ᐅ Exterior venetian blinds (also known as outdoor blinds) or roller shutters (roller blinds)

Hello,

I’m not sure if this is the right place to ask, so please feel free to move it if necessary.

We are currently considering shading options.

We are building a solid wood house, in case that’s relevant.

Downstairs, we want to install exterior venetian blinds (also called roller shutters or external blinds), in the kitchen-living area. But what about upstairs? In our bedroom, we definitely want a roller blind because I sometimes need complete darkness.

But what about the three kids’ rooms? One has a dormer and a full glass front facing south, about 4m (13 feet) of glass. The others have east- and west-facing windows.

What do you have? What works well? Our budget currently allows for the more expensive option with exterior venetian blinds.

Thanks for your answers!

Good luck

Ambrosia

I wouldn’t want to do without our venetian blinds, especially in summer. For the bedrooms, there are Z-shaped slats.
The only advantages I see for roller shutters are during storms, since venetian blinds are raised then, which can be inconvenient in a child's room, and also cleaning, which is quite a hassle.

There are also screens available. They are more resistant to wind and can be chosen in different levels of light transmission. However, from the outside, they still look the same.

@Lumpi_LE For cleaning venetian blinds, there are (rotating) brushes sometimes with a water connection. With these, several slats can be cleaned at once from both sides.

Cleaning an exterior Venetian blind may be more complex in itself, but there are also advantages
- The blind on the upper floor can be cleaned from all sides without the need for ladders on the outside or a mobile work platform
- Venetian blinds in front of fixed glazing can be cleaned from all sides, whereas roller shutters cannot be cleaned without removing the slats

In the south, definitely plan for a ground floor and an upper floor as long as no trees provide shading there, and include external venetian blinds or roller shutters. Ideally, with automatic tracking or shading control; otherwise, it will become very warm.

On the south side, venetian blinds are definitely better in the children's room. They can block direct sunlight (heat), but the room still remains bright due to indirect light.