The Maxshade Complete Blackout Thermal Blind is a pleated blind sold by Blinds 2go, made to measure in 12 colour options and starting from £17.24. Its pleated structure and blackout thermal backing set it apart from a standard single-layer pleated - the thermal element is built in rather than offered as an optional upgrade, which is the notable selling point here.

Who it suits

This range is most at home in a bedroom. The combination of blackout fabric and pleated construction means it stacks neatly when raised and, when down, the retailer describes it as capable of blocking light almost completely through the fabric itself. That caveat is worth keeping in mind: blackout fabric does not prevent light seeping around the edges of a blind, so for a truly dark room you will want to pair it with close-fitting brackets, side channels, or a face-fit installation that overlaps the recess.

The thermal backing makes it a reasonable choice for any room where draughts from older or single-glazed windows are noticeable in winter - a spare bedroom used as a home office, or a north-facing living room. Pleated blinds are also well-suited to awkward window shapes where a standard roller or Roman would not hang cleanly.

It is less suited to bathrooms and kitchens where moisture resistance is the primary concern, and probably over-specified for a hallway or other space where daytime blackout is not needed.

The colours

12 colours available

The twelve finishes span a broad but coherent palette. Cooler neutrals - Nickel, Pewter, Slate, Cloud Grey, Flint, and Charcoal - dominate one end of the range, running from almost-white through to near-black. Warmer tones cover the other end: Parchment and Magnolia sit in the off-white and cream territory; Frost is a cool white. Olive and Denim bring the only genuine colour into the range, while Harissa adds an earthy red-orange if a more expressive finish is wanted.

The spread means the range will sit comfortably in most standard interiors without demanding a decorating compromise. Those wanting a blackout blind that genuinely recedes - rather than a statement - will find plenty of options in the grey and neutral cluster.

Price by your dimensions

Enter your window size. We round up to the next standard size, which matches how the retailer actually quotes you.

With a from-price in the mid-teens, this sits at the more accessible end of the pleated blind market. Pleated blinds generally cost more than roller blinds of comparable size because of the additional fabric engineering involved, so the entry price here is competitive. The final price will rise with width and drop, as is standard for made-to-measure blinds.

How it compares

Within the pleated category, the key alternative is a honeycomb or cellular blind. Those share the accordion-fold structure but add a sealed air pocket between the fabric layers that delivers meaningfully better thermal insulation. If energy retention is the primary driver, a cellular blind is the stronger choice; the Maxshade Complete is a solid pleated blind with thermal backing rather than a cellular, so its insulation sits at a good but not class-leading level.

Against other blackout pleated options, the main differentiator is the built-in thermal backing - some pleated ranges are blackout only, without the insulating layer. For a bedroom that is also a problem room for cold in winter, that combined specification makes the range worth considering ahead of a plain blackout pleated alternative.

If budget is the overriding concern and thermal performance is a secondary consideration, a blackout roller blind will typically cost less for the same window size while still delivering effective light blocking.

Fitting and operation

Pleated blinds in this style are chain-operated, raising and lowering via a top and bottom rail with the pleated fabric concertinaed between them. The clean stack when raised is one of the practical advantages of the pleated form over Roman blinds, which take up more of the window when folded. Standard fitting options - inside recess or face-fit - apply, and the choice between them will affect how well edge-leak is controlled.