The Best Outdoor Blinds and Awnings Suppliers in Canberra

I recently used Canberra Blinds Awning and Curtain Centre in Fyshwick to repair and clean 3 older Roman blinds that did not work properly. They collected, cleaned and repaired them before returning them on the same day. Very happy with their prices. Friendly and helpful staff. Will definitely be using them again and also will be ordering an outdoor retractable awning for Christmas.

Regency Knights are the best in canberra. Their customer service is impeccable, and professional. I’ve had some blinds installed by them and their office team were very helpful in the showroom and their installers were reliable as well. Their pricing is also very competitive I’ve found.

I recently used Canberra Shutters for new plantation shutters and roller shutters in my home. He is a local guy, Steve, with 20 years experience, has recently gone out on his own after contracting to most of the big blind and shutter companies. The service was amazing, and prices quite a bit more competitive than the other quotes I sourced. Installation was beautifully done, he is pretty obsessed with quality. I will definitely use him again.

You can choose the best blinds online from Dynamic blinds online which leaves your room with very smart and fresh looking design. To know more visit here http://dynamicblinds.com.au/

Yesterday – nine months, many phone calls and several site visits after our cellular blinds were first paid for and then installed – Kresta fitted window frame surrounds that will block the convection currents that had negated the blinds’ potential insulation benefits.

I recommend that, if you are having blinds installed, you withhold a proportion of the payment until the blinds have been satisfactorily installed. If the installer doesn’t agree, you can use someone else.

miz said :

Hi Maya, to kill bed bugs you have to wash in hot water and or use hot dryer, which would not be suitable for the kind of heavy curtains you were describing.
May I humbly suggest RiotACT does an article on bed bugs? People have a lot of incorrect preconceived ideas.

There’s a guy in one of the flats on Northbourne who, according to signs in his window, is a bit of an expert on bed bugs. Bags not knocking on his door though.

miz said :

Hi Maya, to kill bed bugs you have to wash in hot water and or use hot dryer, which would not be suitable for the kind of heavy curtains you were describing.
May I humbly suggest RiotACT does an article on bed bugs? People have a lot of incorrect preconceived ideas.

Bed bugs can also be frozen. I have used this method when bringing some items into the house I was not sure of. http://www.bedbugs.umn.edu/bed-bug-control-in-residences/using-freezing-temperatures-for-bedbug-control/
There are also certain indications that bed bugs are present, such as rusty looking spots and apparently a smell. None of the curtains I brought home exhibited any of that.

Thank you all so much for your advice and input! Knowing who to avoid is a great start (and I was considering spotlight and Kresta, so thank you for helping me!)

Unfortunately, yes, as posters have pointed out, I cannot just buy some and install them myself. But I am happy to support a Canberra business to do so, as long as they are willing to take on the job!

We went and saw Watson’s Blinds and Awnings on Saturday morning and they were absolutely lovely – so much so that we have them coming to do a measure and quote today.

Thanks again!

Sandman said :

dungfungus said :

PJW said :

I’ve recently installed honeycomb/cellular blinds from cellularwindowshades.com . Based in the US, even with shipping the cost was less than half any price I was quoted locally.

Canberra, where the disposable incomes are amongst the highest in the world and the shoppers go out of their way to shop everywhere else.
Have a drive around some of the town centres and Fyshwick to see how many empty shops there. Then feel good about yourself.

Canberra, where the retailers feel that the higher disposable income somehow justifies their higher margins than anywhere else and there’s no need to actually keep a suitable level of stock on hand. Most Canberra retailers are simply one extra middleman, ordering stock from the same place Joe Blow of Sydney can walk in off the street and buy minimum quantities.
We don’t have the economies of scale to justify shopping locally for items in excess of $500.

My first business venture years ago was retailing in NSW. I only succeeded because I had a full time job and two part-time jobs which made it 7 days a week work for several years.
I had an opportunity to expand into Canberra however the cost of wages, rent and everything else meant that the selling prices would be higher than other regional centres in NSW so it didn’t happen.
I know lots of retailers in Canberra (rather more that were retailers).
None are making any money – just barely a living with long hours and enormous risk. There is the daily risk of further competition coming to Canberra (like IKEA which is going to be heavily subsidised by ACT Government/ratepayers) so trading stock is cut to a minimum to minimise losses if the business fails (that dreaded day when it is cheaper to keep the shop doors closed rather than open them).
Your view is one of self-interest. If we don’t support our local retailers more we will all end up buying “out of town” by necessity. When that point is reached, just see what price an order with a Canberra postcode commands.
Based on what you said you will still buy from IKEA in Sydney even though they will have an outlet in Canberra? You need to clearly explain your position on this.

Hi Maya, to kill bed bugs you have to wash in hot water and or use hot dryer, which would not be suitable for the kind of heavy curtains you were describing.
May I humbly suggest RiotACT does an article on bed bugs? People have a lot of incorrect preconceived ideas.

dungfungus said :

PJW said :

I’ve recently installed honeycomb/cellular blinds from cellularwindowshades.com . Based in the US, even with shipping the cost was less than half any price I was quoted locally.

Canberra, where the disposable incomes are amongst the highest in the world and the shoppers go out of their way to shop everywhere else.
Have a drive around some of the town centres and Fyshwick to see how many empty shops there. Then feel good about yourself.

Canberra, where the retailers feel that the higher disposable income somehow justifies their higher margins than anywhere else and there’s no need to actually keep a suitable level of stock on hand. Most Canberra retailers are simply one extra middleman, ordering stock from the same place Joe Blow of Sydney can walk in off the street and buy minimum quantities.
We don’t have the economies of scale to justify shopping locally for items in excess of $500.

miz said :

Re comment about using second hand curtains – I would think twice, due to bed bugs. Having had to deal with a small outbreak recently after my young adult child returned from Queensland (presumably in the luggage), I can attest that they are very difficult to treat (they are not killed by flea/cockroach bombs, which can just spread the problem). And they don’t just live in beds, they can also live in fabrics, furniture, carpet, your handbag, you name it. (Can you tell I have become mentally obsessed???)

Anyway, I would not wish them on anyone, and apparently vintage/second hand items are notorious so I would steer clear of anything you cannot wash and/or put in a hot dryer for an hour.

As an aside, I am amazed there is not info about bed bugs on TAMS website, particularly as
Canberra is a very transient place and they are often in hotels and luggage. Clearly they ARE here in Canberra, given that hand written sign hanging from one of the govvie flats recently:
http://www.canberratimes.com.au/act-news/man-blames-act-government-for-bedbug-infestation-at-northbourne-flats-20140814-103wre.html

Happy to share my experiences further if anyone is experiencing similar issues. If you travelled anywhere over Xmas I would be checking!!

There is a thing called washing. Why would one hang curtains without naturally washing them first?????

Re comment about using second hand curtains – I would think twice, due to bed bugs. Having had to deal with a small outbreak recently after my young adult child returned from Queensland (presumably in the luggage), I can attest that they are very difficult to treat (they are not killed by flea/cockroach bombs, which can just spread the problem). And they don’t just live in beds, they can also live in fabrics, furniture, carpet, your handbag, you name it. (Can you tell I have become mentally obsessed???)

Anyway, I would not wish them on anyone, and apparently vintage/second hand items are notorious so I would steer clear of anything you cannot wash and/or put in a hot dryer for an hour.

As an aside, I am amazed there is not info about bed bugs on TAMS website, particularly as
Canberra is a very transient place and they are often in hotels and luggage. Clearly they ARE here in Canberra, given that hand written sign hanging from one of the govvie flats recently:
http://www.canberratimes.com.au/act-news/man-blames-act-government-for-bedbug-infestation-at-northbourne-flats-20140814-103wre.html

Happy to share my experiences further if anyone is experiencing similar issues. If you travelled anywhere over Xmas I would be checking!!

PJW said :

I’ve recently installed honeycomb/cellular blinds from cellularwindowshades.com . Based in the US, even with shipping the cost was less than half any price I was quoted locally.

Canberra, where the disposable incomes are amongst the highest in the world and the shoppers go out of their way to shop everywhere else.
Have a drive around some of the town centres and Fyshwick to see how many empty shops there. Then feel good about yourself.

I’ve recently installed honeycomb/cellular blinds from cellularwindowshades.com . Based in the US, even with shipping the cost was less than half any price I was quoted locally.

Simmo said :

My partner recently used Spotlight and they were terrible. $7000 paid upfront, then had to continually ring them to get them to come and measure. It eventually took them a couple of goes at measuring and four different times for fitting to end up with some average blinds that were poorly fitted and use cheap plastic fittings everywhere. They have since been back (after numerous phone calls) to repair the render they damaged and refit a blind that had started to fall off the wall within one month. Avoid at all costs.

I’d avoid paying $7000 upfront at all costs…

maureen52 said :

We were very happy with our honeycombs from Watson Blinds in Mitchell.

We were also happy with Watson blinds however you get what you pay for when it comes to the accessories – my luxaflex blinds in my old place wre definitely better than the Wason blinds but were double the cost.

We were very happy with our honeycombs from Watson Blinds in Mitchell.

My partner recently used Spotlight and they were terrible. $7000 paid upfront, then had to continually ring them to get them to come and measure. It eventually took them a couple of goes at measuring and four different times for fitting to end up with some average blinds that were poorly fitted and use cheap plastic fittings everywhere. They have since been back (after numerous phone calls) to repair the render they damaged and refit a blind that had started to fall off the wall within one month. Avoid at all costs.

If you want insulation, make sure that the blinds will be fitted WITHIN the window frames.

We recently bought cellular blinds like our neighbours’ in the expectation that their insulating properties would repay the additional expense, without going to even more expensive double glazing. We explained this to the salesman, and build window frames to the specifications he provided.

The blinds were installed 2 cm proud of the frames, and we now have a 2 cm all-round gap that in winter will allow convection currents to circulate cold air into the room from from the cold window pane.

After several months of negotiation, the company has agreed to modify the frames so that they will encase the blinds. We’re hoping that they come good before winter.