The Barclay range from Swift Direct Blinds is a made-to-measure vertical blind offered in 2 colourways, starting from £7.12. It is a focused, two-shade collection in grey and white rather than a multi-colour fabric, made up for the wide openings that vertical blinds are most often fitted to.
Who it suits
Vertical blinds are the natural choice for wide windows, patio doors and conservatories. The fabric louvres tilt to set the angle of incoming daylight and then draw to one side to clear the glass entirely, which makes them practical where a sliding door or a tall window run needs covering and a single fixed panel would be awkward. Barclay suits a room where a modern grey or a clean white is the wanted tone and the brief is for a contemporary louvre blind rather than a choice of shades.
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 the room bright. If you need a bedroom fully dark, a vertical blind is the wrong tool 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 serve that purpose better.
The colours
2 colours available
This is a two-colourway range: a grey and a white louvre fabric, offered as consistent shades across the collection. Grey is the mainstay of contemporary vertical schemes, sitting comfortably with white frames and most furnishings; white keeps a conservatory or a smaller room bright and lets the window recede. With just the two shades, the decision is simply which neutral is right for the room rather than which of several tones to pick. Colour on a screen and colour filling a window can differ noticeably, so it is worth requesting a sample before committing to a full-sized blind, particularly if you are matching an existing grey or white wall, floor or curtain.
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 up 332% since 8 Jul. (our checks 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 for the wide spans they typically cover. The figure shown is for the standard fitting, the only option offered on this range; the final price depends chiefly on the width and drop you measure.
How it compares
Against a roller blind for the same opening, a vertical trades the roller's single flat panel for louvres that tilt and draw, the more workable arrangement on a patio door or a very wide window. Against a multi-shade vertical range, Barclay gives up choice for a simple decision - it is the right page only if a plain grey or white is the colour you already want, since there are no further tones to weigh up. A practical advantage of any vertical blind is that the louvres are individually replaceable, so one damaged slat can be swapped rather than replacing the entire blind, which is worth keeping in mind on a patio door that sees daily use.
A note on care
Vertical louvres are simple 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 base weights now and then to keep them hanging straight and even across the width of the window.
Likely the same fabric, at other retailers
Barclay 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 £7.12
- Blinds By Post from £10.44
- Make My Blinds from £14.00
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.