What Is Roller Blind Orientation?

What Is Roller Blind Orientation?

Roller blind orientation refers to the way a blind is facing in your window recess. There are two options for this: standard and reverse.  

These terms are usually used to describe blinds that have a cassette or headbox. The orientation refers to whether the headbox faces the window the room. 

When we’re talking about free-hanging roller blinds, we usually refer to them as standard or reverse roll. As there’s no headbox, the only differentiation is the direction that the fabric hangs over the roller tube. Standard roll means the fabric hangs over the back of the tube towards the window, and reverse roll means it rolls over the front of the tube towards the room. You can see this in the images below: 

So what does standard orientation look like? 

Let’s take a look at our KuroLok range of systems and look at some examples of standard orientation. 

Kuro/KuroLok 

On our KuroLok system, standard orientation means the headbox is facing towards the room. The zip-retention side channels will be closer to the window than the headbox is. 

If nothing is specified on your order, this is how all Kuro & KuroLok blinds from Umbra will be manufactured and sent out. 

KuroLok RL 

When we’re talking about our KuroLok RL system, however, this changes.  

Standard orientation on our rooflight system means the headbox is facing towards the window. The side channels will be closer to the room than they are to the window.  

The purpose of sending blinds out this way as standard is so that the back of the blind is a flat, even surface. This means you can use L-angle shelving in your recess. This is our recommended fitting method as it makes installation easier and creates a neater looking blind. 

As you can see in the diagram below, the shelving creates a flat surface for you to rest your blind on.  

KuroLok Twin RL 

Similarly, on our KuroLok Twin RL system, standard orientation means the headboxes are staggered. Staggered headboxes is where one blind sits in front of and on top of the other. As you can see, this creates another flat surface so that you can use L-angle shelving.  

On our Kuro and KuroLok systems, reverse orientation means the headbox is facing towards the window.  

Kuro/KuroLok 

Having your KuroLok in reverse orientation gives you a very neat look. Reverse orientation allows two KuroLoks to butt together in a corner. With reverse orientation, the blinds will meet flush in the corner so there’s no need for any additional filler.  

However, reverse orientation does make accessing the cassette more difficult. Manual operation is also not available when the blinds are reversed. As the control mechanisms for chain and crank-operated blinds is placed behind the blind it doesn’t work when the headbox is reversed. 

KuroLok RL  

On our KuroLok RL system, reverse orientation means the complete opposite. On this system, reverse means the headbox is facing away from the window. We usually supply rooflight blinds this way if they are being face fixed outside of the recess. Our RL systems require you to fixing into a recess that is as close to square as possible, but where the recess might be very uneven, customers may choose to mount the blind outside of it. 

Reverse orientation rooflight blinds have the side channels closer to the window than the room, meaning they can be sat flush against the ceiling. The blind can then be fixed in place through the side channels. This is best explained by the image below: 

KuroLok Twin RL 

On our KuroLok Twin RL system, reverse orientation means the headboxes are stacked. Stacked headboxes mean one blind sat on top of another. 

Stacking the headboxes means you only have 100mm of headbox visible when you look up at the blind so it’s a very discreet system.