Bottoms UP!
- Maxine Hayter
- Dec 11
- 2 min read
Bottom-up blinds have always been available, but they really came into the spotlight with the rise of bifold doors. Suddenly, having a blind that can lift from the bottom offered far better privacy control - without losing your view or blocking natural light. Superb.
Bottom-up blinds are tensioned in some way to allow them to work against gravity. This can be achieved in a few different ways:
Running up and down fixed vertical tensioned cords
Hanging on a headrail with an additional moveable headrail that travels up and down cords
Sitting in a box on the window sill and lifting via a tensioned pulley system
Vertical Tensioned Cords
As mentioned in our previous blog, tensioned blinds with feet have been around for years. Small feet are drilled into your sill or floor, and cords run tautly up either side of the blind to matching feet at the top.
This allows the blind to slide smoothly up and down the tensioned cords - essentially “floating” between the top and bottom to suit your needs.
In recent years, this system has evolved an “on-glazing” option that allow blinds to be fitted without drilling. This system is ideal for bifold doors, as it doesn’t interfere with the stack back of the doors when fully bifolded. Available for cellular, single pleated and metal venetian blinds, the only restrictions are maximum sizes and that you need one per glazing unit.
Free- hanging with additional moveable headrail
This is a great system if you want to span multiple glazing units. A fixed headrail, a moveable bottom rail, and an additional moveable headrail allow the blind to “float” on cords anywhere on the window. Cord-free and short control options available as standard, this version can also be motorised, which is ideal for ease of use, hard-to-reach areas, or operating blinds while away from home.This option is available for cellular blinds only. Depending on the supplier and pleat size, you can span over 3m width and 3m height as one blind, if you so wish.
Sitting in a box
To be honest, this only applies to roller blinds, but it’s a quirky little option and surprisingly popular.
A closed cassette(box), available in white or silver/anodised aluminium, fixes onto the window sill, or onto the wall outside the recess. Brushes in the headbox prevent dust entering and the cords operating the blind tie off to a cleat. Think of it like a traditional pulley system - but neater and more modern.