Blinds are a year-round solution that can affect a room's temperature, lighting, and overall atmosphere in a variety of ways, depending on how they’re chosen and made. The days are finally starting to get brighter and warmer, and with summer just around the corner, it’s the perfect time to start thinking about solutions that will keep spaces comfortable and usable when the sun’s shining and the heat’s building.

It’s no secret that summer can be glorious, especially when you’re outside enjoying it, but indoors it’s a different story. Staying productive in a hot office, maintaining patient well-being in a busy hospital, or teaching during the summer term when sunlight’s reflecting off a whiteboard – all of these can quickly become frustrating and distracting.

This is where the right blind makes a real difference. At Yewdale, our solutions can help manage these conditions and support better outcomes for everyone.

Summer solutions

Summer brings a set of conditions you don’t usually have to worry about at other times of the year in the UK. Stronger infrared heat getting trapped inside rooms, longer daylight hours, brighter conditions and increased reflections can all affect how a space performs, and how welcoming it is for the people who use it.

However, while there are certainly challenges, they can be managed with the right window covering. Here’s what to think about when helping your customers choose their summer shades.

1. Fabric
Roe fabric is recommended for spaces that are used frequently in the summer, as it offers a choice of screening capabilities, allowing either 1% or 3% of light through. This means you can still enjoy the lovely summer scene outside while reducing solar glare at the same time. The comfort that natural light brings is maintained, so spaces feel bright without becoming harsh or difficult to work in. It’s a practical option when you want to soften the impact of summer sun without shutting it out completely.

2. Backing
White back fabrics are a go-to choice for summery spaces. This type of backing is often chosen for the uniform appearance it creates from the outside, particularly across commercial buildings that need to maintain a professional look. But that’s only part of the benefit. White backing also reflects more light and solar heat, helping reduce the amount entering the room. This makes it easier to maintain stable, comfortable internal temperatures to keep people happy and productive, and protect furniture and finishes from prolonged sun exposure. Air conditioning costs can be reduced, and it’s less likely that windows will need to be opened. 

3. Colour
Lighter colours reflect light back out into the open, while darker colours absorb it. This means that lighter shades can help to reduce heat build-up within a space. We have a wide selection of light-hued colour options, such as frost, sesame, ash, tusk, and powder. These reflect more light than our deeper shades to keep environments cooler and more comfortable during the summer. Darker colours can still be used, but they will naturally absorb more heat, so it’s important to keep that in mind. However, our R40D blinds enable the use of a light-coloured fabric during the day and a darker option at night.

4. Quality
Exposure to direct sunlight over time will significantly affect lower-quality fabrics. Fading, deterioration, and performance loss can all become issues if the material isn’t up to the job, or the conditions under which it needs to do that job. Using high-quality fabrics helps ensure blinds maintain their colour, structure and effectiveness, even in strong sunlight. At Yewdale, we focus on materials and components that are designed to perform consistently, whatever the weather, so customers don’t have to deal with early replacements or reduced performance over time.

Get ahead of the heat

Summer conditions can have a big impact on how a space feels and functions, but they don’t have to cause problems. By carefully considering fabric, material, backing, colour, and quality, you can help your customers prepare their environments properly, before the heat and glare become an issue.