The finishing touch to any kitchen extension, conservatory or garden room

We all need a little extra space!

Here’s to another bank holiday weekend! All the time we’ve spent at home during lockdown – and many of us may still continue working from home for some time to come, as well as avoid the uncertainty of a foreign holiday for a while yet – all of this has highlighted the value of our living space. The flip-side of that is that we’ve also recognised some of our homes’ weak points. As a result, domestic improvement projects – either DIY activities or investments – have been on the increase this spring and summer.

When the whole family is at home, with different priorities – working and having meetings, learning or encouraging kids to learn, entertaining yourselves, feeding the family, finding some relaxation space to yourself – you realise that any extra useable space in the home is highly prized. One of the areas where business has been booming is conservatories, orangeries, garden rooms and other glass-roofed extensions. That extra space, with its connection to the outdoors but providing the shelter of an indoor room, is extremely versatile – especially in a summer like we’ve been having – as a dining space, playroom, yoga studio, whatever you like…

However, the very benefit of a sun-drenched glass room is potentially its drawback too – never has that old cliché “If anything, it’s TOO hot” been truer. As the specialist in bespoke conservatory blinds for over 30 years, Appeal Shading has the experience and expertise to add the finishing touch that provides the perfect environment for work, rest or play.

30+ Years of Shading Expertise

Natural light is a double-edged sword. Of course, it’s desirable to have a south-facing room with sun tracking across from dawn till dusk. But warm quickly becomes hot and uncomfortable. What’s more, the damaging power of UV rays is soon felt.

UV-A passes through glass, so you and your family can suffer long-term skin damage without protection. While your plants are more susceptible to UV-B rays (which glass does filter out), they can still be adversely affected by excessive exposure to light and heat. The most noticeable effect will be on your furnishings, however. The fading effect of UV-A rays – on seat fabrics, cushions, rugs, artworks on the wall – does not take long. And, of course, direct sunlight is not helpful if you’re using a screen for whatever purpose in that room.

Over 30 years ago, Appeal revolutionised conservatory shading with our exclusive
Original French Pinoleum Conservatory Blinds. Pinoleum transforms the harsh glare of the sun into a soft, dappled light, creating a relaxing ambience all year round and providing shade and protection with a view. Highly distinctive and naturally beautiful, these blinds are made from delicate strips of carefully selected wood reeds, from a sustainable source, hand-woven by expert craftsmen in France, then laser-cut and hand-finished in our Bristol workshop to the exact specification of our customers.

As Pinoleum is crafted from the lightest quality reed, this minimises the need for support wires in the roof. Using fewer wires gives the blinds a neater and more uniform appearance without sagging. Meanwhile, specially developed polyester stitching and acrylic edging also increases longevity.

This supreme quality has remained undiminished over the decades, but – as conservatories and glass extension design has developed – our technology has set the pace too. Our PowerDrive™ motorised system gives you control over your blinds at the touch of a button on a wall-mounted panel or remote control.

Pinoleum blinds are not the only option. Many of our customers opt for our neat and attractive Pleated blinds, available in a range of translucent materials, free-hanging or tensioned and incorporated into the window frames (perfect for bi-fold doors). For conservatories where overheating is the big issue, our Alu-Pleat® option reflects 74% of heat.

The frame-fit option is also available in stylish Venetian blinds for conservatories. And Solar R® blinds are roller blinds with similar heat-reflecting properties to Alu-Pleat®. Meanwhile, blackout linings are also available if you prefer the simple choice of sunlight vs privacy.

All Appeal blinds for conservatories are available in a wide spectrum of shades to help you find the perfect match to your existing decor. It is a truly tailor-made service. There is no “finding the closest fit” – everything is measured and cut to the exact dimensions of your room, including “difficult” sizes and shapes of window, sloping roof, lantern roof or gable end – they’re no problem to Appeal.

If Bugs Are Your Bugbear

Little known fact: a bugbear was originally a hobgoblin or bogeyman in folklore, before it became a pet peeve.

Not so little-known fact: Opening up the windows to let the air in is an open invitation to flies, mosquitos and other bugs.

Fact we’d like you to know: Appeal’s retractable insect screens are totally tailor-made – professionally measured and fitted to your windows. The super-fine ClearVu mesh is almost as clear as a pane of glass, and the screen retracts away neatly into a barely noticeable cassette which blends with the window frame when not in use.

Smart Planning

Looking beyond these hot days into the autumn, there are home improvements you can make that are more about creating a cosy environment when the days are shorter.

If your window shading could do with a refresh, why not consider a solution that takes your home into the 21st century without compromising on timeless style – Appeal’s ULTRA Smart Blind system. It’s cutting-edge technology that makes life simple for you:

• ULTRA – Award-winning electric blinds powered by an integrated Lithium-ion battery pack (easily recharged like a mobile phone after about 15 months of normal operation) and operated at the touch of a button on a wall-mounted switch or handheld remote. No trailing wires to the mains, no unsightly cords – just a quiet and smooth lowering and raising of your blinds when you want.
• ULTRA Plus – All the advantages of ULTRA, plus control via an app to set automatic scenarios weather you’re at home or miles away; track sunrise and sunset; raise and lower your blinds at unpredictable times for security if you are away on that long awaited holiday; and tie in lamps and other devices on smart plugs too.
• ULTRA Plus with Voice Activation – All the advantages of ULTRA Plus, linked up with your Google Nest or Amazon Alexa hub, so you can control scenarios with simple voice commands, instead of going around your home raising and lowering blinds.

Appeal offers a wide range of options for the ULTRA Smart Blinds system, both in blind styles – Roman, Roller, Pleated, Venetian – as well as over 400 impressively diverse colours, patterns and textures, using the highest-quality materials. These include innovative fabrics that offer benefits such as translucence, blackout or insulation.

Protection is our business

Rest assured, circumstances may have changed in recent months, but our commitment of care to our customers is undiminished. As the holders of the Platinum Trusted Service Award from independent review site Feefo, we have simply adapted that high level of service with a focus on health, safety and the comfort of our customers and staff alike.

Under current government guidelines, we can visit your home to offer no-obligation design consultation, as well as measuring and fitting. And we are following mask, glove and social distancing protocols, as well as being guided by what you are most comfortable with. This includes a virtual consultation via video (e.g Zoom) if you prefer.

You can buy in confidence from Appeal, a British company with over 30 years’ experience. Our sizeable factory in Bristol allows our craftspeople to handmake our products in their own socially distanced workspaces. So we are able to fulfil orders as usual.

For more information on how we’re keeping our staff and customers safe, click here.