First I need to say that I've been caught out by old threads too so everybody, it's an OLD THREAD and the poster has already said what she ended up doing. But FWIW I thought your blinds looked good but I can understand wanting a colour change and grey would also be lovely from outside and a nice change inside. I hope you didn't give up on the vertical blind idea only because of the negativity from 'style experts'. We 'upgraded' our front room windows and although I like the appearance of what we have there now I am frequently conscious of the fact that I can't "filter the amount of light & privacy". Vertical blinds are very functional and how cheap or expensive they look is influenced by the choice of fabric, of course as with everything people's personal tastes vary, but the negativity toward vertical blinds sounds like a case of 'Emperor's New Clothes'.

I am a big fan for plantation shutters you will be excited you did! You will make your money back & ease of re sale as people want them .Otherwise... If not With your kitchen get a professional in and get a tint on your window you can see out but they cannot see in until night then a simple blind will suffice. Lounge rm attach to ceiling!!.. to floor sheer curtains with a good colour curtain behind going the whole width of the wall.. bedroom a Roman blind... take advantage of your floor boards and do it properly the first time and save money!

Hi diviabhi Here are a few links to companies which supply the roman blinds you are after (blockout & sheer). I would suggest looking at a few, getting an idea of the type of blinds you are after, doing a cost comparison between them all. You might want to request an obligation free quote. Of course, depending on your location, some may be more suitable than others. Fabric/Material, Exposed/Hidden Tracks, Motorised/Manual, Cordless/Corded and COST are all things to take into consideration. http://www.kresta.com.au http://www.victory.com.au http://www.luxaflex.com.au http://www.sunway.com.au http://invisageinverloch.com.au Take your time and good luck with your decision.

Zaffa, if you pop down to your local Spotlight store, they have examples of all types of blinds and shutters Great to get an idea of what each look like, various options, pricing, etc, etc. Only, NEVER EVER order shutters from them! I ordered mine from them when building and they took longer than the house to make them! Ended up having to use temporary blinds for months until they arrived. Also, they really let a lot of light in, so not great for kids bedrooms at all! Romans and rollers keep out much more light if you don't want to go down the full curtain with pelmet option. You can also go automatic blinds with rollers if you're concerned about boys touching the blinds too much. Adds around $500 per window I think I was quoted, so depends on your budget. Cannot automate roman blinds apparently. Best of luck in your decision.