In 2025 we saw a huge range of new technologies and trends in blind styles and designs. In 2026, we’re expecting to see those new innovations really take off, with people across the UK investing in better, smarter blinds and shutters.
In this Blind Style Guide, we’ll give you a quick overview of each style, why they’re trending now, and what homes, rooms and situations they’re best suited for.
We’re also going to have a look at some classic blind styles that are being reinvented for modern tastes, and show you how to breathe new life into a more traditional blind.
So, let’s kick off with a rundown of our favourite blinds for 2026.
Window Blind Inspiration for 2026
There have been some big shifts in trends for blinds and shutters over the past few years. As people’s priorities change, different kinds of window blinds with different features and functions are becoming more important.
In the past few years, there’s been some big changes in blind technologies, as well as brand new styles coming on the market.
So here’s a selection of the different types of window blind that we predict will be top choices for homeowners and interior designers in 2026.
Smart Blinds: A Combination of Convenience and Style
In the past few years, smart blinds have become the most popular style for a modern home, replacing the traditional electric blind.
That’s because smart blinds are incredibly versatile and easy to use, coming with an app that enables you to set up your blinds on a timer, and control them using your phone.
You can even set them up to work with voice services like Amazon Alexa, or your smart home hub, letting you raise and lower your blinds by just asking!
This is incredibly useful for busy homes, or where there are people with mobility issues, making them the most convenient of all the blind styles available in 2026.
You can also get a very wide range of smart blind styles, from classic roller blinds, to energy-saving pleated blinds.
At Leamington Blinds, we know how helpful smart blinds can be, which is why we’re offering a FREE TaHoma smart control with every electric blinds purchase over £1,599, making 2026 the best time to upgrade to smart blinds!
2026’s Best Blind for Convenience & Style – Smart Blinds
Best Blinds for Privacy – Allusion Blinds
Allusion blinds are one of the fastest growing trends in window shading, as they’re incredibly versatile, providing privacy, light control and soft, subtle elegance.
Allusion blinds are most commonly used on patio doors and windows, as they’re a lot easier to manage than more traditional vertical blinds. That’s because their vertical panels aren’t connected by chains, so you can actually walk straight through the blinds.
This is fantastic if you are looking for blinds for sliding glass doors as you don’t need to retract the blinds every time you want to open the doors.
Not only does this make them more versatile than classic vertical blinds, they also look a lot more elegant. One of the issues with traditional vertical blinds is that they can make a room appear a little more like an office than a home. But with the flowing louvres and subtle shades of allusion blinds, you can create a much softer, more homely interior.
Allusion blinds are also a really popular option if you want to double up on your window shading, as their light, opaque fabrics provide privacy and soften light coming through your window without completely blocking it out.
They’re often chosen to sit behind curtains or outside recess blinds, to give a secondary level of insulation, and a softer, more delicate option behind roman or roller blinds.
2026’s Best Blind for Privacy – Allusion Blinds
2026’s Best Blind for Sliding Glass Doors – Allusion Blinds
Zero Deflection Blinds: Ideal for Big Windows
Zero deflection blinds are also known as no-sag or no-crease blinds, and use a revolutionary system that prevents the roller dipping in the middle, creating ugly creases in an otherwise perfect finish!
These high-tech roller blinds also come with a huge range of optional features, from smart controls to blackout linings so you can get exactly the style you’re after.
With so many homes featuring large, wide feature windows, these can be the ideal solution for that perfectly balanced, smooth finish.
2026’s Best Blind for Wide Windows – Zero Deflection Blinds
Pleated Blinds: Best for Saving Energy and Costs
Because generally windows and doors can be the biggest cause of heat loss from your home, getting the right type of blind can be a massive help if you’re looking to reduce your energy costs.
Some of the most effective eco blinds are duette blinds, also known as double pleated, honeycomb or cellular blinds. This is because the air pocket within them provides an extra level of insulation – just like with double glazed windows.
Blackout blinds are also a good way to insulate your windows, as they can keep out bright sunlight, and usually have an additional blackout layer of fabric, making them much thicker and helping with insulation.
The most effective energy saving blind option is probably exterior blinds, as these massively reduce the amount of heat that can build up in your home when it’s hot, meaning less need for air conditioning, coolers or fans. However, these come at a significantly higher price, and are most effective in modern houses.
Whether you’re interested in keeping your heating bills down, or looking to reduce your carbon footprint, our in-depth guide on energy saving, eco friendly and sustainable blinds can help you find the perfect option for your home.
But if you’re looking to save money as well as energy, duette blinds are most likely to give you the best insulation for the lowest cost.
2026’s Best Energy Saving Blinds – Duette Pleated Blinds
External blinds for Eco Homes
Outdoor blinds are continuing to rise in popularity, not just because they provide a really stylish exterior finish to your home, but because they’re also really eco friendly too.
While pleated blinds provide a good amount of insulation, outdoor blinds really take this to another level. They are incredibly effective at reducing heat in the summer, as well as keeping your home warm in winter.
By preventing light from reaching the interior of your room in the first place, outdoor blinds are much better at keeping the sunshine out. But they’re also fantastic at providing insulation during the winter, as they’re made from durable, windproof fabric.
As well as being eco friendly and looking fabulous, external blinds are the ultimate addition to a smart home. They can be operated by switch or remote, or they can be controlled by sensors which will alter the shading based on the temperature, so you don’t have to lift a finger!
External blinds are also considered a great choice for home security, and if you’re looking to build an eco-home, there really is no better choice.
2026’s Best Blinds for Eco Homes – External Blinds
Unique Blinds for Gable and Triangle Windows
When you have an unusual window shape, trying to find the right window shades can be problematic. In 2025, we’re seeing more homes that have gable end window features, which naturally means a rise in popularity for triangle blinds.
Triangle, gable end or apex window blinds are designed and made to fit your windows exactly, creating an incredible finish and perfectly setting off your beautiful windows.
This style of blind is always motorised, and can be operated by switch, remote control or even via an app that can connect to your smart home hub.
2026’s Best Blinds for Gable End Windows – Triangle Blinds
Perfect Pods for Outdoor Living
Another massive upcoming trend in blinds and shutters, is outdoor shading, which transforms your garden into an outdoor space that is usable all year round.
Outdoor living pods are a relatively new trend, and use an aluminium louvred roof and heavy duty roller blinds to create weather-proof garden spaces that are protected from sun, rain, and wind.
With heating and lighting that can be built in, these fantastic structures can enable you to enjoy the outdoors in all seasons. And because you can also change your setup at the touch of a button, whatever the British weather throws at you – you’ll be prepared!
Outdoor living pods are also a big hit with hospitality and social spaces, from pub and restaurant gardens, to nurseries and garden spaces, providing secure, weatherproof outdoor spaces to be enjoyed by all
2026’s Best Outdoor Shading Solution – Living Pods
Affordable Elegance: Faux Wood Venetian Blinds
Venetian blinds are a popular choice for their durability, as well as being very easy to clean. One reason that venetian blinds are a popular choice is because of the privacy they can provide.
With their rotating slats, you can decide how much light you let in, which makes venetian a great option if you want to maintain your privacy without having to shut out the light altogether.
But the real trend is for faux wood venetian blinds, combining the durability of upvc or vinyl with the look and feel of real wood.
This balance of form and function is a great way to achieve a really similar look to wooden shutters, but at a much lower cost, meaning they’re both fashionable and affordable too.
In 2026, we expect to see more households looking at faux wood venetians to create the classical look of shutters, without the price tag.
2026’s Best Blind for Affordable Elegance – Faux Wood Venetian Blinds
True Blackout blinds
They may have been around for a while, but blackout blinds are still one of the most popular types of window covering you can buy. And it’s easy to understand why.
Not only do they keep out the light, but because they’re also thicker than standard blinds, they give a lot more insulation, making them warmer and more eco friendly.
Another great thing about them is their versatility. Almost any kind of blind can be a blackout blind. So whether you prefer roller, perfect fit or pleated blinds, there’s almost always a blackout option.
Blackout blinds are a good choice for bedroom window shading, especially for nurseries or small children who might need a little help sleeping through the night.
While there are a lot of standard blackout blinds available, if you really want something that provides complete blackout coverage, your best option is Total Blackout blinds.
Not only are these made from blackout material, they have zip-lock edges that ensure there is literally no gap or crack for light to sneak through.
This is a perfect option for anyone who needs a true blackout window covering, and comes with electric and smart options for convenience.
The down side of total blackout blinds is that they are a little more expensive. So if you don’t need a complete blackout option, then you may find that roller, or perfect fit blinds may be a better solution for you.
If you’re struggling to find the right option for you, you can always take a look at our handy guide for how to choose the best blackout blinds.
2026’s Best Blackout Blinds – Total Blackout Blinds
Ideal for Conservatories and Skylights: Perfect Fit Blinds
Perfect fit blinds are always one of the top blind options as they are so incredibly versatile, that’s why they retain their popularity year to year, and 2026 looks like it will continue the trend.
Perfect fit blinds come in an enormous range of styles, including roller, venetian and pleated, but what makes them truly exceptional, is that they fit within the frame or your window.
That makes them the obvious choice of blind for conservatories, Velux windows or skylights – or any window that’s an unusual size or location.
And because they fit within the window frame, with perfect fit blinds there is no need for any drilling. That makes them a really popular choice for renters.
With perfect fit blinds you’re not going to get into trouble with your landlord for putting holes in the wall. And it also means you can take your blinds with you when you move, so the money you’ve put into making your rented home right for you, isn’t lost if you move away.
Perfect fit blinds can be a really big range of styles too, from roller blinds, to pleated blackout blinds – even venetian blinds can be a perfect fit!
2026’s Best Blind for Conservatories – Perfect Fit Blinds
2026’s Best Blind for Skylights – Perfect Fit Blinds
New Trends in Classic Blind Styles
Of course there are certain types of blind that are always popular, and these include classic styles like roman, venetian and vertical blinds, as well as more recently trending window coverings, like plantation shutters.
But even these classic kinds of blinds and shutters are being revamped for 2026, with many of them using the features we’ve already been discussing to create the perfect style for the coming year.
Awnings
Outdoor Living Pods are still our favourite product for garden shading, but awnings are definitely making a comeback. Once upon a time, awnings were considered to be old fashioned, or just for shops and restaurants who wanted to use their outdoor spaces.
But an awning can be a great way to shade and protect an outdoor area, or even keep the sun off patio doors and windows, and at a lower cost than an outdoor pod. And with so many modern, stylish awning designs available, we predict this is going to be one of the biggest trends for the coming year.
Plantation Shutters
Shutters have been rising in popularity for several years now, with plantation shutters being one of the most prominent styles.
In 2026 we’re expecting faux wood shutters to continue to be the go-to option. Everyone adores the wood-style finish, but more people are choosing a faux wood alternative. Not just to make it more economical, but also because faux wood is such a durable and easy to clean material.
Roller blinds
Inexpensive and versatile, roller blinds have maintained their popularity for years. But in 2026, there are more options than ever before for creating the perfect blinds for your home.
The most popular ways to update roller blinds for the coming year are motorised or smart roller blinds that you can control by remote or app, zero deflection roller blinds that can perfectly cover wide windows and doors without sagging, and perfect fit roller blinds that are fastened to your window frame without any need for drilling.
With new technology, you can even find bespoke roller blinds that can fit triangle windows, so even the most complex feature windows can be covered with a stylish automated roller blind.
Vertical blinds
A classic choice for long windows, patio doors and conservatories, vertical blinds are also being reimagined for 2026 with some fantastic new options and styles.
If privacy is a key element of your choice of blind, then vertical blinds are a great option. The ability to twist the slats of vertical blinds give you a wonderfully easy way to let light in while maintaining your privacy.
Or you can take this to the next level by choosing allusion blinds, which provide privacy without you losing the light.
Vertical blinds are also very popular in office spaces, which makes them a great choice for businesses looking to encourage workers back into the office, as well as people still working from home.
Inspiring Shutters and Blinds for 2026
There are so many different considerations, variations and styles of shutters and blinds, that it can sometimes be difficult to choose the right style for your home.
Our top recommendations for 2026 are:
- Best Blinds for Convenience & Style – Smart Blinds
- Best Blinds for Privacy – Allusion Blinds
- Best Blinds for Sliding Glass Doors – Allusion Blinds
- Best Blinds for Wide Windows – Zero Deflection Blinds
- Best Energy Saving Blinds – Duette Pleated Blinds
- Best Blinds for Eco Homes – External Blinds
- Best Blinds for Gable End Windows – Triangle Blinds
- Best Outdoor Shading Solution – Living Pods
- Best Blinds for Affordable Elegance – Faux Wood Venetian Blinds
- Best Blackout Blinds – Total Blackout Blinds
- Best Blind for Conservatories – Perfect Fit Blinds
- Best Blind for Skylights – Perfect Fit Blinds
But if you’re looking for the best blind company to help you find the latest trends in shutters and blinds, then just give us a call on 01926 839 689. Our friendly advisors will help you find the right shutters or blinds, and for our local Warwickshire customers, we’ll also measure up and install them for free!
Contact us for a free quote today
If you’re on the lookout for the perfect blinds, simply get in touch with Leamington Blinds today for a free quote.
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