Materials: Isdans or Tupplur, Aluminum rod, Rod holder, screws, saw, screwdriver
Description: I wanted a blind, which covered the bottom part of the window, so people couldn't look in, but I could still look out. I saw this really neat roller blind which could be opened from the bottom, but also from the top. Unfortunately these blinds were prohibitively expensive. Then I figured the same effect could be achieved with much cheaper Ikea blinds.
You can do this with Isdans or Tupplur blinds (you could also use Enje blinds, but since the rod is attached to this blind, you have to cut it off and sew a pocket for the new rod). If you still want light through the blind choose Isdans, otherwise choose Tupplur.
You buy an aluminum rod and rod holders at the hardware store. You can also use wooden or iron rods. The rod has a diameter of 1 cm (7/16 inch). I did this with aluminum rods up to 1.47m (4ft10). For rod holder I used a rod holder intended for closets (for clothes holder rods).
Step 1- Install the blind as per Ikea instructions, except you do it at the bottom of the window not the top, and the chain goes up not down.
If you also install a regular rolling blind (top down), then you probably want to put the chain on the opposite side from the regular blind chain (otherwise they'll get intertwined).
Step 2- Install the rod holders at the desired height. The distance from the window depends on your window and what you want. With some windows I needed to account for the handle, and wanted to be able to open the window with closed blind, so there the rod holder needed to go further away from the window.
With other windows I didn't care, so there the rod holder was as close to the window as possible.
You can install one set, but if you want to be able to close the blind at different heights, then you'll have to install multiple sets.
Step 3- Saw the rod to the desired length (it should fit between the rod holders).
Step 4- Slide the rod into the blind pocket.
That's it!
If you think the Isdans or Tupplur blinds are rather boring you can fix that with this hack.
~ Jan Metten Van der Meer, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
