Dual vision roller blinds
Fabric woven in alternating sheer and opaque bands. Line the bands up and you keep the light and the view; offset them by a few centimetres and the room is private.
One blind doing the job of two, which is why they suit street-facing living rooms and bedrooms. Luminos sell them as the Doppio.
How it works
There are two layers of banded fabric on the roll. Moving the chain slides one past the other, and that is the whole mechanism.
Bands aligned — open view
The sheer bands line up and you see through in horizontal stripes. Daytime light, and the view kept.
Bands offset — private
The opaque bands cover the sheer ones and the window closes up. A few centimetres of chain is the difference.
Or raise it entirely
It still rolls up like a normal blind, so you have three positions rather than two.
One thing worth knowing
With the bands open at night, a lit room is visible from outside in the same way it would be through a sheer. The blind gives you the choice, but you do have to make it — offset the bands when the lights go on. If you want a window that is simply private the moment it is closed, a blackout roller is the more honest answer.
Specification
Looking after them
Exactly as a plain roller: in place on the window, because it cannot be machine washed and the fabric cannot come off the tube. Roll it down fully, vacuum gently with a brush attachment on low suction, and spot clean marks with a cloth barely damp with clean water, working inwards.
Leave it down until completely dry. A fabric rolled up damp will grow mould along the roll where you cannot see it.
Questions we get about dual vision blinds
Are they better than a normal roller?
Not better, different. They are the right answer when you want the view during the day and privacy at night from one blind. If you simply want the light gone, a plain blackout roller does that job better and costs less. See roller blinds →
Will they black a bedroom out?
No. Even with the bands offset, this is a privacy blind rather than a blackout one, and light comes through the fabric. For a room you need genuinely dark, ask for a blackout roller.
Do they work on a wide window?
Within the manufacturer's size limits, yes, and we will tell you if your opening is beyond them. For a very wide sliding door, verticals or panel blinds usually work out better. See vertical blinds →
Do they cost more than a plain roller?
Generally yes, because there is twice the fabric and a more involved mechanism. Whether that is worth it depends on whether you actually want both settings. Ask us to quote both and compare.