Why Light Control is the Overlooked Key to Great Interior Design

When people think about home design, they focus on furniture, wall colours, and décor. But light—natural and artificial—is what truly defines a space. The way light enters a room can make it feel warm and inviting or cold and stark. It can highlight architectural details or expose every flaw.

And yet, window treatments are often an afterthought. They’re either hastily chosen or ignored completely. The result? Either a room that’s uncomfortably bright at the wrong times or a dark cave that never feels quite right.

Let’s break down why your blinds matter more than you think and more importantly, how to choose the perfect ones.

 

The Functionality Factor: Blinds Are More Than Just Decorations

Blinds aren’t just about aesthetics—they serve practical purposes that impact your daily life. Here’s why investing in high-quality blinds is one of the smartest choices you can make for your home:

 

1. Control Over Natural Light

Whether you’re working from home, watching TV, or just trying to sleep past sunrise, the ability to manage the amount of natural light in a room is crucial. The right blinds let you:

  • Block out glare without making a room feel dark
  • Let in soft, diffused light rather than harsh, direct sunlight
  • Adjust lighting throughout the day without constantly opening and closing curtains

 

2. Privacy Without Sacrificing Style

Windows work both ways. You want to let in light, but you don’t necessarily want your neighbours seeing into your living room. Blinds give you the flexibility to maintain privacy without completely blocking out natural light.

  • Venetian blinds allow for adjustable privacy while still letting in light
  • Sunscreen blinds let you see out during the day but prevent people from looking in
  • Blockout blinds provide total privacy when needed, perfect for bedrooms

 

3. Energy Efficiency: Keeping Your Home Comfortable Year-Round

Most people don’t realise how much heat is lost or gained through their windows. Blinds act as insulation, helping regulate indoor temperatures. The right choice can:

  • Keep rooms cooler in summer by blocking direct sunlight
  • Retain heat during colder months, reducing heating costs
  • Cut down on energy bills by minimising the need for artificial lighting and temperature control

 

4. A Low-Maintenance, Long-Lasting Solution

Unlike curtains that need regular washing and tend to trap dust, blinds are low-maintenance. A quick wipe-down is often enough to keep them looking pristine. And because high-quality blinds are built to last, they’re a one-time investment that pays off in both function and style.

 

Choosing the Right Blinds: Finding the Best Fit for Your Space

Not all blinds serve the same purpose. The right choice depends on your needs, the room they’re in, and the overall aesthetic of your home.

 

1. Blockout Roller Blinds: For Total Darkness and Privacy

If you want to eliminate all light, blockout roller blinds are the way to go. They’re a perfect choice for:

  • Bedrooms where total darkness is essential for sleep
  • Media rooms where glare ruins the viewing experience
  • Home offices where you need full control over brightness

 

2. Sunscreen Blinds: Filtering Light Without Losing Your View

Love natural light but hate harsh glare? Sunscreen blinds offer a compromise between visibility and shade. They allow you to:

  • Enjoy natural light while protecting furniture from UV damage
  • Reduce glare in living spaces without blocking the view
  • Maintain daytime privacy without making a room feel closed off

 

3. Timber Blinds: A Warm, Natural Aesthetic

For those who prefer a classic, natural look, timber blinds add warmth and texture to any space. They work especially well in:

  • Traditional or rustic homes
  • Spaces where natural elements complement the design
  • Rooms where controlling light with adjustable slats is important

 

4. Vertical Blinds: The Best Option for Large Windows and Sliding Doors

If you have floor-to-ceiling windows or sliding doors, vertical blinds offer a sleek, functional solution. They:

  • Are easy to adjust for light and privacy
  • Provide coverage without feeling heavy or intrusive
  • Work well in modern, minimalist spaces

 

5. Motorised Blinds: The Ultimate Convenience Upgrade

For a seamless, modern living experience, motorised blinds offer effortless control at the push of a button. Ideal for:

  • Hard-to-reach windows
  • Homes with smart automation systems
  • Anyone who wants to adjust blinds without getting up

 

Beyond Aesthetics: The Long-Term Value of High-Quality Blinds

While blinds are often seen as a décor choice, they bring long-term benefits that go beyond looks.

  • Increase Property Value – High-quality blinds add a polished, finished look to a home, which can be a selling point for buyers.
  • Reduce Wear and Tear on Furniture – UV rays can cause fading and damage to furniture, flooring, and artwork. Proper blinds prevent this.
  • Improve Sleep Quality – Blockout blinds in bedrooms help regulate sleep patterns by keeping rooms dark when needed.
  • Enhance Productivity – Proper light control in home offices reduces eye strain and creates a more comfortable workspace.

 

Making the Right Choice with Total Look Blinds

When it comes to light control, privacy, and energy efficiency, the right blinds make all the difference. They’re not just a finishing touch—they’re an essential part of how your home functions.

Total Look Blinds offers locally made, high-quality window treatments tailored to fit your style and needs. Whether you’re looking for blockout blinds for your bedroom, sunscreen blinds for your living space, or motorised options for maximum convenience, they have the expertise and range to help you make the right choice.

Ready to transform your space? Explore the full collection and get expert advice at Total Look Blinds.

Top Quality Custom Blinds and Shutters

Total Look Blinds has the best and most experienced people in the industry with a combined experience of greater than 180 years within the industry. If we can’t help you nobody can. We offer free help and advice when you ask us to meet with you.
Contact us Today

What Our Customers Say

Excellent
4.8
Jayne Steele
Loving my new blinds, awesome service, great advice with colour selection , soooooo glad went for the motorised option, so simple and at the end of the day not really that much more for convenience, no cords and fun
Alisha Dodds
This is the second time we have used total look blinds and they are amazing! So simple to get a quote, easy ordering process and arrived much sooner than we thought! The installer was super lovely and I will be getting my blinds through this company again!
Kambiz Radman
Could not be happier with my new sun screens and blinds, look awesome. The material seems nice and hopefully durable (I'll update you on that later).
"Terry" is a positive Rep who speaks clearly. He measured well but didn't explain some installation details, which confused me afterward. However, "Carolyn" came to the site and explained everything very well. Roger is a professional installer who did a quick and clean job. Thanks "Jo" for admin updates and following up. 101% recommended.
David Lim
Vertical and horizontal blinds completed on time. Reliable and great people to deal. Over the years, I have engaged the services of Total Look Blinds a few times and I have always been pleased with the results. I would do it again in the future with any hesitation. Highly recommended.
hong he
Love the company and the products they provided and installed. We are very grateful for their wonderful support and help!
Stephen Ball
Very happy with result, beautiful appearance. High quality, efficient and effective at a good price.
Tracy-Ann Willcock
Thank you Jo and Roger at Total Look Blinds. Your service and after service and products are absolutely fantastic. From 3 years ago when Roger installed the Blinds to the fantastic after sale service today, absolutely brilliant. Jo and Roger are just such nice people. Thank you!
Melissa Slater
Awesome consultation gave really good ideas and pointers. Quick to manufacture and install. End result is beautiful.
K R
TLB was recommended by a friend in Auckland who had used them twice. I had blinds installed at my new house in Raglan, excellent quality, service and communication. Highly recommended.
Tina Smith
Have used Total Look Blinds for a number of years and always outstanding service. Jo had my blind repair turned around in less than 3 hours. Highly recommend them.
Eve O-R
A five star company to deal with, accurate, quick, professional and reasonably priced. Definitely will return. Highly recommended!
Vaughan Ludlam
Excellent product, pricing and service from Total Look Blinds – thanks David, Lauren, Carl & the rest of the team.
Ant MacLean
Had an old vertical blind that was manufactured by them, that was broken. Excellent cheery and quick repair service and great value too.

Support kiwi jobs stay local. If you buy something NZ made you can get spares.
Sally Clegg
First class service, products and support from Total Look Blinds. We have asked these guys to come three times as we add more blinds to our home. They look so good and work brilliantly. Really pleased!
Lisa Fong
Could not be happier with my new shutters - big shout out to Total Look Blinds who did a fantastic job with the measure, manufacture and installation! All done in NZ so would highly recommend!
Trudi Stevenson
Total Look blinds were an outstanding company to work with. They installed both shutters and blinds in our home at competitive prices and using high quality materials. Timing and installation were faultless. We are thrilled with the service and the result.
Louise Kennedy
Total Look Blinds were absolutely amazing to deal with. From prompt and clear communication through to an excellent and earlier than expected fit, I could not be happier. Thank you for such a stress free, professional experience. Will recommend your company far and wide!
James B
Lovely blinds with professional service.
Sincere thanks to Laren for your helpful advice and Carl for excellent installation…..much appreciated
Peter McLeod
I enquired about a blind repair. Response was quick and friendly and when I took the blind into the factory to get it fixed, it was done immediately, with a smile and finished within 10min. Very impressive and much appreciated
Nerissa Attewell
Excellent service, quick turnaround the whole team were informative and helpful! We love our blinds so much :)
Reema Prasad
Total blinds highly recommended good service excellent job very happy using them from 10yrs .
Mark Jeus Buenavista
Great company to deal with. Terry is very knowledgeable. Happy with the outcome of our kitchen windows with shutters. Next project would be shutters in our living room windows. Thanks Total Look Blinds team!
Lia Wongsohardjo
I love my roller blinds from Total Look Blinds, the products are great. They have excellent customer service, the sales, the admin and the installer are amazing. I have bought from them twice for my house in Oteha and now in Orewa where I moved recently. Terry is very expert, kind and helpful, he is a talented salesman.
Anwar Sadat
Excellent piece of work and commitment from the team to get the blinds delivered and installed on time.
John Trotman
We had Total Look Blinds install blinds in our House they were very professional and efficient,from when Terry first measured and Quoted until the blinds were installed,would recommend them for all your blinds and curtains you may need,Thanks again for a great service.
Jackson Whitham
Outstanding service from everyone at Total Look Blinds. Jo was incredibly helpful in quoting a sun screen blind over the phone including looking up previous work done at home to match measurements, ordered over the phone and installed in less than 2 weeks - well ahead of schedule - high quality, friendly installer. Definitely recommend using this company!
JOSEPHINE TOK
Awesome Terry & friendly office staff. Great products, prices & prompt delivery. This is the 3rd time using them. 15 years on, still have our records intact. Deservingly an Ace Company:)
Lanice McMillan
Thank you for your awesome service and flexibility to get quotes on very short notice. Love the roller blinds
Jim Richardson
Total blinds were Totally Professional. Excellent service from measurements to advice given through to the final fitting and the blinds look great! The price was also very reasonable and far better than competitor's. I totally recommended Total Blinds. Thanks! Jim
Parvaneh Karimi Fishani
We had double roller blinds installed in our new house. The price was much more reasonable compared to other shops, and their service was reasonably fast. The staff were friendly and helpful!

I can't say much about the quality of the material since the blinds haven't been installed for long, but we hope they will be as good as the service we received!
Antoinette Cooney
Happy to recommend the service and products provided by Total Look Blinds recently.
Terry did the initial measuring with helpful suggestions. Roger the installer was great and a perfect tradesman to help us ‘oldies’ - no rushing through the job or explanations. Pleased with our vertical and roll up blinds👏
Peter Glass
Great service from quote to install. Deliver on their promises. Multiple repeat customer. Excellent team to deal with.
Grant McFlinn
From first contact with Sales Consultant Lauren to Jo in the office and installer Carl, the entire process was nothing short of exceptional. As for the blinds themselves, thanks to Lauren's invaluable input, they look amazing and are undoubtedly high quality. Thoroughly recommend and will most definitely use again.
Shirley Wensor
Highly recommend Total Look Blinds. Thanks to Carolyn for your extra understanding. Excellent installer also.
Niall Robertson
Excellent service quality product from this company who consistently delivers a great personal experience to its customers.
Comes highly recommended. Thank you Team!
Katie Duffy
Have used this service for my own home and a rental. Quick efficient professional service. Highly Recommend
Kerry Watt
Heidi Reid
Great service and wonderful blinds, thanks
Jo in the office was helpful and available Roger was superb with his installation and communication thanks
WYNN RIECHELMANN
Absolutely love our TotalBlinds shutters! They have transformed our bedroom. Service from measure up and quote was excellent and communication with the TotalBlinds team was a pleasure! They took half the time than was quoted by another supplier and although they were a bit cheaper, the shutters are very good quality. Plus they are NZ made! Highly recommend!
Erin Corkhill
From Terry's measurements, to Brent's installation it couldn't have been a friendlier or smoother process. The shutters are stunning and I get stopped on the street by neighbours who compliment us on them. Total Look Blinds is a decision you won't regret.
Vicki Landon
Cannot fault Caroline and the team from Total Look Blinds. Very professional and accommodating. Friendly people from the measuring, advice on product and installation. We have used them in several houses and will continue to do so. Highly recommend Total Look Blinds.
Brooke Maber
Really impressed with Total Look Blinds, Terry was great to deal with and very knowledgeable with some great advice when selecting blinds. Great communication from Jo. Since having them installed we have decided on a few tweaks and add ons which they made very easy for us. I recommend you to everyone! Thank you.
Bhavika n Divesh Kumar
We used Total Look Blinds in 2005 for our family home. After 19 years of wear and tear we needed some parts and couple of vertical blinds track needed fixing. Took a drive to Takanini and was greeted by the office lady Jo who was very helpful and was amazed when she pulled out our 19 years old invoice from their record. The team manage to fix the track within a day and got the parts i needed at a fair price. Highly recommend them if you want quality products and a fantastic after sales service. Great company to deal with 😊
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