Many readers asked me about the blinds that I used and their costs. I realised I didn’t share much about it, partly because taking pictures of the blinds are very tedious. There is a high contrast, indoor is dark but outdoor is too bright due to the harsh sunlight. I may be able to neutralise the lightning using a flash, but I’m really a sucker in using it.
Thankfully, with my new Olympus PEN-F and M.Zuiko 25mm f/1.8 prime lens, this is made possible. So, let’s check out my Korean Combi Blinds and Unislat.
Personally, I still prefer curtains over blinds. Curtains look lovely on big windows and able to block out light more effectively than blinds. For smaller windows, blinds are a good choice because they’re simple and stylish.
However, V is strongly against curtains because he feels that washing curtains is such a big chore. Blinds are much longer-lasting, can be cleaned easily, and offer varying degrees of privacy as they are fully adjustable.
Since we’ve been living with curtains for so many years, we decided to go completely curtainless this time – using only blinds and unislat. Moreover, during my visit to Picket & Rail, I was completely won over by the beauty of Korean combi blinds and unislat.
Unislat for Living Hall
We chose Unislat for our living hall. It’s made of 100% lightweight polyester, unlike curtains which are generally dependent on heavy fabrics which can be troublesome to maintain and clean.
Unislat is very light and soft with high quality materials, moderate thickness and extremely soft textures. With just a gentle twist of the wand stick, it slides flawlessly and effortlessly to keep our privacy, as well as allowing the gentle breeze and sunlight through the mesh textured fabric surface.
Closer look at the material (partial block-out)
Closer look at the material (complete block-out)
Light and flowy material
Every layer is anti-pollutant coated to prevent build-up of dirt, dust and other harmful allergens. It can be hand-washed, or simply wipe with damp cloth or feather duster.
With a gentle twist of the wand stick, the unislat slides effortlessly
The unislat track
Combi Blind for Master Bedroom, Edison’s Room and Study Room
Combi blinds (more commonly known as rainbow blinds) are perfect in managing natural light and ventilation in the room. Using double layer materials, the blinds provide subtle sunlight into the room, and also blocking the sunlight when its patterns are set to staggered using a manual pulley system.
WinUs Combi Blind (the brand that we’re using) uses a patented roller mechanism that allows synchronised roll up. This means both layers can move up together.
The blinds are made from polyester materials that have undergone a 3-step UV treatment. This makes it easy to clean and maintain. No washing is required, just occasional wipe with a feather duster. The UV treatment also prevents “browning”, prevents the blind from warping, and increases the lifespan of the blind.
Master Bedroom
Edison’s Room
Study Room
All in all, we’re pretty happy with our Unislat and Combi Blinds. They look absolutely lovely, match our interiors and easy to maintain. The only disadvantage is that they cannot completely eliminate sunlight. I’d say they can only block up to 70% of sunlight.
If your room is facing morning sun, you need a total block-out blind. There are many types of blind materials that provide different levels of block-out. So, you’ll need to be crystal clear on the sunlight level in each room before deciding on the blind materials.
In addition, Unislat and Combi Blinds also do not block out heat. All the pictures here were taken 3 weeks ago before the installation of our solar film. We installed solar film recently, and it does a fantastic job is keeping our house cool. Will share more on that soon.
A few readers also asked me for the costs of our blinds and unislat. I couldn’t trace the breakdown of the cost as our invoice showed only the total amount. We spent about $4,000 in total. Unislat is the most expensive, chalked up to half of the total cost.
WinUs Blinds
Marina Square Shopping Mall
6 Raffles Boulevard
Unit #03-301
Singapore 039594
Website: http://winusblinds.com/
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Thank you for sharing, the blinds look great. I’m thinking of combi blinds for my new apartment as well. Just wondering, does the blinds provide total privacy at night ? Have you checked what can be seen from outside when the lights are switched on in the room and the blinds are in ‘black out’ mode ? Thanks
Hi Chin,
It depends on the materials that you choose. Some are quite sheer and don’t provide much privacy. The ones that I chose provide at least 60% block-out from sun, the materials are thick and therefore they also provide privacy at night.
Dear Emily
This is a superb article written by you, thank you so much. For my new apartment, I intend to use the same concept of blinds that you have chosen. Thank you, Emily. With regards from Jimmy.
Dear Jimmy,
Thanks for your appreciation. I took several hours taking photos of the blind, haha! It was quite a lot of works to prep for that post. Combi blind and Unislat are really good choice and I never regretted it. Even though they cost a bomb, but they are easy to maintain. I just use a fabric cleaner and handheld vacuum cleaner to clean them once in a while. They still look new after 1.5 years.
Dear Emily
Thank you for your reply. I value and respect your opinion, and am 100% convinced by you to use these combination for my windows. Thank you Emily.
Hi Jimmy,
You’re most welcome and I wish you all the best in your new home renovation.
Hi, thanks for sharing. Pretty inspired by you on the blinds. Our unit is going to be ground floor. Do you think such curtains/blinds are still appropriate for ground floor units? Intending to use unislat for hall/dining and combi for kids rooms. All are facing pools and walkway.
Hi Jan,
You just need to twist the wand stick and the unislat will slide effortlessly to keep your privacy or to open up for airflow. It’s very easy. Personally, I really LOVE it. The only downside is that it costs a bomb. Haha! Back to your question, I find that it’s suitable for ground floor units too. Why not? 🙂
Oh also need to check whether the material permits airflow.