The Arona range from Swift Direct Blinds is a made-to-measure vertical blind offered in 9 shades, starting from £9.00. It is a mid-sized colour collection rather than a one- or two-tone option, spanning cool greys through to warmer neutral tones so a single fabric can suit a range of rooms.
Who it suits
Vertical blinds are the natural answer for wide windows, patio doors and conservatories. The fabric louvres tilt to set the angle of daylight and then draw to one side to clear the glass entirely, which makes them well suited to sliding doors and tall window runs where a single fixed panel would be awkward. Arona's spread of shades means it can serve both a contemporary scheme leaning on greys and a softer, warmer room without changing product.
The fabric here filters light rather than blocking it. These are standard light-filtering louvres, so they diffuse daylight and provide daytime privacy while keeping a room bright. If your priority is darkness in a bedroom, a vertical blind is not the right choice in any fabric, because light always leaks through the gaps where the louvres overlap - a roller or pleated blind in a dimout or blackout cloth would suit that purpose better.
The colours
9 colours available
The nine shades cover the two ends of the neutral request, with greys on one side and warmer creams and stones on the other - names in the range include Ash, Space and Stone alongside the brighter-named Impact, Jewel, Ray, Stark, Warmth and Zest. That gives enough breadth to match most pale or mid-toned schemes from within one fabric, whether you want a cooler grey for a modern room or a warmer neutral for a softer setting. With nine to choose from, the differences between adjacent shades can be subtle, and colour on a screen rarely matches colour filling a window, so it is worth requesting samples of the two or three you are weighing up before committing to a full-sized blind.
Price by your dimensions
Enter your window size. We round up to the next standard size, which matches how the retailer actually quotes you.
Price around its usual level (checked since 2 Jun).
The range sits at an accessible entry point, consistent with vertical blinds more broadly - among the more affordable made-to-measure blind types, particularly given the wide spans they are usually fitted to. The figure shown is for the standard fitting, the only option offered on this range; the final price depends mainly on the width and drop you measure.
How it compares
Against a roller blind for the same opening, a vertical trades a single flat panel for louvres that both tilt and draw, which is the more practical arrangement on a patio door or a very wide window. Against a plain two-shade vertical range, Arona's advantage is choice - nine shades make it easier to land on an exact tone without compromise - while a buyer who already knows they want a single neutral may not need the extra options. A practical point in favour of any vertical blind is that the louvres are individually replaceable, so one damaged slat can be swapped rather than replacing the whole blind, which is a useful saving over the life of a blind fitted to a busy doorway.
A note on care
Vertical louvres are easy to keep clean. Dust them with a soft brush or a vacuum brush attachment run down the length of each louvre, and spot-clean any marks with a damp cloth and a mild detergent solution, letting the louvres hang to dry before drawing them closed. Draw the louvres flat to one position first so you can reach the full face of each one, and check the linking chain and weights at the base now and then to keep them hanging evenly.
Likely the same fabric, at other retailers
Orissa vertical blinds are sold under the same name by more than one UK retailer, and the price scales identically across window sizes - a strong sign it is the same fabric from the same supplier:
- Swift Direct Blinds this page from £9.00
- Blinds By Post from £11.93
- Shade & Story from £36.90
- Blinds Direct from £41.87
- So Easy Blinds from £51.57
- Wilsons Blinds from £58.90
- Vertical Blinds Direct from £68.50
We match these on the shared name and an identical price curve, not an independent inspection, so treat it as likely the same fabric rather than confirmed - and check the specification and colour at each retailer before buying.