Thermal Blinds for Winter: What Scandinavia Can Teach Us About Keeping Small Homes Warm

The clocks go back on Sunday 25 October, and here in Pembrokeshire that's usually the week we all start hunting for jumpers and arguing about when to put the heating on. Every winter I find myself thinking about the people who do cold and dark far better than we do – the Scandinavians. In northern Norway, the sun doesn't climb above the horizon in Tromsø for about seven weeks. Yet Nordic homes are famous for being warm, calm and cosy.

So what do they know that we don't? A lot of it comes down to windows – and that's where thermal blinds for winter come in. Here's what we've picked up from the Nordic approach, and how you can borrow it for a small home, flat or office without rebuilding anything.

Why windows matter so much in winter

Windows are brilliant for light and views, but they're the weak spot in any room's insulation. The Energy Saving Trust says up to 23% of a home's heat can be lost through inefficient windows. In a small flat or a garden office, where one big window might be most of a wall, that matters even more.

The good news: covering the glass properly at night is one of the cheapest ways to reduce heat loss through windows. Research by Glasgow Caledonian University for English Heritage found that on traditional sash windows, thick curtains cut heat loss by 41% – and even a plain roller blind cut it by 38%. Your results will depend on your windows and your home, but the principle is sound – trap a layer of still air between the room and the cold glass.

Lessons from Scandinavia

1. Treat the window as a system, not just glass

Sweden is known for very well-insulated windows, and Swedish window makers sell triple-glazed and "2+1" windows (a double-glazed unit plus an extra pane with an air gap) as standard catalogue items. The idea is simple: more layers of trapped air, less heat escaping. You may not be replacing your windows this year, but a well-fitted insulated blind adds another layer in exactly the same spirit.

2. Make the dark months cosy, not gloomy

The Danes have a word for it – hygge – that warm, candle-lit, everyone-on-the-sofa feeling. In places with very long winter nights, people don't fight the dark; they make the evenings feel snug. Closing out a black, draughty window at teatime and turning on a lamp changes a room completely. A good blackout blind does half the job for you.

3. Protect sleep when the light is all over the place

Nordic summers bring the opposite problem: light almost all night. That's why blackout is taken seriously up there. In the UK we get a milder version – streetlights in winter, very early sunrises in June – so one blind that handles both insulation in winter and blackout in summer earns its keep all year round.

4. Don't forget doors

Patio doors, French doors and wide openings into conservatories or garden rooms lose heat just like windows, and they're often the biggest piece of glass in the house. A screen across the opening helps hold warmth in the room you're actually using.

Quick wins for keeping a small home warm

• Close blinds at dusk. Once the sun has gone, the window is only losing heat – cover it.
• Open them on sunny days. Even low winter sun gives free warmth through south-facing glass.
• Get the fit right. Gaps around the edges let cold air drop into the room. Made-to-measure beats "nearly fits".
• Choose a blind that traps air. Honeycomb (cellular) blinds hold air in their cells, a bit like double glazing made of fabric.
• Keep radiators clear. Long curtains over a radiator send the heat straight up behind them and out the window.
• Deal with draughty doorways. Screen wide openings so you're only heating the space you're in.

How THEdoûr products help

We're a small family business, and a lot of what we make was designed for campervans – where every millimetre and every bit of warmth counts. The same ideas work brilliantly in small homes, flats, offices and garden rooms.

• WINdoûr insulated honeycomb blinds – a foil-lined honeycomb blackout blind, available as a Single (blind or net) or DUO (blackout blind and mosquito net in one). It's our go-to for thermal performance and proper blackout. See the range on our Home & Office blinds page.
• ROLdoûr Slimline retractable blinds – a neat, low-profile roller blind or net for windows where space is tight and you want a clean look.
• NETdoûr & BLINDdoûr door screens – trackless, made to measure screens for patio, French and garden-room doors. BLINDdoûr is the insulated blackout version; NETdoûr is the pleated insect net for summer. Have a look at our door blinds & nets page.
• Space-saving doors – if a room is cold because it's open to a hallway or utility, a TAMdoûr or ROLdoûr door can close it off without a swinging door eating your floor space. See space-saving doors for home & office.

Not sure what size you need? Our free Measure My Blind tool walks you through it, and we ship worldwide from the UK. You'll find the full collection on our Home & Office page.

FAQs

Do thermal blinds really make a difference in winter?

Yes, especially on single-glazed or older windows. A well-fitted blind traps still air against the glass, which slows heat escaping. Research by Glasgow Caledonian University for English Heritage found even a plain roller blind cut heat loss through a traditional sash window by 38%, though real savings depend on your home.

What's the difference between a blackout blind and a thermal blind?

Blackout is about blocking light; thermal is about holding in heat. Some blinds do one or the other. WINdoûr does both – it's a foil-lined honeycomb blackout blind, so it insulates and darkens the room.

Can I use the same blinds in a garden office or summer house?

Absolutely. Garden rooms often have lots of glass and lose heat quickly in winter, then overheat in summer. Insulated blinds help in both seasons, and the DUO versions add a mosquito net for open windows.

Are your blinds made to measure?

Yes. Our WINdoûr, ROLdoûr Slimline, NETdoûr and BLINDdoûr products are made to your measurements, which gives a closer fit and fewer draughty gaps than off-the-shelf sizes.

Get your home ready before the clocks go back

You don't need to move to Norway to live like a Scandinavian this winter – just give your windows a bit of love. If you'd like help choosing the right blind or door screen for your home or office, get in touch with us. We're always happy to chat it through.

– Rhys, THEdoûr Bespoke