Aluminium venetians

Where it wins

Kitchens, sculleries, bathrooms, laundries and any window over a sink. Aluminium does not swell, warp or stain when the steam comes up, and a powder-coated slat wipes clean with a damp cloth. In a Waterkloof kitchen that has been opened up into the garden — and most of them have been, at some point — it is often the only blind that will survive the room.

25mm or 50mm

25mm slats stack tighter and read crisper; they suit a modern extension, a study, or a window where you want the blind to disappear. 50mm reads bolder and lets in more light when open, which is useful on a smaller window that cannot afford to lose any daylight. We bring both to the measure so you can hold them up against the frame.

Practical notes

• Powder-coated finishes in matt and satin; perforated slats where you want tilt control and a soft glow at once.
• Wand tilt as standard — no cord loop over a sink or a bath.
• Cut-outs for handles and stays are made at manufacture, not on site with a hacksaw.
• For a large west-facing window, consider a lighter slat colour: the paler the finish, the more heat it reflects before the room takes it on.

The one thing to watch

Aluminium is honest but it is not silent. In a window that is left open in a breeze, any venetian will tap. Where a room is always open — a scullery door, a bathroom louvre — we will suggest a roller or a cellular blind instead rather than sell you something that will irritate you.