High Bannerdown – External Blinds Case Study

External blinds are now a must have for UK homes to stop overheating

External blinds are now an essential part of house design in the UK as our climate changes and heatwaves become more frequent and intense.

This was the case when Lorraine Dooley commissioned Hadfield & Noblin Architects to transform a tired bungalow in Somerset into a forever home.

Sceptical about the need for solar protection

Lorraine and her family wanted the design to take advantage of the views across the garden and Bath with almost floor to ceiling windows facing south-west.

The health visitor explained: “I must admit when the architects talked about integrating external blinds into the design for the lounge and living rooms and two bedrooms upstairs, we were sceptical, but they explained it was the best way to stop solar glare and the house from overheating.”

The family planned to wait for the external blinds to be installed to space out costs but quickly realised they would need them sooner.

Lorraine said: “We noticed after a few months of moving in that the winter sun made the house very hot. Then in May 2025, when we had a few hot days, it was becoming very uncomfortable, and we realised we had to get them fitted. Also, it was hard to watch the TV because of the solar glare.

Dramatic drop in temperature on installation

“It only took one day for them to be installed, and we noticed the difference straightaway. It was amazing; the temperature dropped dramatically. We realise now how effective they are in stopping overheating. At the time it was hotter inside than outside, but the rooms are nice and cool now.”

Lorraine was so impressed with how effective external blinds are at slashing inside temperatures that they’re now having other blinds installed.

She explained: “We didn’t think it was necessary to have blinds on the other windows but the rooms are so much hotter than the rooms already protected. They are significantly hotter and stuffy compared to the protected ones.”

Overheating in the UK is a problem here to stay

Architect Ines Noblin trained in her home country of France where external blinds and shutters are an integral part of any house design in Mediterranean climates.

She said: “I built external blinds into the design from the beginning because of the south and southwest orientation of the house and the fact it is designed with large pieces of glass, giving them a view of the garden, but which would create overheating.”

She added: “Overheating has become more and more of a problem in the UK especially over the last two to three years and now needs to be taken into consideration for all projects.

'A great passive solution to overheating'

“External blinds are the most efficient way to stop overheating because they stop the sun from entering the building in the first place. They are a great passive solution for overheating and need to be built into designs. They make the house comfortable to be in and add to the line of the building.”

Ines discovered Kensington Blinds on the internet and said they were the only company able to provide the specialised solar boxes that would fit into the wall cavity.

Experts in external blinds installations

She explained: “Kensington Blinds are real experts in the field; knowledgeable and helpful. They came on site and I visited them at their offices and they were always offering solutions to any possible problems.

“I would absolutely recommend Kensington Blinds. The blinds are a great investment, and they are very durable, and a really nice quality and the client is very happy. I’ve been in the house when the blinds are down and the light quality is great. The blinds give the building a nice line and are very complimentary to the design,” she added.

A cool and comfortable home

Lorraine too is very happy now she comes home to a cool and comfortable home.

“The blinds have a solar sensor and come down automatically, so you don’t come home to a hot house. There’s also a switch in each room to control them,” she said.

“Also, the blinds don’t block any light and we can still enjoy the view of the garden outside. One thing that we didn’t expect was how much privacy they offer too especially at night when its dark, it makes the house feel much more private because no one can see inside.”

‘Excellent service’ from Kensington Blinds

Lorraine is also ‘really happy’ with the service she received from Kensington Blinds and was very impressed with the wide range of colours, finding an exact light grey to match the aluminium frames of the house.

“The blinds look great. We have blinds on corner windows and sliding doors, so we had three separate blinds but you can’t see any gaps between them. They are matched perfectly, and they all go up and down together,” she added.

“If your house is overheating, I would definitely recommend external blinds as the best solution. It can feel expensive but then we looked at the price of curtains and internal blinds that would have to be custom made too and it would have cost thousands,” said Lorraine.

Contact Kensington Blinds to discover how you can solve your overheating issues with external or commercial blinds.