[Closed] #TOTW Settle an argument

Method B for aesthetics

Method A when the sunlight is putting lines across your screen.

Depends. Are you expecting attack from the air or from the street?

Depends what you want to achieve. Normally A.

B will let more outside light in though.

Depends. A to block the most light, B for a bit of shading without blackout. Both are valid but I would tend to use A

B for me. looks better so thats what you should see on the inside, same as curtains.

Also, B shows all the dust.

B

I’m a B person. Might try A though

Upper or ground floor? Upper use B as it stops people seeing in but lets light in.

A in a basement flat when people look down into your bedroom
B when you want a bit of light and privacy from street level

However my personal favourite was open and then stroke the bottom third into A so you get sunlight from the top half and no one can peer in from the street!

Method B with privacy no hole blinds

Method A when I need there to be as little light as possible, method B for looks and realising that invariably yet again I need to clean the blinds, and isn't it time I just got some curtains, like I always said I would.

B looks neater and more importantly saves a domestic

B. How is this even up for debate?

C: neither, cellular blinds that don’t have slats/cords etc

https://www.ikea.com/gb/en/p/hoppvals-cellular-blind-white-10290626/

Surely this is one for the office facilities staff to decide ?

The opposite to the way the wife wants them (not a deliberate antagonistic action)

C: neither, cellular blinds that don’t have slats/cords etc

ahh the blind world version of the  venus fly trap.

A signals to your neighbours that its time for the sleeper cell to arise, mobilise, assassinate Ted Heath, and replace him with a cloned imposter who will hand sovereignty of the British Isle over to the Soviet Union

B signals to the same neighbours that you've run out of milk

B. How is this even up for debate?

I’m with kayak on this. The other way is just a result of the design, you’re not supposed to actually use it unless you’re some sort of monster

A. if you must have blinds in the UK its to stop sunlight getting in for some weird reason

the correct answer of course is get rid of the hateful dust covered things

A but they should be designed so that it's the aesthetically correct choice.

My reasoning is hot air rises so why would I want to channel that towards the window?

My reasoning is hot air rises so why would I want to channel that towards the window?

This is relevant. I have seen advice that in winter, you should use A to keep the heat in. In summer, you might want to use B to try and channel heat towards the window.

I suspect it makes very little difference in reality - though perhaps it would if you angled the slats to 45°.

You can of course do A and B at the same time

if you must have blinds in the UK its to stop sunlight getting in for some weird reason people staring in to your living room like you’re some sort of roadside exhibit

At least that is why I have them. Just adjust the angle to let light in whilst ensuing people can’t stare in like utter dickheads. The only other alternative would be net curtains and I’m not a ninety year old lady. Living on a relatively busy street with no front garden sucks sometimes

Oh oh. It'll be bog roll next.

Depends what you want to achieve

Exactly.

Oh oh. It’ll be bog roll next.

Pretty sure we've done that more than once...

Hardly the place to come asking to settle an argument is it?

Jesus we've turned into Mumsnet.... without the knob, fanny, discussion obvs.

What sort of pervert would you need to be to go with option A? Clearly it should be option B unless you are either stuck in the bed or trying to wind up a normal thinking person.

Edit. Too late to edit my post. Stuck in the bed was an autocorrect, it was meant to say sick in the head. Anyways, the answer is B

B - who the **** does A.

Replace with curtains.

Depends on the size of the slats and how tight they shut, but A for function of stopping the peeping toms and keeping the light out. B for aesthetics.
Most posh chalets over here are upside down with ground floor bedrooms and the bears like to peer through B style blinds

The only other alternative

Translucent paper like roller blinds.

My front room is slightly below street level if I want privacy but still letting light in A works better. I don't think I ever have them in A position fully closed like that though.

Can you say slats on here?

My blinds must be special because I have B (obviously) and there is no way you could see in through the slats even if you pressed your face up against the window pane.

It's B unless you live in a trailer park, are married to your cousin, sleep with your sister and hang your toilet roll against the wall in which case it's A

A. if you must have blinds in the UK its to stop sunlight getting in for some weird reason

the correct answer of course is get rid of the hateful dust covered things

Clearly someone who lives somewhere where there are no nearby neighbours or a busy road with a lot of foot traffic who can easily look in the windows while you’re getting up, washing, and generally wanting to have some privacy.
The net curtains my mum favoured went years ago, the current blinds I want to replace with something a bit more stylish, but those IKEA things aren’t appropriate - I want to be able to control the amount of light coming in, along with privacy. As it happens, upstairs I have conventional Venetian blinds, downstairs I have vertical blinds.

A.

Streetlight shines in with B.

You close blinds to keep out external light. Light sources are up in the sky. Ergo it has to be A. If you're choosing B because it 'looks better' then what you need there is curtains.

Form < function. See also: hanging toilet rolls.

Can I take a wildly sexist punt on our sharky OP thinking it should be A and his missus thinking it should be B?

You close blinds to keep out external light.

Or for privacy.

Curtains only have two modes though, open and shut. No good for those of us who live on busy streets with frontages that open directly on to the pavement. Venetians have a load of different options for privacy and letting light in or if you just fancy messing about with them on occasion. I tend to have them down and tilted back about 30 odd degrees. Plenty of light coming in, I can see out but idiots can’t walk by looking at me on the settee in my underwear

I’m about as manly as they come and still go B when closing them fully. Not sure what sort of shit, ill fitting blinds some of you have but mine do a great job blocking out the vast majority of light whilst in the only acceptable position.

It’s B unless you live in a trailer park, are married to your cousin, sleep with your sister and hang your toilet roll against the wall in which case it’s A

You mean that in sunnier places it's A? I guess you're thinking USA trailer parks in the sunnier states. I don't care where in the social structure you are, if you want to keep out direct sun it's A. If it's for privacy and you're upstairs, go B.

Not sure what sort of shit, ill fitting blinds some of you have but mine do a great job blocking out the vast majority of light whilst in the only acceptable position.

What if you want light to come in, but not direct sun, because of screens and/or heat?

I just adjust them to the desired angle because that’s what they’re designed for. The ones I have also block out sun really well when closed in the B position. Wooden 50mm slats, fitted well and with a proper pelmet thing at the top

Assuming there are people walking outside, A. If I would like some sort of light coming into the room, B.

A - if you trying to keep warm air in the room, the slats guide the rising air into the room rather than against the cold window

There's no correct way, both do different things so adjust them according to what you want to happen. Blimey, do people not think about anything?

Blimey, do people not think about anything?

52% of folk choose B.

A.

Always A.

It depends on the temperature... you see if you want the cooler air between the window and blind to come into the room, angle B is the one to go for, as the cool air will drop down and be directed into the room by the vents.

The correct answer is A!

Thanks for the contributions everyone. I've taken some time to fully analyze the findings and I've softened somewhat on my original stance. Obviously there are situations where both configurations can be used and obviously, they are adjustable and can be left in a variety of positions throughout the day.

When they're closed for the night though, it's bloody well A.

No but seriously, we live in a townhouse where the living room and kitchen is up on the first floor. No one can see in or walk past and have a peep. My Mrs always puts the blinds in the B position which lets the street lights stream in from above. The most annoying thing is that we can't see out. With them in the A position you can poke your nose through and see what's happening outside. In B you can't see through for a peek around when you hear a noise. It makes me feel trapped if I can't see who's staggering out of a taxi at 3am. B has no place in this house.

I'm sure our relationship will endure this situation and remain strong into the future.

I’m sure our relationship will endure this situation and remain strong into the future.

Yeah,you say that now 😜

Can I take a wildly sexist punt on our sharky OP thinking it should be A and his missus thinking it should be B?

Called it.

The most annoying thing is that we can’t see out. With them in the A position you can poke your nose through and see what’s happening outside. In B you can’t see through for a peek around when you hear a noise.

What? You lift slats to peak out like a PI in an old movie so it doesn’t matter. I’m starting to think some of you just have broken blinds that don’t shut properly. Either that or mine are magical Venetian blinds. I’m hoping it’s the latter tbh

You lift slats to peak out like a PI in an old movie

My favorite thing to do with the blinds at home.

Nah the flickering blind is a dead giveaway to whoever you're trying to silently lurk on. And what if you've got your hands full? Usually when I'm moving around at night I'm handling a pizza/bowl of ice cream/kilo bag of Doritos or something.

It’s the fact you have a big enough gap to peak through that makes me think your blinds are possibly a bit shit.

Kilo bag of Doritos sounds ace though

The blinds are perfect I just deliberately never slam them closed. I prefer blocking the street lights while still having a narrow peeping gap.

Just be grateful we have blinds. If they hadn't been invented it'd be curtains for all of us.

Anyone seen my coat?
#TOTW

Pull yourself together, man.

I haven’t got time for this shit, I’m late for work already, Jesus.
B obviously.

Venetian blinds are actually from Persia. Looks like we're going to have to start the thread again, hrumph

https://controlissblinds.co.uk/wordpress/the-history-of-venetian-blinds/

B
I am professional curtain maker so 'funkmasterp' has the correct answer.

Curtains: Keep light, noise and cold out (especially if lined and interlined). Also give total privacy.
Venetian blinds: only keep a bit of light out and give some privacy.

Roman blinds give a mixture of the above.

I feel I must resurrect! I had some "Zebra Blinds" demonstrated to me yesterday and they seem rather good. They don't have a "way" either, just different "positions". Are any others aware of these window obscuration devices?

We've got some of those - we knew them as "day and night blinds" in our house. We love them; they don't collect dust, they can sit very close to the window and don't get bashed by the curtains like other blinds do, you can have them fully open or fully closed or anywhere in the middle that obscures the view in but means you still get light in and can still see out enough without being on full view.

The cord goes in the other direction to that on our vertical blinds though, which does my head in. I have no idea why they have to be like this.

Plus you don't have to have an A/B argument, so you don't have to waste time explaining why A is just demonstrably better.

All said is true! 🙂 I had absolutely nothing to say on the A/B argument. I still haven't.

they can sit very close to the window and don’t get bashed by the curtains like other blinds do

Whoa there! Blinds and curtains at the same window. What is this madness you speak of?

Whoa there! Blinds and curtains at the same window. What is this madness you speak of?

Abso-blummin'-lutely. Curtains for overnight, reducing echo and softening the starkness of blinds; blinds for privacy, or to keep the sun out because of heat or glare, and on those days when the weather is just crappy outside and you don't want to look at it but your don't want to shut the curtains. On days like that the house can be lighter with white blinds drawn than a dingy view outside.

A

Surely the shape of the blind hints that it has a dual function, otherwise why bother?

B
I am professional curtain maker so ‘funkmasterp’ has the correct answer.

I may be overthinking this, but if @bunnyhop is not only a curtain maker, but a professional one at that, is his opinion to be trusted? In fact are you even allowed to give blind advice? Or is that what caused the Guild of Professional Curtain Makers Ltd to fold, as it were, in 2014?

... I go with B, too. It's like dog fur. You can't satisfactorily stroke a blind if it's in position A.

Is it OK to mention that after over 2 decades of A-B indecision we have plantation shutters now. Which are much better at light exclusion, but still don't solve the A-B aesthetic issue and in addition make me feel slightly uneasy when I mention the name, and want to throw myself into Bristol Harbour.

Best bit though is they look like a blind (or two because of the central vertical bar) but really are 2 (or 4) because there's a horizontal demarcation in the blind mechanism (but no horizontal bar because that aesthetically looked shit). And we have double windows in the front room, so that means 8 blinds in one elevation.

"Why's that good" you say? Well when we have the blinds 'open' to admit light / for viewing excitement, given or received, I can adjust each one slightly differently which boils my wife's piss fantastically. If you just go for the binary options of each blind as A or B that gives me 2^8 = 256 different patterns to offer. Or if necessary, perform basic calculations on.

But as I may have said before I changed career a few years back and manage a group of quantum physicists (well, like all tech people they're basically unmanageable - like herding cats, but that's not the point). We're researching qubits for Quantum Computing, etc and my blinds are a bit like 8 qubits. Because each blind can be A, or B or anywhere in between. Giving me literally infinite different ways of annoying the wife.

And best of all - I think this 0530 revelation, after reading a thread I thought I had no interest in has solved my 'are my windows linked to the slave trade' issues. I shall rename them.....Heisenblinds? Flynds? Bleindsteins?

LoL @ theotherjonv.

reeksy - I'm devastated that the guild of curtain makers has folded. Btw I'm a lady :O)

Definitely A - stops people being able to look through the blinds.