Day and night blinds

Adjust privacy through the day

If you enjoy a bright room but still want a little privacy, day and night blinds are worth a closer look. Their alternating bands give you a handy way to adjust the light throughout the day, and we'll happily explain how they work when we come to measure.

A day and night blind is built from two layers of fabric, each with horizontal bands. One layer is a sheer or lightly woven material, the other is a more solid one. Because the bands are arranged to alternate, sliding the layers against each other changes what the window looks like. Line the solid bands up with the sheer ones and you get a more open view. Shift them so solid sits over sheer and the glass is covered.

That is the idea in a nutshell, and it is why many customers choose them for rooms where needs change by the hour. Daylight in the morning, a bit of privacy from the street in the afternoon, and a fully covered window in the evening, all from one blind.

How the layers work

Most day and night blinds are operated in the same way as a roller blind. A chain or cord turns the roller, and the two layers move relative to each other as you pull. Depending on the range, you can stop part way, which gives you plenty of in-between settings rather than just open or closed.

When the solid bands cover the sheer ones, the blind behaves much like a standard roller. When the bands are offset, light passes through the sheer sections while the solid sections break up the view in. A sheer still lets some light and shapes through, so at night with the lights on indoors, people outside may be able to see in. It helps to think about how you want it to look from the street as well as from inside.

Where they suit

• Living rooms facing a pavement or neighbours. You can keep the room bright while the lower part of the view is softened.
• Kitchens and dining areas. Easy to adjust with one hand when you are busy, and the fabric is generally simple to wipe or dust, depending on the range.
• Home offices. Useful for taking the edge off glare while keeping the room light enough to work in.
• Rented homes and landlord lets. A single blind that covers several uses can be a practical choice where tenants have different preferences.

Bedrooms where you want the room as dark as possible may suit a different blind, as the sheer bands and the gaps at the sides let some light in. For that, see our blackout blinds.

Day and night or plain roller?

A plain roller blind is a lovely simple option, with fewer moving parts. It is either up or down. If your window mostly wants one setting, that may be all you need.

A day and night blind is a great choice when the same window needs different settings through the day. If you find yourself pulling a net curtain across and then opening a blind behind it, a day and night blind does the same job in one fitting. If you are choosing between them, our guide to privacy without darkness explains the options in more detail.

Measuring and fitting

As with other roller-style blinds, you choose between fitting inside the window recess and fitting on the wall or frame outside it. Inside the recess looks neat but needs enough depth and a window that is reasonably square. Outside the recess covers more of the surrounding wall and can help cut down on light at the edges.

Because of the two-layer mechanism, the headrail can be slightly larger than a single-layer roller, so allow for that if you are tight on space. We measure and check this during your free home measure, and we will let you know if something is unlikely to work before you commit. A quotation is provided first.

Cords and chains

Day and night blinds usually have a loop chain or cord. Please keep any loop well out of reach of babies and young children, and fix it to the wall or frame using a cord tidy or safety device. Please do not place cots, beds or furniture near the blind. BS EN 13120 is the UK standard covering the safety of internal blinds. If a child-safe finish matters to you, ask us what controls are available for the range you like.

Care

Dust the fabric lightly with a soft brush or a vacuum on a low setting. Spot clean marks gently, and check the care guidance for the specific fabric before using any cleaning product. Please avoid soaking the blind, and be gentle if the layers stick.

If you would like to see how a day and night blind would sit at your windows, you can book a free measure and we will bring samples to compare.

Fabrics and versions

Fabrics include sheers, metallics, wood-weave effects and muted tones. A day and night blind can also be raised like a roller into a head rail, and it is available in Perfect Fit and motorised versions.

Inspiration