As well as giving you extra privacy, and adding to your conservatory’s appearance, blinds will help keep in heat you want to keep in, while warding off the excessive warmth and fading effects of the sun’s rays in summer so that you help protect the interior. They make a particularly useful addition when used in conjunction with solar control glass.

Plus you can get blinds to fit the doors, roof and windows.

But what is the best way to fit them so that they hang beautifully and actively enhance your home improvement, come rain or shine?

• Start by measuring each window’s visible glass area, taking into account width, depth and length. To take the depth measurement, place a credit card diagonally across the corner of the window. Place your tape measure so that it rests on the glass against the credit card. The depth is the card’s placement on the tape measure.
• Buy blinds that fit your window measurements – choose models that are designed to be fitted easily.
• Some blinds do not need to be fixed permanently to window frames, since their brackets slide between the glass and the frame. For models which you need to screw the brackets into the frame, just use the screws provided.
• Brackets need to be placed at the right part of the frame, with enough space left so that the blinds can be lifted and drawn. Follow the instructions for your chosen blind to fix brackets to the frame.
• Once the brackets are mounted, you can attach the blinds. If your blinds have particularly long pulling strings, be sure that you have the right hooks or brackets in place so that they are not hanging loose – especially if you have pets or very young children at home.

Bear in mind that blinds also come in many different materials, from pinoleum, a kind of woven wood, to materials with a special solar finish for extra protection against UV rays.