Compare slatted blinds
Vertical blinds or Venetian blinds?
Vertical blinds suit wide windows and doors; Venetian blinds suit standard windows where you want fine control of light. Verticals hang as tall fabric or PVC vanes that draw to one side, so they clear a patio door completely. Venetians are horizontal slats that tilt and lift, so they angle light up or down with precision.
Both are slatted, both tilt for privacy, and both are made to measure. The choice comes down to the shape of the opening, how you use it and the look you want.
Width and doors
Verticals come into their own on wide openings. A single blind can span a large window or a patio door, and it draws to the side so you can walk straight through. Venetians lift from the bottom, and a very wide Venetian becomes heavy to raise, so across a patio door we usually suggest verticals or perfect fit Venetians on each door panel instead.
Light and privacy
Venetian slats tilt up to push light onto the ceiling and block the view from outside, or down to see out while shading the room. That makes them excellent for glare on screens. Vertical vanes tilt side to side, which suits sun coming across a room at an angle, as it does through a south or west facing patio door late in the day.
Materials and moisture
Venetians come in aluminium, real wood and faux wood. Aluminium and faux wood cope with steam, so they suit kitchens and bathrooms; real wood is for dry rooms. Verticals come in a wide range of fabrics, including blackout and wipe clean options, and PVC vanes for damp areas. Fabric vertical vanes soften the look of a room; aluminium Venetians give it a crisp edge.
Cleaning and upkeep
Venetian slats collect dust on their top faces and are best cleaned with a duster with the slats closed one way, then the other. Vertical vanes shed dust more easily because they hang upright, and individual vanes can be unclipped and replaced if one is damaged. If vanes do fall off, our guide to vertical slats falling off explains the usual causes.
Where each fits best
A quick guide from what we see on home visits.
- Patio and sliding doors: vertical
- Offices and classrooms with screens: Venetian or vertical, depending on sun direction
- Kitchens and bathrooms: aluminium or faux wood Venetian, or PVC vertical
- Bedrooms: blackout vertical for wide windows, wood Venetian for a warm look
- Bay windows: Venetians per section
The short version
Verticals for wide openings and doors, Venetians for precise light control on standard windows.
Compare slatted blinds - your questions
Related reading
Discover more of our made-to-measure window dressing services across East Kent.