# How do you close venetian blinds? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 6, 2012, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-close-venetian-blinds/636913 "2012-10-06T16:45:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![NeedProfessionalHelp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/e8c25b/32.png) [@NeedProfessionalHelp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NeedProfessionalHelp)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2012, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-close-venetian-blinds/636913/1 "2012-10-06T16:45:59Z")
I am having an argument. Do you tilt venetian blinds upward or downward to close them? I am under the impression that tilting them upward allows for more reflected light to enter. Thoughts? ---
**Author:** ![core\_dump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dec6dc/32.png) [@core\_dump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/core_dump)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2012, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-close-venetian-blinds/636913/2 "2012-10-06T16:58:29Z")
I close them so the inner edge tilts upwards. The reason for this is privacy: If a snooping somebody presses their nose against the glass all they will be able to see is the ceiling. The other way, they’d see the towards the floor thus more interesting things. Because of course I don’t tend to keep my valuables/plants/guns/girlfriends on the ceiling. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2012, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-close-venetian-blinds/636913/3 "2012-10-06T17:01:11Z")
Depends on how much light you want to block and whether you’re blocking the view from above or below. ---
**Author:** ![Nametag](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nametag/32/406_2.png) [@Nametag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nametag)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2012, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-close-venetian-blinds/636913/4 "2012-10-06T17:02:10Z")
> [@core\_dump](#): > > I close them so the inner edge tilts upwards. The reason for this is privacy: If a snooping somebody presses their nose against the glass all they will be able to see is the ceiling. The other way, they’d see the towards the floor thus more interesting things. Because of course I don’t tend to keep my valuables/plants/guns/girlfriends on the ceiling. This. They’re designed to close the other way, and seem to overlap better that way, but tilting them up is better for privacy, and admits less direct sunlight. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2012, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-close-venetian-blinds/636913/5 "2012-10-06T17:03:14Z")
Like the other said, concave side inward. ---
**Author:** ![md2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/73ab20/32.png) [@md2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/md2000)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2012, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-close-venetian-blinds/636913/6 "2012-10-06T17:09:01Z")
This is the brilliance of the design - they can be closed either way. With inside down, they let a bit more light in, you get that “venetian blind lighting” effect, thin slats of sunlight. With inside, up, they are more likely to block the light, especially fully closed. Then there’s the privacy option. On the ground floor and below, or only slightly above, tilting the inside up lets passers by see only the ceiling. On the second floor (first floor for Venetians and others in Europe) tilting inside downward gives more privacy except if the observer is above you, across the road in the next building. So - where are you and what are you looking for? Privacy? Less light? This is the beauty of the design. There is no wrong answer. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2012, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-close-venetian-blinds/636913/7 "2012-10-06T17:10:34Z")
In the summer, tilted up to minimize light coming in, vice versa in the winter. In fact, in the winter only partially closed in rooms that aren’t in regular use. Bedrooms are so high enough off the ground that someone looking up at them in the summer could only see a person who is nearly pressing against them. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2012, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-close-venetian-blinds/636913/8 "2012-10-06T17:22:16Z")
I used to live in an apartment with a huge window. The venetian blinds for that window had vertical, not horizontal, slats, so it really didn’t matter which way I angled the things. Well, I guess it did matter if you took into account rush hour. Actually, rush hour didn’t play into the deal all that much as the apartment was on the fourth floor. ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2012, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-close-venetian-blinds/636913/9 "2012-10-06T17:31:15Z")
i ask for my neighbor Luigi for help. they don’t close as completely and reflect light up to the ceiling with the inside edge of the slat is up. they close completely and block more light, producing darkness, with the inside edge of the slat is down. ---
**Author:** ![ZenBeam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/3ab097/32.png) [@ZenBeam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZenBeam)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2012, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-close-venetian-blinds/636913/10 "2012-10-06T17:31:59Z")
Usually the inner edge down, but either way. If I want light, but not direct sunlight, I’ll close them partially with the inner edge up, just enough to block the direct Sun. In Winter, I’ll sometimes angle them the other way, to let as much light in as possible without opening them. You’ve got like five positions to choose from, plus lifting them out of the way.