Roller Blinds have continually evolved over the years to adhere to the user requirements. New sophisticated systems are invented to give the user maximum functionality. The three main types of roller blinds in the market today are as follows:

1. Standard Roller Blinds: The standard roller blinds are on the most popular and widely sold roller blinds. Choose from range of fabrics and operation systems.

2. Dual Roller Blinds: These are the latest option when it comes to roller blinds. Dual Roller Blinds is when a light filtering (sheerview or translucent) roller blind is teamed with a blockout roller blind and is mounted on a dual bracket. Dual brackets hold both the blinds together. Excellent for the purpose of achieving day time privacy (without blocking out light completely) and night time privacy (with 100% blockout blind). Save space by installing both the blinds on the same system, with the controls on the same side for both.

3. Link Bracket System Roller Blinds: Ideal for large openings. A link bracket system reduces the gap between two blinds which are mounted side by side. With standard roller blinds, dimension and fabric width restrictions apply and thus it is difficult to cover large windows. Link bracket offers an ideal solution by holding two blinds together. Choose from single control or independent control for the linked blinds.

With the modern times, everyone has diverse requirements when it comes to fabrics and mechanism of roller blinds. To simplify your tryst to understanding roller blinds we have divided the types into two major points of difference. A) Fabric and B) Mechanism:

Roller blinds can be made into mainly 3 kinds of fabrics. Fabrics are divided according to their ability to block light and vision. Following are the 3 main types:

1. Blockout: Also known as blackout, these fabrics block 100% of light and are 100% opaque. You can choose from plain or patterned fabrics available for blockout roller blinds. Some blockout fabrics have a white or matching back coating while the budget range usually comes with no back coating. Generally speaking, the patterned fabrics usually have a back coating to create complete blockout roller blinds.

Advantage: They are ideal for gaining total privacy and to block out excessive noise. There is no vision on either side of the blinds made with blockout fabrics and blocks light and heat out.

2. Sheer View: The light filtering fabrics for roller blinds are further divided into Sheerview and Translucent due to their distinct properties.
Sheer View fabrics are uniquely weaved so that during the day someone from inside can look outside whereas someone from outside cannot look inside. This phenomenon reverses at night due the reverse in light. Team with blockout blinds or curtains to gain night time privacy.

Advantage: Best suited for windows for rooms which require light and privacy as well as vision. Cut down on the glare while still having uninterrupted views with Sheer View Roller Blinds.

3. Translucent: Translucent fabrics filter light but vision is limited on both sides of the blind. Advantage: Well suited for not so well lit spaces which require as much natural light as possible. If vision through the blinds is not your top criteria, these fabrics are for you.

Style Tip: Some of the blockout fabrics are also available as translucent, so you can team both to find the best light and privacy balance throughout your house while still maintaining the same look.

There are 3 main types of operation available with roller blinds. Namely, Chain operated, Motorised and Spring operated:

1. Chain Operated: The most widely used operation type. Operate the looped chain to open or close the roller blinds. Operating the chain in either direction will move the roller blind fabric up and down. If you are looking at ordering custom made blinds, you can choose from many types of chains with regards to material and colour. The two most popular types are plastic and metal.

Style Tip: Match your Chain colour and material with the bottom rail to create a pleasant visual symmetry.

2. Motorised: Motorised blinds are getting popular these days whereby a motor is inserted in the tube of the roller blind. The motor needs to be installed by a qualified electrician. They are pricey as compared to their other operation counter parts and the cost of getting an electrician to hard wire the motor should be considered when making a decision on the pricing of the motorised roller blinds.

Advantages: Ease of operation due to remote operated open and close function being motorised.

Style Tip: Always have an extra ‘back up’ remote as motorised blinds do not have chains to operate them manually. Just in case if you run out of battery or the remote control breaks down or in case you misplace the remote!

3. Spring Operated: Spring operated roller blinds are phasing out of the market slowly and are being replaced by chain operated ones due to hassle of operation. For opening or closing the spring operated roller blinds, one has to gently pull the blind and let go till the desired height is reached.

Advantage: Child Safe Roller Blinds as there are no loose cords hanging.

Style Tip: Spring operated roller blinds usually have an interesting choice of bottom trims available. Add a character to your roller blinds with these bottom trims and shapes.

Since the early 1990s at least 15 young Australian children have tragically died as a result of unfortunate strangulation incidents involving blinds cords and chains.

Australian Child Safety law requires all blinds retailers to supply child safety devices with all kinds of blinds which have loose cords and chains hanging. It is ones own responsibility to make sure that the child safety cleat is installed and any loose cords/chains are wrapped. Warning Stickers supplied with the blinds should never be removed.

Below is the most common type of child safety device which is very simple to use.