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What's ahead in window furnishings back
 
Curtains are stronger in 2008 due to two main factors. With the strengthening Australian Dollar much more “interesting” fabrics are now available at affordable prices. Secondly everyone knows that heavy curtains are great at keeping homes warmer but with the popularity of hard floors home owners are now realising the need for curtains to absorb sounds that echo through the home.

The minimalist look has now passed. The most popular combination is a dry look sheer curtain with heavy insulated curtains over the top on a decorative pole or fascia. Our new city pleat curtain style has proven very popular.

Colours. Creams to chocolates are still popular i.e. the beverage colours (latte, cappuccino, espresso etc) toned with pinks, blues, green and even red. The latest colours are metallics with many blacks and silvers – some of the colours are pewter, bronze, aluminium and steel. At present it is too early to tell if the “metallics” will be a trend or merely a passing fad.

Sheers. It’s the “dry look” that has proven the most popular. These fabrics come in plains, stripes and slubs from creams to earthy colours. They look equally good when teamed with drapes or over blinds to soften the window and provide daytime privacy. Lace sheers are still out of fashion at the moment. For the more adventurous there are metallic coloured sheers.

Plain Fabrics and Jacquards. This is the area that has experienced the greatest growth. Plain fabrics are becoming heavier and more textured. Jacquards are now available in a vast range of colours and styles.  Many medallion styles have a sumptuous feel and drape beautifully. These are the sophisticated “wow” fabrics for 2008.

Prints. Prints are slow. The inexpensive printed cotton sateen has been replaced by a much heavier base cloth. In fact there is a trend for designs on fabrics in the medium and upper market to be woven – not printed. The traditional floral is enjoying a small rise in popularity.

Blinds. Roller blinds are the most popular. They are now available in more decorative textured fabrics and are mostly chain operated or motorised with a metal base bar. The main development has been linking blinds so that only one chain or electric motor can operate two or three blinds. Competition has made the roman blind with timber battens much more affordable. A newish trend is the “glide” blind- complete with timber battens it looks great and is on display at our showroom. “Glide” is ideal for sliding doors and wide windows

Shutters. As predicted this window treatment has slowed down dramatically. Shutters look good on small windows but are limited in their application. For larger windows to combat shutters, timber venetian blind companies are now making venetian blind blades up to 85mm wide. These venetians are only a fraction of the price of shutters and have proved to be a popular alternative.

Showroom and Workroom. For your convenience we have a very comprehensive showroom that displays many fabrics and styles of curtains and blinds. To get a “feel” for current fashions it is really worth a visit. Our Showroom is located at 3/2 Peachtree Road, Penrith. Many customers don’t realise that we have our own curtain manufacturing workroom on the premises. This is the heart of the business. It allows us to test new fabrics, experiment with different making styles and ensures consistent quality.