Visit Our Kitsilano Showroom:
Open Monday to Saturday
1703 West 4th Ave, Vancouver
Privacy, Modern Elegance, and Controlled Light Filtering
Top-down bottom-up blinds let you lower the shade from the top or raise it from the bottom. You get more control over privacy and light filtering.
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Canada’s new child-safe designs have changed significantly, providing a more elegant finish without any exposed strings.
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Hunter Douglas Duolite® offers a refined solution by pairing the lower cellular shade with a sheer upper panel.
With 1000s of fabrics and colours to choose from, you'll be able to find the perfect top-down/bottom-up blinds to suit your space.
We Love Our New Blinds!
Great service, wonderful products. The whole experience, from visiting the showroom through installation, was pleasant and easy. The whole team were helpful and responsive to our unique needs. They came up with great solutions, had lots of ideas for colour and fabric, and helped us choose a selection of blinds that suit our home. Installation was really quick. We love our new blinds! Thanks to all of you.
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-Liz Fendley, Vancouver
Very Happy with My New Blinds
One of the best home improvement experiences I have had. Replacing batteries in my motorized blinds had become dangerous, involving balancing on the furniture to reach the power wands. Thanks to Fresh Design, I now have hardwired blinds instead. From Emily’s professional help choosing the best design for my space to Logan’s tidy and efficient installation, it was a very positive experience. I am very happy with my new blinds.
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-Elaine Watson, Vancouver
Superb Quality
Vanessa at Fresh Design has helped me choose window coverings on two separate occasions. Vanessa is very experienced and knowledgeable in recommending just the right coverings for the purpose. Superb quality products! Installer Moe is also very experienced and understands careful, proper installation. I’ll be back to Fresh Design for more expert professional service. I highly recommend them.
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-Marie-Hélène Bitney, Vancouver
ClearView and Whisper Sheers on Top
Hunter Douglas Duolite® is our favourite top-down/bottom-up option. The sheer at the top conceals the lift strings and creates a soft, finished look. ClearView sheers provide a sharper view outside while the Whisper sheer option provides a softer, more filtered view. A privacy cellular shade on the bottom provides privacy where you need it.
Vancouver’s Best Source for Premium Top-Down/Bottom-Up Blinds
Fresh Design offers premium Hunter Douglas window coverings with expert guidance, professional measuring, and installation.
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We can help you compare modern Duolite® shades with other window treatment options. We’ll help you decide which system best suits your style and privacy needs.
Benefits of Top-Down/Bottom-Up Blinds
Top-down/bottom-up shades give you flexible privacy and daylight control, especially in rooms where you want coverage without completely closing off the window.
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Flexible Privacy: Cover the lower portion of your window with shades that give you total privacy during the day or night while using a sheer on the top for daylight and a view outside.
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Natural Light: The Whisper or ClearView sheer on the top allows daylight to filter through the window so your space feels light and bright.
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Clearer Views: Hunter Douglas ClearView® sheer uses dark mesh on the window side to provide a sharper view through the sheer.
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Softer Appearance: Duolite® conceals the lift strings behind a sheer instead of leaving more visible bands or strings exposed.
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Child-Safe Design: Modern systems are designed around current Canadian requirements rather than the exposed-string construction found on older shades.
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Multiple Privacy Levels: Choose ClearView® for greater visibility or Whisper sheer for a softer, more filtered view.
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Energy Efficiency: The cellular construction helps insulate the window, adding another practical benefit beyond privacy and light control.
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Motorization: For ease of use and the ability to program your blinds to open and close automatically, opt for motorized top-down/bottom-up blinds.
Where Can You Use Top-Down/Bottom-Up Blinds?
Bedrooms
Top-down/bottom-up shades can give bedrooms privacy at eye level while allowing daylight to enter from above. They are especially useful when you want coverage without making the room feel completely closed off.
Bathrooms
These shades are a practical choice for bathroom windows where privacy is important but you still want natural light. Covering the lower part of the glass can shield the room while leaving the upper window open.
Street-Facing Living Rooms
For windows facing sidewalks or neighbouring homes, top-down operation helps reduce direct sightlines into the room. You can keep the upper portion open to preserve daylight and your outdoor view.
Condos
Top-down/bottom-up shades are especially well suited to condos because they provide privacy across the lower portion of large windows while preserving the view above. Duolite® also requires relatively little mounting depth, making it a practical choice for your Vancouver condo windows.
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Visit Fresh Design Blinds on West 4th Ave
Why visit the showroom?
When you visit us in-person you'll have a chance to see the wide range of blinds and pick the perfect window treatments for your home. With over 150 colour choices and fabrics, it's helpful to see all your options in person.
Your needs and how you interact with your space is personal.
Each blinds system comes with different lifting and light filtering options. You can try out each system at our showroom and speak with a design consultant about your space.
Address
1703 West 4th Ave,
Vancouver, BC
V6J 1M2
Opening Hours
Common Questions about Top-Down/Bottom-Up Blinds
Can people see through the sheer at night?
Yes. The sheer is designed to preserve your view, not provide nighttime privacy. If privacy is important after dark, position the opaque portion of the shade over the area where you need coverage.
Do top-down/bottom-up blinds work well on larger windows?
Yes, they work beautifully. For larger windows, we often recommend a 1¼-inch Duette® pleat, which creates a softer look that feels more like a Roman shade than a traditional honeycomb blind.
Why does Fresh Design recommend Duolite® for top-down/bottom-up blinds?
Duolite® is our preferred option because the sheer conceals the lift strings and gives the window a softer, more finished appearance. It provides the privacy benefits people want from top-down/bottom-up blinds without the more industrial look of visible silver lift bands.
What kind of blind goes on the bottom of the top-down/bottom-up blinds?
A cellular/honeycomb shade goes on the bottom of the top-down/bottom-up blind. It can be light-filtering or opaque, depending on how much privacy and light control you need.
How much space do top-down/bottom-up blinds take up when fully open?
The amount of space the blind takes up, known as the stack, depends on the height of your window. We can check the Hunter Douglas stacking chart for your measurements and tell you how much of the window the blind will cover when fully raised.
Can top-down/bottom-up blinds be motorized?
Yes, top-down/bottom-up blinds can be motorized with PowerView®. During your consultation, we can review the available power options for your specific shade and window, including whether wiring or a battery-powered setup is appropriate.
Are top-down/bottom-up blinds a good choice for condos?
Yes. Duolite® is especially well suited to condos because it provides privacy on the lower portion of large windows while preserving daylight and the view above. It also requires relatively little mounting depth, which can be helpful with condo windows.
What happened to traditional top-down/bottom-up blinds?
Traditional versions used exposed strings to guide the moving rail. Canadian child-safety requirements changed those designs, so today's options use safer approaches, such as Hunter Douglas Duolite® with a sheer covering the strings or systems that use more substantial lift bands.
What is the difference between ClearView® and Whisper sheer?
ClearView® provides a sharper view outside because the mesh is black on the window side, which is easier for your eye to see through. Whisper sheer creates a softer, more filtered view, so outdoor details appear less defined.
What lifting systems are available for top-down/bottom-up blinds?
The available lifting system depends on the product and window size. Current options include LiteRise®, UltraGlide®, and PowerView®, but there are size and reach limitations to consider. We recommend choosing the system based on how you will actually use the window.
Are top-down/bottom-up blinds available in styles other than cellular shades in Canada?
The top-down/bottom-up options we recommend in Canada are cellular or honeycomb shades. You may see other top-down/bottom-up styles online from U.S. sources, but those products are not necessarily available in Canada under current Canadian safety requirements.
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