disappear to? Hope you have had a great week what ever you have been doing. This project has been..."

New Colour Trend: Aquatic Blue

2011-05-28T16:18:00.000+01:00

Here in Jersey, being an island, we are surrounded by all things aquatic. Therefore the latest colour trend, loosely described as 'Aquatic blue', is something very much close to our hearts!

Aquatic blue is a sumptuous colour palette comprising a variety of cool colour shades, including: aqua-marine, turquoise and sea green.

All Aspect blinds, curtains and shutters are available in 'Aquatic blue' to stunning effect. These vibrant colours really do provide a fresh source of inspiration and often perfectly compliment neutral colour shades which have been so popular in recent years.

One way to introduce new trend colours such as 'Aquatic blue' to your home without re-decorating is to consider new soft furnishings such as cushions or bed-throws for example.

We have over 1,000 fabrics to choose from at our Longueville Road showroom, or alternatively we are happy to manufacture soft furnishings using fabrics you have sourced yourself.

What better way to keep up with the latest fashion trends in interior decor?

Let There Be Light... & Heat of Course!

2011-05-21T14:59:00.002+01:00

Awnings are primarily designed to provide much needed shade on hot summer days. However as we have blogged before, Aspect awnings can be fitted with sleek and effective heating and lighting units which allow you to enjoy your awning well into the evening.

This awning was fitted in Jersey just this week (w/c 15th May 2011) and is a splendid example of how our lighting & heating units fit snugly against the awning's extruded aluminium hood.

You can even control your awning by using a Somfy remote control system.

Take control of your garden shade, heat and light today. Call 01534 499919 or alternatively email for a free, no-obligation quotation.

Alternatively, why not view our website for more details?

Why Come Indoors Just Because the Sun Has Gone Down?

2011-05-14T14:16:00.000+01:00

The weather this year has so far been amazing and for many of us in Jersey, weekend afternoons spent enjoying the Summer sun often stretch well into the evening.

For many years outdoor heating systems have been extremely popular delivering heat and light for garden lovers, however they have a number of drawbacks.

Expense aside, outdoor heaters take up room, are seldom the most attractive to look at, and for those powered by gas they can be awkward to maintain.

An alternative is now available...

Electrically powered heating and lighting units can now be snugly fitted to external awning systems. So now you can enjoy the outdoors even when the temperature falls & the light fades without having to host a large obtrusive heater as a key feature of your garden design.

An added benefit is that all Aspect awning heating & lighting systems can be remote controlled, delivering the best possible effect with the least amount of effort.

Here's to a great Jersey Summer in 2011, enjoying the great outdoors late into the evening!

'The Sun is Great, But Not When it Wakes Me at Dawn!'

2011-05-09T16:02:00.000+01:00

Everyone needs their sleep! Particularly young children who can be the most sensitive to being woken by early morning sunlight entering the bedroom.

Although all window blinds and curtains reduce the amount of light entering a room, few prevent it completely. A solution was required from the blinds industry and fortunately a very effective one was found.

We are able to use 'black-out' fabrics to reduce the amount of light entering a room. These fabrics are available in a number of blinds and curtains, including: vertical, roman and roller.

Why not mix-and-match?

Many people love the functionality provided by a blackout blind such as a roller blind, however they prefer alternative window furnishings design-wise and opt for solutions such as wooden venetian blinds.

This is not necessarily a problem.

If the window recess is deep enough it can be possible to install blackout roller blinds behind another window furnishing. This delivers the functional solution required and can easily be retracted during day-light hours.

'Passers-by Look Into My Windows'!

2011-05-09T15:29:00.001+01:00

A common complaint from many of our customers who live next to busy roads is that people stare directly into their windows when passing by. This can cause real distress for many people, who often feel compelled to purchase window furnishings which deliver privacy but also block out too much day-light.

Help is at hand. There are are a number of window solutions which can create privacy and at the same time allow natural day-light to enter the home.

Pleated blinds can be installed so that they are able to be drawn from the top of the window down, as shown in the image above. This is a neat contemporary finish which is aided by the wide selection of different pleated blind fabrics available.

An additional benefit of pleated blinds is that they are very slim and take up a small amount of space when compared to alternative window furnishings.

A second solution which is increasing in popularity is to use plantation shutters in a 'tier-on-tier' design which allows you to have the top shutter doors open, while the bottom doors remain closed. Shutters have the added benefit of movable louvre-slats which can be vertically angled to control the amount of light, or level of privacy required.

A variation on this theme is a type of plantation shutter referred to as 'cafe-style'. Such shutters have no top shutter doors allowing the maximum amount of light to enter the room, as shown below.

It should be noted however that 'cafe-style' shutters are most effective privacy-wise when combined with other window furnishings such as curtains. This allows for the windows to be completely closed to outside view during the evening and night-time.

It's Getting Hot In Here!

2011-05-07T15:47:00.000+01:00

Conservatories are a popular addition for many homes in the Channel Islands, providing additional living space, wonderful light and a feeling of the bringing the outdoors in. However from April onwards a major problem can occur if not managed properly, Heat!

It seems fairly obvious that light can damage soft furnishings and furniture, however many customers often tell us that they did not anticipate just how hot a conservatory can become during Spring & Summer months. During colder periods the heat provided from the sun can be welcome and may help to reduce heating bills as warm air circulates throughout the home.

However, during the warmest months heat can become a major discomfort and a difficult problem to solve. Good conservatory companies will offer customers heat resistant / reflective glass. However we would recommend additional protection using window blinds.

Blinds, how can they help?

We manufacture Conservatory blinds which have specialist fabrics with SPC coating on the reverse, which reflects heat and light. This has two benefits. Firstly, it minimises the heat which enters a room via the sun. Secondly during cooler times of the year, heat within a room (from central heating) is retained and not allowed to escape via Conservatory glass.

"Won't using a specialist backing material detract from the aesthetic design of the blind?"

In short, 'no'. The blind fabric backing is coloured in keeping with the design on the front (as seen from inside the room), and can be chosen to suit your personal preference.

"I like the idea of using specialist light-reflective materials, but do I need them on every window and every blind?"

No, you can mix and match different types of blinds and different types of materials. For example, you may opt for specialist reflective fabric for Conservatory roof blinds, but opt for more translucent designs for side window and door blinds.

It must be said however, the greater the use of reflective backing on blinds chosen in your Conservatory, the more control you will have over the heat within the room. For more information regarding Conservatory blinds visit our website, or feel free to contact us with any questions you may have on (01534) 499919.

Awnings - An Investment Worth Making?

2011-05-07T14:34:00.001+01:00

With prices starting from £499, awnings for the home are a significant investment to make, but is it worth it?

There are a wide variety of different manufacturers to choose from with options including remote controlled motorized opening & closing, built-in lighting units and electric heating. You will also be offered a wide range of different fabric styles many of which have added benefits such as water proofing and UV light protection. This all sounds great, right?

But what is the key benefit which makes buying an awning worth-while?

The main benefit an awning provides is that it enables you and your family to enjoy more of the outdoors, particularly with the changeable climate we experience in Jersey.

Why? Well, an awning provides shade during hot Summer days, rain protection during showers and also enables you to enjoy the garden on Summer evenings using outdoor heating & lighting systems. In short, awnings allow you to enjoy more of the outdoors at a price which is affordable and a lot less expensive than investing in a Summer house or Conservatory with fold-back door systems.

Should you be interested in obtaining a quotation here in Jersey for an awning, please visit our website, email or call 01534 499919 for a free no obligation quotation.