Which Way Should the Slats of Blackout Shutters Point?

This is something you only really get to grips with after you have had shutters installed in your home for the first time. At which point, you suddenly realise you have a myriad of movement options and a plethora of positions to experiment with.

Mostly, it is a case of deciding whether the slats in your blinds should be pointing up or down. Some say they look more elegant and uniform pointing down, but others swear by keeping them pointing upwards.

As for which of the two is best, that is entirely up to you to decide.

A matter of privacy and illumination

For the most part, setting the slats pointing in one direction or the other is about two things: privacy and illumination. Ventilation may also need to be factored in, but it isn’t affected a great deal in accordance with the direction the slats are pointing.

If the blinds have been fitted to a downstairs window close to a public footpath or road, setting the slats facing upwards will offer increased privacy. Those passing will not be able to see inside, as the openings between the slats will point upward towards your ceiling. You will be able to open the slats so as to let in plenty of natural light while maintaining privacy indoors.

For upstairs rooms, it is the opposite. Anyone choosing to gaze upwards would be able to see into your rooms if the slats were pointing upwards, but would be able to see nothing at all if they were pointing downwards. Again, while allowing plenty of natural light into your spaces upstairs,

Total versatility

Figuring out what works for you and your home is something of a trial-and-error process. There is plenty of room for manoeuvrability with window blinds and shutters, hence their appeal. In addition, there are those who prefer one configuration or the other purely for aesthetic purposes.

In any case, it is entirely up to you to decide which kind of configuration best suits your requirements. Most likely, you will find different positioning’s and configurations work differently at different times of day or night.

The beauty of quality window blinds and shutters is the way in which they are so much more versatile and practical than conventional window dressings. From complete privacy and near-total darkness to fully uncovered openings for maximum natural light absorption, they can be used to achieve almost any effect imaginable.

For more information on the potential benefits of blackout blinds or to discuss any of our products in more detail, contact a member of the team at Riverside Shutters today.