Here, on our island in the North Atlantic Ocean, we’ve never been known for the quality of our sunshine. So to have a south-facing window is a delightful advantage for any home. You get maximum sunlight without suffering from the glare of being in direct line with the sun. Who knew being this close to the Artic Circle had such an advantage?

Meanwhile, our seasons are changing. We now have a short heatwave summer, followed by a more traditional rainy one, which sometimes turns into a reasonably pleasant summer by British standards. However, with heatwave summers becoming the norm, now is an excellent time to discover the best blinds for south-facing windows.

Awnings are the best blinds for south-facing windows

An awning provides the best shading for a south-facing window. Awnings prevent the sun from getting to your window in the first place. This keeps the room and the rest of the house cooler. And a house that’s already cool won’t need to use energy on air conditioning. An awning also increases your living space. When you are outside enjoying your garden, you stay shaded. You and your guests will also stay dry should a traditional rainy summer strike. An awning is easily the best blind for a south-facing window.

Allusions are the best blinds for south-facing windows

If you have south-facing bifold or sliding doors, Allusion blinds will be the answer to the age-old conundrum: how to pass through patio doors without getting tangled up in a blind? Made up of individual panels that are part vertical blind and part voile curtain, you can pass through the Allusion blind and your sliding/bifold doors with ease. Meanwhile, those staying inside maintain their coolness and privacy. With Allusion blinds as the best blinds for your south-facing windows, everyone’s a winner.

Reflective blinds are the best blinds for south-facing windows

Cellular blinds can be made with reflective material so the sun’s rays are reflected away from your room, keeping you and your environment cooler. Cellular blinds, with their honeycomb design, also help with insulation during winter, so Cellular blinds are quite the win-win when it comes to the best blinds for your south-facing windows. With these valuable qualities, cellular blinds are an especially economical and ecological choice for larger windows too.

A Roller blind can be equally adept, as they are also available in reflective materials. You might also want to check the lightfast rating of the fabric. The higher the lightfast rating (the highest is 8), the more the fabulous colours on your decorative blind are protected from fading.

Blackout blinds are the best blinds for south-facing windows

If you’re looking for blackout blinds, the first thing to be aware of is no one window dressing can guarantee complete blackout. Having two window dressings may seem extreme, but one window dressing can’t cover all your needs. Blinds allow you to control light and privacy, protect the fabric on your furniture, make your neighbours jealous, make your home more ecological and economical, help you get a good night’s sleep and shutters will even add a layer of security to your home. You ask too much from one window dressing!

However, blinds and curtains can be made from blackout fabric. Roller blinds can also be installed with side channels that prevent light from sliding through that gap usually left between the edge of the blind and the recess simply because the blind’s mechanism needs a few millimetres to itself. Hanging the blind outside of the recess can also stop light slithering in.

Duo vision blinds are the best blinds for south-facing windows

Duo vision blinds are similar to Roller blinds, only they have two layers of material, one sheer and one opaque. The two fabrics glide past each other, and you control how the two fabrics overlap, thereby controlling how much light and shade you have. This is similar to the control you have with Venetian blinds. So why aren’t Venetians the best blinds for your south-facing window? Unfortunately light will seep through the holes necessary for the cords on a Venetian blind. While this can be overcome by using tape, you could just go for the Duo Vision blinds and have this dressier version of Venetian blinds as the best blinds for your south-facing window.