Roller Blinds in Greenwich

Two Greenwiches

The period town

West Greenwich and Maze Hill hold some of the best-preserved Georgian and early Victorian housing in south London, much of it in the Greenwich Park conservation area and a good deal of it listed. Tall sash windows, deep reveals, original working shutters in many houses, and openings that have settled considerably.

Where original shutters survive, the usual question is whether a blind can go behind them. Generally yes, if the reveal is deep enough for the roll to sit clear of the shutter leaves when they are folded back: we measure the depth with the shutters open, not closed, which is the step people miss. Where it will not fit, a face fit above the architrave is the alternative, and it keeps the shutters fully usable.

On listed buildings we work to whatever the consent allows and we do not alter joinery to make a blind fit. If the opening will not take a system, we change the system rather than the window. Internal blinds are not normally caught by conservation controls, which concern external alterations, but on a listed property we would rather you confirm with the Royal Borough than rely on us.

The Peninsula

Two miles away and fifty years newer: towers and mid-rise blocks with full-height glazing, shallow or absent reveals, tilt-and-turn openers and leases that restrict fixings. Everything on our Canary Wharf page applies here: fixings checked against the lease, solar fabrics for the glare coming off the river, and blackout in the bedrooms because the river light is relentless.

River light and condensation

Properties near the water see more winter condensation on the glass than inland ones. It matters because fabric resting against wet glass every morning eventually spots with mildew, and that does not come out. Two things prevent it: setting the blind slightly forward so it does not touch the glass, and never rolling it up damp. Our cleaning guide covers what to do if spotting has already started.