How to choose the best blinds for your living room

Written by Yvonne Keal

Product Management specialist

Written: 08/01/2016

Edited by Ellie Thornton

Content Executive

Updated: 23/04/2025

Blinds are often an afterthought when it comes to deciding on the décor of a living room. But finding the right blinds can have a dramatic impact on its overall appearance, and the way you use the space.

Let’s explore some wonderful options and see how they can complement your home.

Cosy, snug solutions

When choosing blinds for your living room, think about the direction the room faces. North-facing rooms often lack natural sunlight and can feel cold. To make it cosier, soft fabrics are a great choice, especially Roman blinds. They bring a touch of elegance to your space, and can have a thermal lining to help keep things extra warm. Choosing warm-toned colours like reds, yellows and browns also helps to create a warmer atmosphere, like these Harkness Vapour blinds from our Abigail Ahern collection.

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Bright days ahead

On the other hand, south-facing rooms can be both a blessing and a challenge. They get plenty of lovely sunshine, but the glare can be too much, making it difficult to clearly see TV and phone screens. Vertical blinds are a good solution in these rooms, as they can be tilted to let in just the right amount of light. Our Triple Shade blinds are a lovely delicate option, as they softly filter the light and reduce glare without making the room too dark.

South-facing rooms can also get unbearably warm in the summer, but there are specialist solutions to help with this. Thermal blinds with honeycomb-shaped cells are designed to trap air and create an insulating layer to keep the room at a comfortable temperature. To help keep things a bit cooler, you could also try keeping the blinds closed during the hottest parts of the day, which is usually in the afternoon.

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Protect your décor

Bright sunlight doesn’t only affect your comfort. Over time, strong sun rays can fade the colour of your furniture, carpets, artwork, and framed photos. Keep blinds closed on really sunny days to help with this. Look for quality blinds from trusted companies that test for UV exposure, so you can be confident your blinds will retain their colour and finish while protecting your décor.

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Styles for every window

The type of window you have in your living room could really make a difference to which blind you choose. In period homes with large and grand windows, sheer Roller blinds are an excellent option. They’re simple enough to not distract from the beauty of the window, and they offer daytime privacy. For an added touch of elegance and privacy in the evening, consider pairing them with floor-to-ceiling curtains to enhance the room's height, and give an extra insulating layer to keep the chill out.

Sloped and gable end windows can be tricky to dress, but there are stylish solutions out there. Vertical blinds are a great option as they can be cut to fit the unique slopes and angles of your windows perfectly.

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Making life easier

Electric blinds help make home life simple and more comfortable. With just a tap on a remote you can adjust the blinds from the comfort of your sofa. This is really handy for those hard-to-reach windows behind chairs and sofas, or if you have multiple blinds at your bay windows.

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Living room in dove grey with window dressed in wooden venetian blinds in a mid tone with grey tape, beige sofa opposite stove in brick hearth, mide beige carpet, wicker log basket, mirror over white mantelpiece.

Privacy matters

Living rooms are often at the front of the house, which can lead to privacy issues, especially for homes in busy areas. To help with this, look for blinds that can be tilted to combine both light and privacy. Venetian or Vertical blinds are ideal options.

These faux wood Venetian blinds in Haywood Hawthorn are a beautiful style addition to this living room, matching the neutral tones of the décor. They create a lovely ambient golden glow while keeping away prying eyes.