A Modern Take On Wooden Blinds

By Ana Zuravliova

Trend Specialist at Blinds Direct

Thu 22 Apr 2021

Last updated Fri 2 Dec 2022

For centuries, wooden blinds have been used around the world to protect our homes from unwanted light. Over time, crude basic shutters have evolved into those chic, refined blinds we recognise today. That said, wooden blinds have tended to be used in certain traditional ways. In this blog however, we’ll be looking at how you can use the charm of wooden blinds in an edgy, fashionable 21^st century space.

From the beginning

Before getting round to building the pyramids, the early Egyptians used reeds to create basic wooden blinds while thousands of miles away, the ancient Chinese were doing the same thing but with bamboo. Fast forward to the 18^th century and wooden blinds were so popular Thomas Jefferson had them on every window in his home before listing them in his will!

In recent years, wooden blinds have remained a popular choice with fashionable home designers but for some peculiar reason, many will only consider wooden blinds for small window in traditionally inspired rooms.

Well, times change, and blinds change with them. Today, style pioneers are looking to use wooden blinds for larger windows in very modern spaces. Here’s how they’re doing it.

image to show a modern room using wooden blinds on a large window

light grey made to measure wooden blinds in pastel blue room with house plant and table

A 21^st century twist on a classic

As mentioned above, wooden blinds are often seen exclusively as a partner for small windows and larger windows would only be coupled with vertical blinds or curtains.

In recent months however, there has been a real shift in favour of minimalistic, scandi and Cottagecore designs. A popular part of all these trends is straight shapes, slim profiles, and sturdy natural materials. Wooden blinds meet all three characteristics and more. When used with a larger window, a contemporary classy, unified effect is created.

Combined with minimalist furniture, a wooden blind will help to create a fresh space that feels modern and sophisticated.

While many are working from home either for the long term or permanently, these type of blinds have an additional benefit that fabric alternatives often lack. With a curtain, it is either open or closed.

Light is either allowed to flood into a space or it’s blocked. With a made to measure wooden blind however, the slats can be angled such that outside light can still filter into your room, but prying eyes are blocked. If your domestic work or exercise space has a large window, you can benefit from a wooden blind while boosting the cool chic of your décor.

What colours are they available in?

Since the earliest days of wooden blinds, people have enjoyed the charming aesthetic nature of the chosen material.

Today, you can still enjoy the grain and colour of natural wood which will tie your blind in well with your modern theme. That said, unlike ancient Egyptians, you can also enjoy coloured wooden blinds which will harmonise your window into your overall colour palette.

A particularly contemporary favourite that will easily stand the test of time is a grey wooden blind. Grey is extremely flexible and can play a major part in any minimalistic monochrome space. Additionally, a grey coloured blind is eminently suitable for any open, airy modern room.

For more information about how to use grey, check out our Colour Focus: Colours to Go with Grey blog. Additionally, a white wooden blind would be the perfect addition to a modern bathroom, just remember to pick a uPVC faux wooden blind as water and moisture can cause real wood to warp and crack. Simply look for the moisture proof icon under the product listing.

light styled modern wooden blinds in dark blue room with yellow and grey interior design

All our wooden venetian blinds are made to measure, by hand, here in West Yorkshire. The wood used to craft our beautiful blinds is sourced only from responsibly managed forests and the finished product is made to such a high standard, it comes with a five-year guarantee. We also have our Wooden Blinds Buyers Guide for you to browse too.