English Blinds' 35mm Faux Wood Blinds are a made-to-measure venetian range built from PVC moulded to resemble real wood, available in 28 finishes and starting from £32.00. The 35mm slat width sits between the standard 25mm aluminium venetian and the chunkier 50mm wooden styles, offering a practical middle ground that works across a broad range of window sizes.
Who it suits
The moisture-tolerant nature of faux wood makes this range a strong choice for kitchens and bathrooms, where real-wood venetians would warp or discolour over time. Because the slats are PVC, a damp cloth is all you need to wipe them clean - useful in rooms where grease or steam is a regular presence.
Living rooms and bedrooms are equally well served. The palette runs entirely through warm neutrals and wood-effect tones, which sit naturally with timber flooring, linen soft furnishings, and mid-century or Scandinavian-influenced interiors. The slat tilt gives you precise control over how much light enters and at what angle, and closing the slats fully provides effective light blocking - useful in a bedroom where you want to sleep past sunrise.
This range is less suited to anyone wanting a bold or contemporary neutral palette. There are no greys, no dark tones, and no cooler whites. If your room leans towards cool grey or anthracite-coloured furnishings, you would be better served by a range with a different colour direction.
The finishes
28 colours available
The 14 finishes divide broadly into two camps: plain solid tones and grain-effect prints that simulate wood texture more closely. The plain options - White, Cream, Alabaster, Mara, Oriana, White Diamond - offer clean, understated coverage. The grain variants - White Grain, Cream Grain, Alabaster Grain, Mara Grain, Oriana Grain, White Diamond Grain - add surface texture that reads more convincingly as real timber, particularly at a distance.
The two oak tones, Natural Oak and Warm Oak, are the most characterful finishes in the range and sit at the warmer end of the spectrum. Natural Oak is lighter and closer to an unfinished pine; Warm Oak adds a deeper amber undertone suited to rooms with honey-coloured or reddish wood floors. The rest of the palette clusters around off-white and mid-cream, giving the range a coherent, soft feel overall.
Price by your dimensions
Enter your window size. We round up to the next standard size, which matches how the retailer actually quotes you.
At £32.00 entry, this is an accessible range for made-to-measure venetians in a faux wood material. Prices rise with width and drop in the standard pattern for made-to-measure blinds - the widget above reflects exact pricing across common window sizes so you can check the cost for your specific measurements before committing.
How it compares
Against a 25mm aluminium venetian, this range trades the slim industrial look for a warmer, more furniture-like appearance. Aluminium slats are lighter and marginally easier to operate on very wide windows, but they carry an office aesthetic that not every living room can absorb. The 35mm faux wood slat is heavier and reads as more decorative.
Compared with a real-wood venetian, faux wood wins on practical grounds in damp rooms and requires less careful cleaning. Real wood looks marginally richer in hand and responds better to finishing, but it is not suitable where humidity fluctuates. If the window is in a dry room and you want the warmest possible appearance, real wood is worth the extra cost. For most rooms in a typical UK home - particularly kitchens, bathrooms, and any room with condensation on the glass in winter - faux wood is the sounder choice.
If your primary need is blackout performance rather than light control and aesthetics, a roller blind with a blackout fabric will outperform any venetian at blocking light around the edges. Venetians rely on slat overlap for light reduction; there will always be some edge leak. For genuine darkness, pair a venetian with curtains or consider a different blind type entirely.
A note on care
Faux wood slats are easy to maintain. Wipe with a damp cloth; a mild detergent handles any grease or kitchen residue. Avoid abrasive cleaners, which can scuff the surface finish over time. The PVC construction means moisture is not a concern, but prolonged direct contact with standing water - condensation pooling on a sill, for example - is worth avoiding regardless.