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Solar & External Shading
As the South East’s specialist in solar and external shading, Creative Curtains & Blinds designs, supplies and installs the full spectrum of external shading solutions — from motorised awnings and architectural ZIP screens to brise soleil, pergolas and verandas. Whether you’re designing for Part O overheating compliance, extending your outdoor living space, or specifying shading for a commercial project, our team brings genuine expertise and a curated range of premium products from Europe’s leading manufacturers. All solutions are made to measure and professionally installed across Sussex, Kent, Surrey and London.
Patio & Terrace Awnings
A well-designed patio awning transforms an outdoor space into a usable, comfortable room — whatever the British weather. Our made-to-measure awnings are sourced from leading European manufacturers including Markilux, Renson and Caribbean Blinds, and are designed to perform over decades, not seasons. Choose from hundreds of frame finishes and technical fabrics engineered for UV resistance, colour-fastness and weather stability. Whether wall-mounted over a patio or freestanding over a terrace, every awning is specified, measured and installed by our own team — no subcontractors, no shortcuts.
Motorised & Smart Awnings
Our motorised awning systems integrate seamlessly with smart home systems and building automation, making them the natural choice for design-led residential projects and commercial hospitality spaces. Powered by whisper-quiet electric motors, they can be controlled via remote handset, wall switch, smartphone app, or fully automated through wind, rain and sun sensors that respond in real time to changing conditions. For architects and interior designers specifying whole-house automation, our awning systems are compatible with KNX, Somfy TaHoma, Lutron and other leading control platforms. External automated shading also contributes to Part O overheating compliance and BREEAM credits — something we can advise on at specification stage.
Pergolas & Garden Structures
Our architectural pergolas go far beyond the garden-centre kit. Designed to your exact brief and engineered for longevity, our pergola systems create genuinely usable outdoor rooms — perfect for alfresco dining, client entertaining, or extending the commercial footprint of a hospitality venue into its outdoor space. Available in aluminium, powder-coated steel or sustainably sourced hardwood, in freestanding or wall-mounted configurations. Louvred roof systems can be motorised to open and close with the weather, while integrated LED lighting, heating and side-screen options allow the space to be used year-round. We work directly with architects and landscape designers and can provide technical drawings to support planning applications where required.
Verandas & Canopies
Our bespoke verandas and canopies provide year-round covered outdoor space without the cost or disruption of a full extension. Glazed veranda systems with laminate safety glass sides and sliding doors create a seamless indoor-outdoor flow, while polycarbonate canopy options offer a lightweight, highly durable alternative. All systems are UV-resistant, available in RAL colour-matched powder-coat finishes, and can be specified to span the full width of a property. Particularly popular for care homes and assisted living developments, where covered outdoor access is both a wellbeing priority and an operational necessity.
External Louvre Screens
External louvre screening systems provide precise control over solar gain, glare and privacy without sacrificing natural light or views. Fixed and adjustable louvre blades can be specified at varying angles to optimise shading performance for any orientation, making them a highly effective tool for meeting Part O overheating requirements in both new-build and retrofit projects. We supply and install a range of external louvre screen systems, including MicroLouvre® — one of the world's most refined louvre fabrics — alongside heavier architectural aluminium louvre blade systems suited to commercial facades and educational buildings. All systems are specified to the exact requirements of the project.
ZIP Screens & External Roller Blinds
ZIP screens are one of the most technically effective external shading products available for residential and commercial applications. Engineered with a tensioned fabric that runs within side-channel guides, ZIP screens provide complete protection from sun, wind, rain and insects while maintaining outward visibility and natural light. Unlike traditional awnings, ZIP screens can be used in higher wind speeds, making them ideal for exposed coastal locations across Sussex and Kent, roof terraces, and restaurant or hospitality terraces where weather resilience is essential. External roller blinds operate on a similar principle and are available in a wide range of technical fabrics including openness-factor screen cloths for solar control, blackout fabrics for complete privacy, and PVC-coated mesh for maximum durability. All ZIP screen and external roller blind systems are available with motorised operation and smart control integration, and contribute directly to Part O overheating compliance in new-build and retrofit projects.
External Venetian Blinds
External Venetian blinds offer the finest level of solar control available in any shading product — allowing occupants to precisely adjust the angle of the blades to redirect daylight deeper into a room while eliminating glare and reducing solar heat gain. Unlike internal Venetians, which do nothing to prevent heat entering a building before it reaches the glass, external Venetians intercept solar radiation at the building envelope, making them one of the most energy-efficient shading solutions available. This makes them particularly valuable for architects and M&E consultants working to achieve Part O compliance or TM59 overheating targets in south and west-facing rooms. Available in aluminium with a wide range of RAL powder-coat finishes and blade widths, our external Venetian systems are suited to both residential extensions and commercial facade applications.
