The ultimate guide to what type of blinds are in style: 2021 edition

By Polly Kay
30th May 2021

Over the decades we’ve been in business here at English Blinds, we’ve seen a lot of trends come and go in terms of the most popular types of window blinds. 2021 is halfway through already, and what’s hot and what’s not in the world of blinds this year is starting to come into full focus; so, what type of blinds are in style, 2021?

In terms of the respective types of blinds that our buyers are choosing in the greatest numbers in 2021 (rather than say, the hottest patterns and colours) this post will offer a comprehensive guide to what type of blinds are in style (2021 edition), and offer some insights into why.

If you just came for the pretty patterns and are now feeling a bit catfished, worry not; the most popular blinds colours and designs of 2021 is something I will talk about separately in another post.

1. The most common standalone reason for blinds purchases in 2021: home office use

2021 might as well be renamed “the year of the home office,” or the year during which you realised that having to surrender several square feet of your home to your workplace was probably not, in fact, going to be the strictly short-term measure that your employer promised it would be at the outset.

Form follows function when it comes to blinds, and so many of our customers who invested in new blinds over the last year came to us looking specifically for the best blinds for a home office.

So, what makes a blind the best blind for a home office? This depends on the challenges of the room/window itself, factoring in that “office” is a bit of a stretch for many. “Corner of the lounge,” “kitchen table in front of the patio doors” and “finally going to get my money’s worth out of that conservatory” being a more accurate description of their regular workspace for many people.

The challenges that the right blind for a home office can tackle include:

Screen glare (dimout or light filtering blinds being the solution).
Excessive Zoom usage (blackout blinds, or alternatively, unplugging the wireless hub and telling your boss there’s been an internet outage being the solution).
Baltic winter temperatures/window draughts (buying thermally insulating blackout blinds, or getting a second mortgage to pay your heating bills being the solution).
The room turning into an oven in summer/full sun (with again, thermally insulating blackout blinds plus a cheap Argos fan being the most effective solution).
Nosy neighbours or an overlooked window threatening the future of your career in MI5/ Big Insurance if your boss takes the integrity of their proprietary information seriously; privacy blinds/adjustable slats and louvres such as real wood blinds and faux wood blinds to block overfamiliar passers-by but not the sun being the solution.

Taking these various challenges into account, the types of blinds that are in style in 2021 and so, that we’ve seen the most demand for from buyers tend to be blinds that tackle these challenges. Obviously not every blinds buyer of 2021 bought for a home office; but the type of blinds that have proven popular this year does reflect, and is greatly influenced by, the last year’s sudden growth in work from home-ing.

So! What type of blinds are in style? 2021’s favourites are listed below in popularity order.

2. Roller Blinds are the most popular blinds in 2021 (and in general)

Roller blinds. Ask the average Joe to name or think of a type of blind, and this is most people’s go-to. Roller blinds are the most popular blinds in 2021, and have been for every year we’ve been selling on the internet, which is actually longer than some of you of legal blinds-buying age (or rather, credit card-getting age) have been alive.

Roller blinds have customisation options that can tackle most blinds challenges, they come in the widest range of patterns and styles, and like for like, are the lowest cost blinds as a rule too.

In 2021, roller blinds in dimout and blackout fabrics really came into their own; for bedrooms to keep the sun out, for home office Zoom-ers, and for the furloughed contingent, to keep the afternoon sun from ruining your gaming.

Graphic patterned prints, fluid, natural watercolour effects, dramatic blooms, and both neutrals and rich, bold colours all scored well on the designs front.

3. Vertical Blinds have undergone something of a resurgence in 2021

For a blinds geek, the public’s love/hate relationship with vertical blinds over the last couple of decades is no little source of fascination.

If ever a blind type suffered from an image problem or the effect of unfair stereotyping, verticals would certainly be it. For many people “vertical blinds” means office blinds, usually very old ones with fraying, fuzzy edges and often, a distinctive nicotine-yellow hue that they did not begin life with, and which indicates that they’re possibly older than the average Galapagos tortoise.

If that descriptive resonates with you, it is probably enough to put you off verticals by association; and as such, despite their versatility, practicality, and longevity, verticals almost became extinct entirely around a decade ago.

However, thanks to a concerted effort on our part to develop a managed breeding programme and build a sustainable population of verticals in perpetuity for the future, vertical blinds are now cool, and you should buy some.

Remember when Skoda used to be the last word in getting your kid bullied at school if you dropped them off in one, but now they’re actually very well regarded and considerably easier on the eye than many higher-end makes of modern cars? This is where verticals are in blinds terms.

Over the last few years verticals have become increasingly popular within homes as opposed to offices, as people have come to appreciate their value for large and wide windows, and to filter light without blocking it.

Modern vertical blinds are well worth a second look. A refashioned contemporary headrail style, choice of finishes and colours, and suitability for tall, wide, and other “difficult” windows mean they’re neither a one-trick office pony nor fugly anymore, thank you very much.

Then, just as verticals really began to establish themselves in the wild in reasonable numbers, the pandemic happened. Home offices became a thing, and vertical blinds came full circle, once more being appreciated for their work ethic and window-obscuring-skills in a workplace setting, be that setting your home office or the corner of your lounge. See? Fascinating.

Anyway, we’ve shifted a lot of verticals in 2021, is the short version of this.

4. Blackout blinds remain universally popular to enable sleep; both in bedrooms and at desks

Blackout blinds are not a family or “flavour” of blinds per se; but they refer to blinds that block external light (and also, stop light from inside of the room bleeding out). Generally though when most people think of blackouts they think of roller blinds, and this is certainly the most popular type of blackout blind overall.

Blackout blinds remain a consistent top seller in 2021 as they’re the go-to for many people’s bedrooms, nurseries, and other rooms where sleep in either the main goal or at least, a significant side game.

While blackout blinds remain most in demand for bedrooms and they’re not the best-selling home office blind option, they have also have a reasonable amount of uptake from the work-from-home crowd over the last year too.

They particularly suit people who do a lot of Zoom (and/or daytime desk-based power napping and/or worktime Netflix-ing), as they can be used to totally block external light and allow you to manage your personal image via more controllable lighting options that you can angle, switch on and off, and dim to suit.

They’re always popular in neutrals like white, grey, cream and so on, but rich, deep hues also scored well in 2021 as well.

5. Roman Blinds remain Peak Blinds Goals in 2021

Finally, Roman blinds are pretty much at the top of the pecking order when it comes to prestige window blinds; the apex predator of the blinds food chain, if you will.

Roman blinds are luxurious, stylish, and if you want them to, pretty much scream “I got money now!” or alternatively, whisper “I do not need to brag about my wealth, for I am very classy.”

Roman blind designs that are popular in 2021 include sweeping, organic lines, and petite, ditsy florals rather than the larger, bolder floral prints we saw a lot of in 2019 and earlier. People also love block prints, and exotic, nature-inspired designs for Roman blinds in 2021.

Popular Roman blind colours this year include deep, earth tones, and vitally, the integration of textures within the fabric to provide depth and intrigue; such as rustic warps and wefts, the resurgence of plush, tactile, glamorous velvets, and other materials that virtually demand to be touched (but only after you’ve washed your grubby paws, thank you).

Can I interest you in a blind?

Whether you’re trying to make your home office more work-friendly or have a completely different reason for needing a new blind, if there’s anything you want to know before you buy or if you’re not sure if a certain type of blind will be a good pick, feel free to ask (without obligation).