The Palette FR is a flame-retardant vertical blind sold by So Easy Blinds in 29 colours, with made-to-measure pricing from £34.57. The FR designation is the defining feature: this is the same format as a standard stiffened-polyester vertical, but manufactured to meet the fire-resistance requirements common in commercial spaces, rented residential properties, and any interior where landlord or building-management rules specify flame-retardant fabric.

Who it suits

Vertical blinds are at their best on wide openings - patio doors, conservatory side windows, and large picture windows - where a roller or roman blind would need an unusually wide tube or an unwieldy amount of stacked fabric. The Palette FR is well-suited to those situations wherever fire compliance is also a requirement: a letting agent refitting a flat between tenants, an office, a communal lounge in a managed development, or a converted building where fire regulations apply.

The flame-retardant specification also makes this a sensible choice for a home with an NHBC or similar requirement. If you're fitting a new-build conservatory or a landlord-specified room, it removes uncertainty about whether the blind will pass a periodic inspection.

It is a poorer fit where a softer or more decorative look is the priority. Standard vertical blinds have a functional, commercial character, and the Palette FR doesn't step away from that. Living rooms in owner-occupied homes will usually be better served by a roman or roller blind unless the window is genuinely wide. The range does not claim blackout performance, so it should not be a first choice for bedrooms where morning light is a problem.

The colours

29 colours available

Twenty-nine colours span a wide tonal range. The neutrals form the backbone: Cream, Pearl, Calico, Beige, Sand, and Bright White give a clean, light finish suited to offices and conservatories where you want maximum natural light when the vanes are open. Taupe, Stone Grey, Pale Grey, Grey, Ultimate Grey, and Concrete extend the palette into cooler mid-tones that sit well in modern interiors.

Warmer and bolder options include Copper, Dijon, and Redcurrant for accent choices, alongside softer tones like Baby Lavender, Desert Sage, Spring, and Iris. The blue family covers Denim, Dark Blue, Glacier Blue, Sky, and Teal, giving reasonable choice for rooms where blue is a theme colour. Charcoal, Iron, and Black round out the darker end for spaces where contrast or privacy is the priority.

The breadth of the palette is genuinely useful for a range that often gets fitted as part of a refurbishment rather than a decorating project: there are enough neutral options to match almost any existing scheme.

Price by your dimensions

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Starting from £34.57, the Palette FR sits at the accessible end of the made-to-measure vertical blind market. Vertical blinds are generally less expensive per square metre than roman or quality roller fabrics, and this range reflects that. The FR certification does not appear to carry a large premium over standard Palette vertical blind pricing, which makes it a practical choice if compliance is required but budget is limited.

How it compares

Against a standard vertical blind in the same format, the Palette FR offers the FR designation at broadly similar price points - the straightforward trade-off is that you gain fire compliance and lose nothing obvious in return if the look and opacity level suit your room.

If you need genuine blackout performance in a vertical format, look for a range specifically marketed as blackout vertical. The Palette FR does not claim that rating, and vertical vanes in general allow some light around edges and between vanes regardless of fabric weight.

For wide openings where thermal performance matters - a conservatory in summer, for instance - a pleated or honeycomb cellular blind designed for conservatory use will outperform any vertical blind on heat management. Vertical blinds control light and provide privacy; they do not insulate in any meaningful way.

Fitting and operation

Vertical blinds operate by rotating the vanes to control light and sliding the stack to one end to open the view. The vanes are typically 89mm wide (the standard residential width). Most vertical systems include a bottom chain linking vane weights to reduce swing in draughts - confirm this with So Easy Blinds when ordering if it matters for your installation. Fitting follows the standard vertical-blind top-track bracket process: top fix or face fix depending on recess depth.