As the days grow longer and the sun gets stronger, many homes across the UK are already beginning to feel the heat — especially in sun-drenched rooms, conservatories, and south-facing spaces. Solar reflective blinds are made using specialist solar reflective fabrics, which are designed to bounce sunlight and UV heat away before it enters your home.
These high-performance fabrics are the real secret — helping to reduce heat build-up, cut glare, and keep your home feeling cooler and more comfortable during warmer weather.
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What Are Solar Reflective Blinds?
Solar reflective blinds are made using fabrics that feature a reflective backing, typically aluminium-based. This solar reflective coating is applied to the back of the fabric — and it’s this layer that does the heavy lifting, helping to reflect solar energy (including heat and UV rays) away from the window.
The fabric still allows diffused light into the room, but without the harsh glare or uncomfortable rise in temperature that comes from direct sun exposure.
🏠 Where Solar Reflective Fabrics Make the Biggest Impact
Not all rooms are affected equally by the sun — some spaces suffer more from glare, overheating, or early morning light. This is where blinds made with solar reflective fabric can make a real difference.
They’re especially effective in:
- Children’s bedrooms – East-facing windows can flood rooms with light at 5am after the clocks go forward. A solar reflective blind helps reduce brightness and keeps the room cooler, helping little ones sleep longer and more comfortably.
- Conservatories – These spaces are exposed to strong sunlight all day. Solar reflective coatings were originally developed for conservatory blinds and are incredibly effective here.
- South-facing rooms – Whether it’s a living room, kitchen, or bedroom, south-facing windows often overheat and fade furnishings faster.
- Home offices & TV rooms – Glare on screens can be frustrating. These blinds cut out harsh sunlight while still allowing in natural light.
- Large glazed areas like sliding or bifold doors – Often hard to shade and prone to overheating, solar-reflective-coated fabrics help improve comfort.
🪟 Blind Types Available with Solar Reflective Fabric
One of the key advantages of solar reflective fabric is its flexibility — it can be used across multiple blind styles, allowing you to choose the one that best suits your window type and interior style.
🔹 Pleated Blinds
Perfect for conservatories, apex windows, and Perfect Fit systems, pleated blinds are where solar reflective coatings were first used. The compact design works well in tight spaces and can be fitted into window frames for a tidy, integrated look.
🔹 Vertical Blinds
Great for large patio doors or bifolds, vertical blinds with solar reflective backing allow for light control, airflow, and glare reduction while keeping the room cool.
🔹 Roller Blinds
Sleek and modern, roller blinds made with solar reflective fabric provide broad coverage across large panes of glass. They’re ideal for living rooms, kitchens, and offices where a clean appearance and easy operation are key.
🔹 Intu Blinds
Similar to Perfect Fit but with a slightly different mounting system, Intu blinds also work beautifully with solar reflective fabrics — offering a neat finish and excellent thermal performance.
🔹 Perfect Fit Blinds
These clip neatly into the window frame — ideal for uPVC windows and doors. Perfect Fit Pleated or Roller Blinds using solar reflective fabric are an excellent solution for tilt-and-turn windows, conservatories, and bifold doors.
⚙️ Motorised Solar Reflective Blinds
Automated Comfort, All Day Long
If you’re looking for convenience as well as comfort, combining solar reflective fabric with a motorised blind system offers a smart, hands-free way to keep your home cooler — especially in summer.
When paired with a hub or smart controller, you can integrate your blinds with:
- Light sensors – so your blinds automatically lower when sunlight intensity increases
- Timers – to adjust blinds during peak heat hours
- Temperature triggers – to prevent heat build-up in sun-facing rooms
This is ideal if:
- You’re away during the day but want to come home to a comfortable, cooler space
- You have a south-facing conservatory or living room that gets intense afternoon sun
- You want to automate your blinds to protect your furniture and flooring from UV damage
🎛️ Smart Integration Options:
Motorised blinds using solar reflective fabric can be operated via:
- Remote control
- Wall switch
- Smartphone app
- Voice control (Alexa, Google, Siri – depending on hub setup)
Or completely automated based on light or heat levels
🔁 Perfect Blend of Energy Efficiency and Ease
By automatically lowering your blinds when needed, motorised solar reflective blinds help:
- Prevent overheating
- Maintain a more stable indoor temperature
- Reduce the need for artificial cooling
- And make life that bit more effortless
Whether you’re tech-savvy or just want less to think about, it’s a great option for modern living.
🌡️ Benefits of Solar Reflective Fabric
✅ Reflects sunlight away before it heats the room
✅ Reduces glare while still allowing diffused light in
✅ Protects furniture and flooring from UV fading
✅ Improves comfort in rooms with large or sun-facing windows
✅ Available across multiple blind types for flexible fitting
✅ Pairs well with Perfect Fit and Intu systems for modern homes
📞 Ready to Keep Your Home Cooler This Spring?
Our expert team at Berkshire Blinds and Shutters can help you find the perfect solar reflective blind solution — made to measure, fitted by professionals, and tailored to your home’s style.
Whether you’re interested in Perfect Fit, motorised control, or just want to reduce glare and overheating, we’re here to help.
Choose how you’d like to get started:
🏠 Arrange a Home Consultation – we’ll bring samples and expert advice to you
📍 Visit Our Wokingham Showroom – see fabrics and blind types in person
💻 Arrange a Video Consultation – perfect for busy households
📞 Call Us Direct on 0118 324 0433, our team is available 24 hours
📧 Prefer to email? Reach us at support@berkshireblindsandshutters.co.uk
Do solar reflective blinds keep rooms cooler?
Yes. The solar reflective fabric helps bounce heat and sunlight away from your window, reducing the amount of solar energy that enters the room.
Q: Are solar reflective blinds the same as thermal blinds?
No. Thermal blinds are designed to trap heat inside, which is ideal for winter. Solar reflective blinds work in the opposite way, helping to keep rooms cool in summer by reflecting heat and glare away from the glass.
Which blind types are available with solar reflective fabric?
We offer solar reflective options in pleated, roller, vertical, Perfect Fit, and Intu blinds — all made to measure.
Do they block all the light?
No. Many solar reflective fabrics are light-filtering, meaning they allow a soft, natural light through while still reducing heat and glare.
Are they suitable for bifold or patio doors?
Absolutely. Vertical blinds, Perfect Fit, Roller or Pleated Blinds using reflective fabrics are a great solution for larger glass surfaces.
Can solar reflective blinds be motorised?
Yes, many of our made-to-measure blinds using solar reflective fabric are available with motorised operation, including roller and pleated blinds
What are the benefits of motorising these blinds?
Motorised blinds allow you to automate your comfort. You can set them to lower when the sun gets too strong, helping to keep rooms cooler without lifting a finger.
Can I set motorised blinds to adjust automatically when it’s sunny?
Yes — when connected to a smart home hub and sensor, you can automate your blinds to react to sunlight, temperature, or time of day. For example, if the room starts to overheat in the afternoon, the blinds can lower automatically to block heat gain.