SOM Blinds: Motorised Window Furnishing Solutions
Call us to discuss your next project
experts | reliability | solutions | reputation
Awnings, curtains and blinds for builders, architects and homeowners
Are you looking for high-quality, customised motorised blinds or window furnishings for your home? Choose a company with an established reputation for providing premium window treatments to luxury home owners. Over 23 years of outstanding service, achieving consistently high reviews, we can help you select the right products for your new Melbourne home or renovation project.
Our Vision
Our vision is to transform spaces and elevate lifestyles. Through innovative window furnishing solutions, we redefine the way spaces are experienced through the interplay of light, design and practicality. Transform your lifestyle with our perfectly matched products.
Our Mission
At SOM Blinds, our mission is to seamlessly integrate style and functionality. Our superior products and personalised service enhance the aesthetics of homes while improving their liveability and energy efficiency to promote your comfort and well-being. From the initial consultation through to installation, your satisfaction is our priority.
Our Values
A family-owned and operated business: Our story
SOM Blinds is run by a husband and wife team, Bernie and Fiona Sombekke, with an experienced team of technicians, installers and in-house interior design consultants. Our team has over 50 years of combined experience and enjoys delivering quality, long-lasting solutions.
Two decades ago, in the early days of home automation, our founder Bernie Sombekke was approached to come up with a solution to fill a gap in the market. There was a growing need for a motorised window furnishing supplier able to offer technical backup and support for clients interested in home automation. A friend in the home automation industry asked Bernie to help him develop a motorised blind system to enable him to provide his clients with professional service, something he was struggling to get from other blind suppliers.
This all led to the development of our exclusive SOM Motorised Blind System, which allows us to deliver innovative solutions with greater flexibility and control to our clients. Over 23 years later, the team at SOM Blinds still provides solutions and the level of support expected—along with a wide range of motorised and manually-operated window furnishings.
We value and promote sustainability and energy efficiency in both how SOM Blinds is operated and the solutions we provide to our clients. We do this by keeping up with the latest advancements in eco-friendly window furnishing products from our fabric and hardware suppliers. Our manufacturing and installations operate with a goal of zero waste to landfill–we are almost there, too! We offer great solutions for clients, builders and architects who want to lower their environmental impact as well as increase their energy efficiency at home.
Awards and achievements
Monash Business Awards
2021 Monash Business of the Year
Australian Small Business Champion Awards
2023 & 2024 Small Business Awards Finalist
SOM Blinds was also a finalist for the Small Business Awards in 2023 and 2024, a testament to our unwavering commitment to supplying our customers with superior products and services.
Memberships and certifications
Window Shading Association of Australia (WSAA)
Somfy Expert Partners
Four key reasons to choose SOM Blinds
Does your project require customised or unique curtains and blinds?
At SOM Blinds, we love a challenge—our clients often contact us because they can’t find what they need elsewhere. But, of course, they choose us for other reasons too, including:
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Experienced team
Our team can help you manage your project from design to installation. So whether you’re after customised curtains, motorised blinds or designer outdoor blinds, use our team’s knowledge to find the best window furnishing solutions for your project.
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Highly recommended
Much of our work is generated by referrals from satisfied customers–the best marketing we could ever ask for! Instead of advertising, we focus on great customer service, often resulting in referrals to family, friends and other builders and architects. But don’t just take our word for it–read our 100+ 5-star Google reviews and testimonials.
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Client-oriented approach
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Face-to-face customer service
Why designers, architects and builders value working with SOM Blinds
We specialise in whole home fit-outs working with many of Melbourne’s premium home builders, interior designers and architects–some of whom we’ve worked with for decades. We can work with your builder, project manager and electrician to coordinate your installation and building requirements, and this will ensure all of your window furnishings are ready to be perfectly installed when you need them. This can eliminate wasted time refitting due to mistakes and mis-measures, such as wiring not being where it’s needed.
Working with SOM Blinds offers home builders and architects several advantages, including:
We’ve got over 23 years of experience doing whole home and large-scale renovations in Melbourne’s luxury homes. We know the processes involved and the unique demands of large-scale projects–we deliver them on time and within budget. We’ve worked with most of the home automation systems on the market and are experts in knowing which motors work best with which system.
Work directly with us from beginning to end—no time is wasted working with multiple contractors who aren’t as accountable for errors. The person measuring will be the person installing, our team will understand and explain what’s needed to ensure your clients get the results they’re looking for, ready for move-in day. We aim to get it right the first time, every time.
You are welcome to work directly with our in-house interior design consultants, they can save you time by anticipating and resolving any challenges as they arise. We’re also happy to work with your interior design consultant. Our showroom is available for you and your designer to come and review plans even before construction commences, leaving the fun of selecting fabrics and colours until just before we need to start to manufacture.
Customisation, automation and meticulous installation are our specialities. We ensure that every blind and curtain is measured correctly and produced to our high standards before installation.
With decades of experience working closely with some of Melbourne’s most prestigious builders, our team understands the importance of processes, expectations and the lead times involved.
We have a great working relationship with all of the major fabric houses, and they keep us up to date with the latest trends and new fabric releases. Our Burwood showroom’s extensive range of luxury and contemporary fabrics means we can help you and your clients find exactly the right look and feel for their homes. We source fabrics directly from wholesalers to save you the added burden of liaising with third parties.
Our five-step process for builders and architects:
Here’s what architects and builders can expect when working with SOM Blinds on new home builds or home improvement projects:
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Step 1: Initial consultation and design brief
Here, we gain a clear understanding of your building or architectural requirements. Consultations can be held at our Burwood showroom, your office, out on-site, over the phone or via a Zoom meeting–whichever is most convenient for you.
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Step 2: Feedback, advice and design proposal
After reviewing your brief, we will then provide a design proposal, offering suggestions and advice about the window furnishings we think will work best in the spaces you are creating for your clients. We also share solutions to specific challenges you may have based on your designs and plans.
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Step 3: Finalise and approve your quote
We prepare an all-inclusive estimate based on your final product and preliminary fabric selections. Once you accept our proposal and we receive your deposit, one of our expert SOM Blinds installers will meet your team on-site to discuss the proposed installation requirements.
This is a time to discuss wiring, pelmets, proposed joinery, door and window openers, flyscreens, etc. Some products may require framing adjustments, e.g. large folding arm awnings or roof skylight blinds, and even heavy cinema curtains. This is ideally done before the first fix stage and before plastering. We can review our deposit terms for projects with a lead time of over four months.
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Step 4: Interior design consultation
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Step 5: Installation of blinds and curtains
Once your project is ready, our team will install ideally just prior your clients move into their new home–being the last trade on site will protect your window furnishings from damage, install will happen after your final builder’s clean.
Our SOM Blinds team will work together with you and your electrician or automation specialist to ensure all of your client’s window furnishings are properly integrated and ready for when they move in. If comparing quotes, ensure you know who is responsible for connecting and programming of motorised products.
Why should homeowners choose SOM Blinds for a home improvement project?
Everyone you’ll deal with is a valued member of our SOM Blinds team. We don’t use third parties and contract fitters, so you’ll work directly with our specialist team throughout your project, minimising miscommunication and wasted time.
We manufacture all of our roller blinds in our factory in Burwood, Melbourne and use locally-based curtain workrooms to manufacture your curtains. We source some customised window furnishings internationally, including plantation shutters from the market leaders at Norman Australia and awnings produced by world-leading supplier, markilux as well as other locally manufactured external blinds and awnings.
Our in-house interior design consultant is here to assist you with fabric choices, colours and advice about product options. This is a complimentary service we offer. We’re also happy to work with your consultants, architect, builder and interior designer, if you prefer, to help you select the perfect fabrics and window furnishing solutions for your home.
Over two decades, we’ve worked out who the very best suppliers are. We only use suppliers whose products we trust and who align with our values and expectations, so we’re happy to recommend and supply their products to you.
Which areas in Melbourne does SOM Blinds service?
We service Melbourne and its surrounding suburbs, from Port Melbourne to Sandringham, including Carlton, Northcote, Brighton, Caulfield, Glen Iris, Malvern, Camberwell, Kew and Glen Waverley.
Our showroom is in Burwood, where we have an extensive range of fabric samples and window furnishing products on display. Contact SOM Blinds to request a design consultation or book an appointment to visit our Burwood showroom to review your plans and view our range in person.
