I have dreamt of having beautiful white shutters in my home since seeing them in people’s homes on Instagram but I always assumed they would be out of my budget. After giving my guest bedroom a little makeover, I was a little stuck on what to dress the window with. There isn’t a lot of room for curtains because of where the bed is positioned in the room and I couldn’t find the perfect fabric for a blind that would complement the décor. This is when I discovered ‘do it yourself’ shutters from Direct Blinds. Direct Blinds offer made to measure shutters but at a much lower cost than others that come to your home and fit them for you. I simply entered the measurements on my window on their website and it gave me an instant price. They are still more expensive than a simple blind but I see them as an investment piece that will hopefully last for years to come if looked after properly, just like a piece of good quality furniture. I was a bit worried about fitting something like this ourselves but it actually turned out to be really easy, even for us DIY novices. I thought I would share my experience with Direct Blinds and the process of buying and fitting DIY shutters. I started by ordering some samples from their website which were free and arrived really quickly. They have quite a few different colours/shades to choose from and the option of faux wood or craft wood. The faux wood is great for bathrooms and wet rooms as they are waterproof but as our shutters were for the bedroom we went for the craft wood option. Once I had my samples I was ready to order. I was nervous about measuring for these in case I got it wrong but this guide on their website explained everything really well. I couldn’t fault the customer service from Direct Blinds, they were very helpful and answered any questions I had. They offer 2 different styles of shutters, café, or full height shutters. We went for the full height shutters in 3 panels to match the 3 panes of glass in our window. You can choose the number of panel’s you require based on the size of your window and even choose which panels are joined together, if required. We opted for 1 single panel to open on its own on the right and 2 joined together on the left. Another thing to decide on was whether to have the shutters inside the window recess (L frame) or on the inside edge of the recess (Z frame). We decided to go for the Z frame as it offers an overlap around the recess edge and hides any uneven gaps. Being a new build house our windows are quite uneven and with it being a bedroom we wanted the shutters to keep out as much light as possible so the Z frame would make sure there were no gaps that might be caused from an uneven window. It is also the easiest to fit and looks the neatest. You can also specify if you have a protruding window sill as we do, so only the bottom frame would be an L shape and the remaining 3 sides a Z frame. Direct Blinds offer express delivery in most style shutters and this is something I definitely wanted as I am so impatient when I get excited about something. We chose the Boston pure white express shutters. Predicted delivery was in 3 weeks’ time, but to my surprise they arrived even earlier than this! They were so well packaged when they arrived and I couldn’t wait to unpack them. We laid out all the pieces and followed this guide to begin fitting them. Firstly we had to make the frame which came in four pieces and attached them together with the clips provided. We carefully put this in to the window recess to make sure the fit was correct, which it was!! We then had to mark where the screws would go and then drill the required holes in the recess. I left the drilling to my husband. We put the frame back and secured the top of the frame loosely with the screws provided and then it was time to check the panels fitted. They fitted on really easily with a simply pin in each hinge. This was my first glance at what they would look like and I absolutely loved them! It was then just a case of fixing the remaining screws in and tightening them. Cover strips were also provided to hide any unsightly screw heads. Luckily our panels were level and fitted within the frame without any adjustments but they provided instructions on how to adjust the panels if necessary. We could then admire our lovely new shutters. They go perfectly in this room and I think they will be here for years to come even if we change the decor. The slats can be adjusted using the rod at the front and the panels can also be opened fully. I just love how versatile they are and will hopefully be great at ventilating the room in the summer and keeping the room warm in the colder months. I am so pleased with the finished look, I can’t stop staring at them. The only problem is, I want them in my own bedroom now!
Direct blinds have also kindly offered a 5% discount on their website by using code CLAIRE5. Pop over to www.directblinds.co.uk to take advantage of this amazing offer. If you have any questions, please let me know and I will do my best to answer them for you. Love Claire x *This is a collaborative blog post.
8 Comments
8/25/2018 11:53:49 pm
The blue wall of your room looks amazing. I mean the whole wall with everything hanged and placed. Frames, side tables, lamps and the shade of that blue is mesmerizing. This can't get any better!
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2/1/2019 09:04:20 am
Blue is my favorite color and according to me white & blue are the best combination. You did it the perfect and right way. Thank you.
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10/17/2019 11:29:13 am
Nice Blog! Thank you so much for sharing this kind of wonderful things.
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1/7/2020 02:16:53 am
Wow wonderful ! I just stumbled upon this blog and found this blog's content very attractive about blinds. I love the content you have posted. Thank you and please keep sharing.
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1/20/2020 02:31:57 am
Nice blog ! Thank you for provide such a nice information
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Isabelle
8/12/2020 04:07:56 am
Where is that beautiful bed from?
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3/26/2021 11:47:30 pm
Thank you for sharing this amazing experience with us about shutters. really DIY Shutters providing amazing services. but if you are looking for <a href="https://brightlightshutters.co.uk/window-shutters-guildford/"> window shutters in Guildford </a> then, you should try Bright Light Shutters.they provide this type of services all over Surrey and nearby areas.
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1/17/2022 10:42:05 pm
Wonderful post! Keep up the good writing. Thanks for sharing with us
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