White window and door frames may continue to dominate sales in the UK, but the new kids on the block are undoubtedly agate grey and black.
This is reflected in sales of Uni-Blinds integral blind units, which are now available in both these colours within the Venetian range. Despite white and anthracite continuing to take the lion’s share of our sales, as we announced in our ‘Top colours of 2023 article’ in February, there is a noticeable shift to other colours as homeowners and architects experiment with different approaches to the look of their windows and doors.
Innovation by profile manufacturers has provided end-users with easy access to high quality, visually appealing uPVC and aluminium systems which are gradually shifting the perception that frames should be white. The anthracite boom has certainly turbocharged this shift, which means it accounts for an estimated 10% of all uPVC windows installed, and the colour is the most popular in aluminium according to some fabricators and installers.
What is particularly interesting to see is the greater variety of colours being chosen today by customers compared to, say, ten years ago, particularly when it comes to our Uni-Blinds. All the bespoke integral blind units that we manufacture for customers are created using ScreenLine systems from the global market leader, Pellini S.p.A. who have been extremely active on new colour development in recent years.
The arrival of new ScreenLine Venetian blind colours in agate grey (S120) and black (B160) during 2023, which are exclusively available in the UK from Morley Glass, was particularly welcome as they give homeowners the opportunity to complete their windows and doors with integral blinds for a fully ‘on-trend’ result. Other integral blind colours, such as silver (S157), anthracite (S159) and slate grey (S158), can look amazing within coloured frames, but agate grey and black have made an instant impact in the market.
When to choose agate grey integral blinds
Agate grey has been a popular alternative to anthracite for the past few years. Some people regard it as the same colour as ‘Painswick’, but whatever it has become known as, it offers a more calming colour option versus the bolder greys given its hint of green, which makes it an excellent choice for homes with lighter coloured bricks or stone.
For homeowners looking for timeless appeal, combining agate grey integral blinds with the same colour frames is an excellent choice. But it doesn’t always have to be about being complementary and colour-matching – agate grey blinds can also provide a contrasting look when installed into windows and doors with darker frames, such as black or anthracite, to achieve a statement look.
When to choose black integral blinds
As a powerful colour, black Uni-Blinds are suitable for use in both contemporary or traditional windows and doors. As with the other colour options, they can be used to achieve a complementary look with matching frames or to contrast, sometimes with very distinctive, even unique, results.
We have seen the popularity of black window and door frames grow as the colour’s appeal has increased for all kinds of interior features and fittings, such as taps and internal door handles. They look particularly striking in properties featuring rendered walls with a light finish, as well as with lighter brick and stone, and these are the types of homes where we see the greatest appeal for black integral blinds, especially for ultra-modern styles such as bi-fold doors.
Looking ahead to a more colour-diverse future
Neutral colours are undoubtedly dominating home décor trends at the moment, but that’s not to say we won’t see a very different set of colours in fashion in five or ten years’ time. The rise in popularity of black and agate grey windows and doors is partly a response to these changing trends, but also a reflection of the level of product innovation today in the fenestration sector versus previous generations.
Pellini S.p.A. has a team of colour specialists whose job it is to ensure the colours applied to the Venetian blind slats within all ScreenLine systems are consistently high quality. This is crucial when you consider the intense heat that can build up inside an integral blind unit in the strong summer sunshine, coupled with the impact of UV light, which means any new product must be able to stand the test of time to meet customer expectations.
The upshot is that the window industry is getting better all the time at creating products with lasting colour, whether that’s on integral blinds or frames, and that provides greater inspiration for homeowners looking to make their properties just the way they want them.
