Cellular blinds

The honeycomb idea

Cellular blinds have a clever folded shape that looks neat and can help with comfort around a window. They're particularly worth exploring if you're thinking about glare, privacy and fabric choice together. We'll explain what each range can and can't do.

If you look at the edge of a cellular blind you will see why it has the nickname. The fabric is folded into rows of hollow cells that look like a honeycomb in cross-section. Each cell traps a small pocket of air between the glass and the room. Pull the blind down and the cells stack across the window; raise it and they compress into a slim pack at the top.

It is a more engineered cousin of the pleated blind, which is a single layer of folded fabric. The extra layer is what gives the cells their depth and their texture.

What the cells can do for comfort

The trapped air can help slow the movement of heat through the window, which can make a room feel more comfortable in both winter and summer. We say can help because the result depends on the fabric, the fit, the glazing and the weather. Exact savings will depend on your home, and a blind works alongside good glazing and insulation rather than replacing it. What it does offer is another layer between the glass and the room.

The cells also give a soft, even finish with no visible slats or strings in many styles.

Light control and fabric choice

• Light-filtering fabrics let a soft, diffused glow through. The room stays bright, with privacy during the day.
• Room-darkening fabrics block more light and suit bedrooms, though light can still show at the edges.
• Top-down, bottom-up operation, where offered, lets you lower the blind from the top while keeping the bottom closed for privacy, or the other way around. It is useful in ground-floor rooms where you want daylight and not a view in. Ask us which ranges include this.

Where they work best

Cellular blinds suit bedrooms, nurseries, conservatories and awkwardly shaped windows, because the fabric can be cut to follow angles and arches in some ranges. Skylights and roof windows are possible too, depending on the product, so take a look at our roof blinds page if that is your window. Steamy bathrooms and high-splash kitchens may suit a wipe-clean roller or faux wood better.

Fitting and size

These blinds are usually fixed inside the recess with a small headrail, though some can sit on the face of the frame. They need a modest amount of depth, and a very wide window may be split into two blinds, because a single blind of that size would be heavy and harder to operate. A neat fit relies on an accurate measure, so we do the measuring ourselves.

Controls and child safety

Many cellular blinds can be operated with a handle on the bottom bar, so there are no cords at all. That makes them a good choice for homes with small children, and where a cord is used, please keep it tucked out of reach with the safety device supplied. Cordless and motorised versions avoid loops completely. BS EN 13120 is the UK standard for internal blind safety. See child-safe blind choices for more.

Looking after them

Cells collect dust over time, so a soft brush or a vacuum on a low setting works well. Spot-clean carefully with a damp cloth where the care label allows. Please use water sparingly, as soaking a cellular blind lets water get inside the cells, where it is hard to remove.

Cellular or something else?

If you want a flat, wipe-clean surface, a roller blind is a lovely simple option. If you want a softer texture and an extra layer at the glass, cellular is a good fit. For bedrooms, compare with blackout blinds.

Larger cells for larger windows

If your window is wide, ask about our 45mm cellular blinds, which can cover bigger windows than the 22mm system. For roofs, see conservatory roof blinds and gable blinds.

Inspiration

Would you like a second opinion at your own window? Book a free measure and we will talk it through with samples in hand, with a quotation before you commit to anything.