Heat stopped before it reaches the double-volume glass
An aluminium venetian mounted outside the window rather than inside it — the single most effective answer we quote for a Paradyskloof lounge wall that runs floor to ceiling.
An interior blind manages heat that has already come through the glass and is sitting in the room. An external venetian stops most of it before it ever reaches the pane — wide aluminium slats on guided side rails, tilted to steer light or raised clear entirely, mounted on the facade itself.
Why it matters more on this kind of glass
A standard window with an internal blind can cope with an interior treatment because the glass area is limited. A double-volume wall — the defining feature of most new Paradyskloof builds — can't. On a west- or north-facing elevation, the indoor temperature difference between shading at the glass and shading inside the room is not subtle; it's the difference between a lounge that's usable at four in the afternoon and one that isn't.
Product reality
- Wide slats, 60–90mm class, running in guided cables or side rails, tilt and raise independently of any blind behind the glass.
- Effectively always motorised, with an automatic wind sensor — an exposed exterior blind on a mountainside facade has to protect itself before a kloof gust arrives.
- Powder-coated in a colour matched to the facade, so the addition reads as designed-in rather than bolted-on.
Being honest about the limits
This is a premium, building-improvement spend, not a window dressing — priced accordingly. Fixing points and cable runs work best when planned at design or renovation stage; a retrofit on an existing elevation is possible on most facades but wants a site visit before we commit to a price. And because the finished blind is visible from outside the property, most of the gated estates around Paradyskloof want to see a drawing and colour spec before it goes up — we bring both to that meeting.
Control & motorisation
Every external venetian we fit is motorised as standard: handset, app or a sun sensor that lowers shading automatically once an elevation hits its heat threshold, paired with the wind-retract override. On a multi-window facade, one remote or one app screen runs every blind on that wall.