THE CHALLENGE
Not every window is a rectangle.
Contemporary architecture uses glazing to make a statement — soaring rooflights, dramatic gable triangles, arched Georgian windows, frameless flat-roof lanterns. All beautiful. All a problem when you need shade, privacy, or blackout.
Off-the-shelf blinds don't work. The gaps let light pour in, the fabric sags, the mechanism fights the angle. The only real solution is a blind made precisely for that opening, with a mechanism engineered for its orientation and a fabric suited to its solar exposure.
We've been fitting specialist shaped and roof blinds since 2002. We survey, template, specify and fit — all from our Hailsham base, across Sussex, Kent, Surrey and London.
WINDOW TYPES WE COVER
Every awkward opening.
Skylight & Rooflight Blinds
Horizontal or near-horizontal glazing — Velux, Fakro, Keylite and flat-roof rooflights. We fit blackout, dim-out and solar-reflective blinds with tensioned systems that stay in place at any angle. Motorisation is usually the right call on high skylights.
Triangular & Trapezoid Windows
Apex gable windows, sloped-sided trapezoids, and any window with a non-parallel top. We template each shape exactly and produce a blind that tracks the true geometry of the frame — no gaps, no bunching.
Arched & Circular Windows
Georgian arched heads, circular portholes, and semi-circular fanlights. Options include shaped fabric blinds that sit within the arch, or a flat blind with a shaped bottom rail that follows the curve. Each is made to template.
Roof Lanterns
Contemporary glazed roof structures — typically a pyramid or ridge form over a kitchen extension. Pleated honeycomb fabric within each glazing bay. Manual or motorised. Dramatic light control without affecting the architectural form.
Dormer Windows
Sloping-sided dormer reveals create reveals that standard blinds can't fill. We fit cassette rollers and Duette systems that sit flush within the dormer box — from the sloped ceiling to the vertical face — with no visible side gaps.
Bay Windows
Three-section or five-section bays with angled returns. Each blind is hung to its own section with a consistent drop and aligned hem. Manual spring tension or motorised with a single scene control to raise and lower all sections together.
BLIND TYPES FOR SPECIALIST WINDOWS
Which system suits your window?
Not every blind type works for every shape. Here's how the main systems apply to specialist glazing.
Duette & Pleated Honeycomb
The most versatile system for non-standard glazing. Pleated fabric works in any orientation — including horizontal skylights where gravity works against conventional roller blinds. Fitted within individual glazing bays of roof lanterns, or spanning a full dormer in a single drop. Top-down/bottom-up operation available.
- Works horizontally — ideal for flat skylights
- Thermal honeycomb cells reduce heat gain and loss
- Motorisation standard on high or inaccessible glazing
- Available in blackout, dim-out and solar
Cassette Roller Blinds
For dormer windows and Velux-style rooflights with a near-vertical face, cassette roller blinds with side-channel tracking provide clean blackout performance. The cassette headbox and side channels create a sealed system that eliminates edge bleed entirely — critical for bedrooms in converted loft spaces.
- Side channels lock fabric flat against the glass
- Full blackout achievable — EN 13120 Class 3
- Spring or motorised operation
- Cassette available in RAL colours to match frame
Fixed & Semi-Fixed Shaped Panels
For fixed or rarely-opened shaped windows — triangular gable lights, circular portholes, arched fanlights — a shaped fabric panel fitted into the frame gives continuous coverage without a mechanism. Made to a paper template taken on site, in any fabric. Provides privacy and reduces solar gain without the complexity of an operating blind.
- Templated exactly to your window opening
- Any fabric — sheer, dim-out, blackout, patterned
- Tensioned system holds fabric flat
- Ideal where operation is rarely needed
Roman Blinds
Roman blinds work well in bay windows where you want a soft, fabric-led look rather than a roller mechanism. Each section of the bay has its own blind with a shared fabric. For arched windows, Roman blinds can be made with a curved bottom rail that follows the arch line when lowered, giving full coverage in the lowered position.
- Soft pleated folds suit period and contemporary interiors
- Coordinated across all sections of a bay
- Curved bottom rail option for arched openings
- Battery or mains motorisation available
SKYLIGHT COMPATIBILITY
Velux, Fakro & flat rooflights.
We work with all major skylight systems. Below is a guide to which blind types suit which skylight configurations.
| Skylight Type | Orientation | Blind System | Blackout Available | Motorisation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Velux centre-pivot / top-hung | Pitched (15–90°) | Duette or Pleated | ✓ Yes | Velux INTEGRA or Somfy |
| Fakro / Keylite pitched | Pitched (15–75°) | Duette or Roller cassette | ✓ Yes | Somfy compatible |
| Flat rooflight (frameless) | Horizontal / near-flat | Pleated — tensioned system | ✓ Yes | Recommended (inaccessible) |
| Roof lantern (pyramid/ridge) | Sloped bays within frame | Pleated per bay | ✓ Yes | Recommended |
| Walk-on glass rooflight | Horizontal (structural glass) | Tensioned pleated underside | ✓ Yes | Required |
| Conservation-style roof window | Pitched | Roller or Roman | ✓ Yes | Optional |
SOLAR PERFORMANCE
Overhead glass is a different problem.
A vertical window receives maybe 30% of the potential solar radiation of an overhead rooflight at the same latitude. Skylights and rooflights — particularly those facing south or west — generate serious overheating in spring and summer. The sun is more directly overhead, the glass area appears larger from the inside, and radiant heat builds quickly in the space below.
For horizontal glazing, the right fabric specification matters as much as the blind system. We specify:
- High-reflectance solar fabrics — openness factor 1–5% for rooflights
- Aluminised backing where maximum heat rejection is required
- Duette honeycomb cells for combined thermal and acoustic benefit
- g-value data available for TM59 thermal modelling (residential overheating assessments)
HOW WE WORK
Survey first. Always.
Shaped windows and skylights cannot be ordered from dimensions alone. We always start with a site survey.
Site Survey
We visit to assess the window orientation, frame type, access constraints, and any obstructions. For skylights, we note pitch angle, glazing bar positions, and any existing mechanism recesses. Templates are taken for shaped windows — not just measurements.
System Specification
We recommend the blind system, fabric and control method based on the survey. We'll discuss the balance of light control, thermal performance, aesthetics and budget — and supply fabric swatches where relevant.
Manufacture
All shaped and skylight blinds are made to measure by our manufacturing partners. Lead times are typically 3–5 weeks from order. Standard blind sizes are not applicable for shaped windows — every order is bespoke.
Professional Installation
Our installation team fits the blinds, including any motorisation wiring, and adjusts the tracking system for a perfect fit. For rooflights and high skylights we bring the appropriate access equipment. We don't outsource installation.
FROM OUR WORK
Shaped windows we've dressed.
Images of real installations coming soon.
GET STARTED
Tell us about your window.
The best place to start is a phone call or an email. Describe the window, tell us roughly where you are, and we'll advise on whether a site visit is needed and what your options are likely to be.