Unlike hotels or furnished flats and homes, student accommodation projects pose a number of unique challenges and obstacles not inherent to other types of residential housing. The demands of student life, after all, are many and never-ending, which means that their housing should reflect that type of lifestyle.
This requirement applies to their window treatments as well. The blinds or curtains in a dormitory, for example, need to be durable, easy to use, and low maintenance. They must also be adequate for privacy and sun-shielding.
Some of the most important considerations for window furnishings for student accommodations include:
1. Safety
Safety should come first above all, especially when it comes to housing students. As such, the blinds or curtains should comply with BS 5867 fire safety standards. While most suppliers and manufacturers have options that are fire retardant, it is important to remember that retail stores that serve the residential market have plenty of products that do not comply with the aforementioned fire safety standards.
Additional considerations have to be made if children under the age of 3 years and 6 months will be regularly in contact or residing in your student accommodation projects. Your window furnishings should be compliant with BS EN13120 child safety regulations on top of the fire safety conditions.
2. Durability
Your residents are unlikely to be careful or gentle with your furnishings. They are also likely to regularly change as terms and entire educations come to a finish. That means your window furnishings have to be stable and durable.
In general, anything with fewer moving parts is considerably more durable. Curtains and curtain tracks, therefore, have fewer breaking parts in the event of mismanagement. Make sure to use an aluminium track or rod as opposed to plastic, as the latter grows brittle over time, while the former is highly resistant to corrosion.
If blinds are preferred, roller and panel blinds are better for durability. They are simple and easy to use, and as such, are more suitable for intense handling.
Be sure to also consider warranties, as many suppliers and business-to-business wholesalers have such offers for their clients.
3. Aesthetics
In addition to durability and safety, students need the right aesthetic qualities so that their accommodations will be more suitable for work and continually stressful situations. Choosing curtains that are too clinical or generic-looking, for example, can make a student feel uncomfortable in their own rooms.
Various colours also have different effects on the subconscious. Blue, for instance, has a calming effect on the mind and can be quite useful in student accommodations, which are generally considered to be places of high stress.
Conclusion
Whatever you might choose, it is important to remember that it is better to invest in quality rather than regularly replace malfunctioning curtains and blinds. It is important that your window furnishings are safe, durable, and pleasing to the eye so that the residents of your student accommodations remain happy and healthy.
If you need great options on window furnishings for your student accommodations, send us at Direct Fabrics a message. We cater to businesses and bulk orders. We also supply, install, and maintain according to your needs.