Sheer abundance

BM Blinds

Michael Shaw, director at BM Blinds tells WFA the recently introduced Symmetry Range was conceived to build on the legacy of Veri Shades product range, launched over three years ago, to bridge the gap between blinds and soft furnishings. The product “offers the softness and style of curtains with the practical nature of blinds,” he says. “It really is ‘The Clever Curtain.’”

With Veri Shades’ growing in popularity, it was an obvious choice to expand with an exclusive range imported specifically for BM Blinds clients, he says. 

“The Symmetry Range adds a modern and contemporary palette of nine colours coupled with three exclusive designs that give the Veri Shades range a whole new dimension. 

“The balance of the Symmetry Veri Shade range gives you the ability to add surface interest to a sheer curtain with the flexibility to close the vanes and give greater light and UV protection to your interior furnishings.

“Sheer curtains are becoming increasingly popular for new homes and modern renovations; Symmetry Veri Shades fills a void in the market where clients had been searching for a modern pattern.”

Symmetry Veri Shades comes in a wide range of colours, from whites – Wash, Milky, Albino, to black – Storm and Noir), or off-white – Feather, and grey-blue – Silver Sky, Ripple and Tide.

Wilson Fabrics

“It’s no news to us and our industry that sheers are back on trend and a great way to respire new life into a space,” says Elle Ozturk, Marketing Manager at Wilson Fabrics.

“Our sheers come in a variety of beautiful colours and neutral shades, with white to tones of white sheer curtains continuing to be the popular choice by our customers. 

“A sheer softly filters light whilst providing a warm look to any space and doesn’t inhibit on the views outside. Sheer curtains are a wonderful way to brighten any room. Our new sheer ranges; Whitsundays, Kindness and Gratitude will add a certain elegance and sophistication to your room and drape like a dream.” 

“Whitsundays is a timeless sheer that has been designed specifically with our “Colour Flow” concept bringing our entire Australian Made Blind and Drapery collections together. It is a natural look sheer available in a modern palette, offering superb drape properties and easy maintenance. The linen look speckled slub softly filters light whilst providing a warm earthy look to any space.” 

“Kindness and Gratitude are the perfect pairing to any room especially those with high ceilings. This range is suitable for any drop, and is ideal for longer ceiling-to-floor curtains. Our Kindness sheer has a beautiful textured linen look, whilst our Gratitude sheer has a slight lustre and cross-dyed tones, both with 345cm continuous no joins, a matching colour weighted hem, flame retardant and fade resistant. 

These new sheers drape effortlessly, making it a stylish and practical choice that will suit a variety of interiors.” 

James Dunlop Textiles

New release Kumo Recycled by James Dunlop is woven in recycled polyester, in what’s described by Annie Moir, Design Director James Dunlop, as “a modern perspective on fibre construction.” 

“Post-consumer PET plastic bottles are reconstructed and repurposed into recycled polyester yarn, reinterpreting the past for the future in a more sustainable way. 

“A palette of 15 custom colours has been skilfully curated within the James Dunlop studio, drawing reference to our Australasian flora and fauna to elegantly frame the view within any setting.

“On average people tend to redecorate their homes every 10-12 years, so all new products need to feel timely while also being timeless. Our industry is not fast fashion. The past two years have forced us to change some of our behaviours as a company, and as an industry in general. It has required us to slow down and reassess the impact of our decisions. 

“Embracing the imperfect quality of natural materials, Kumo Recycled has a slubby and delicate weave that beautifully emulates the appearance and handle of soft cotton. For those seeking a high-performance, wide width, fire retardant sheer with a weighted selvedge, Kumo Recycled is suitable for both residential and commercial application. 

“It is important that we create textiles that genuinely emulate the look and feel of natural fibre but with the practicality of synthetic. We love the challenge of delivering textiles with the aesthetic of high-end luxury, but that are strategically developed to be accessible and inherently practical – it certainly comes with its challenges but it’s something I’m passionate about delivering.”

Ricky Richards

The Albis outdoor curtain fabric from Ricky Richards is 100% solution dyed acrylic and is the ideal fabric to make light outdoor curtains or sheers in open spaces such as pergolas, bungalows, garden gazebos, or Balinese beds. It combines the highest technical features with the fineness, feel and quality of cotton. 

A part of the Bliss outdoor fabrics collection, Albis is designed to allow filtered light through, while at the same time maintaining a level of privacy. Its appearance will complete your outdoor theme with pure elegance.  

Available in five colours, 300 cm wide and supported by a five-year warranty, Albis is exclusively available in Australia from Ricky and is suitable for use with various types of curtain tracks.  

Maurice Kain

Maurice Kain’s Antarctic Collection at 420cm is positioned as the longest sheer drop in the Australasian market.

Michelle West, Maurice Kain indicates how the fabric’s generous dimensions can be used. 

“Just as it looks best to hang your curtains high, it makes sense to design them wide. If your space allows, consider running your curtains from wall to wall and from ceiling to floor. This will create that perfect fit – creating the sense of a larger space and providing increased thermal benefits. Wall-to-wall sheers look divine and add depth of scale to your interior space.”

“As houses are being built bigger, with extra tall ceilings and windows, finding a sheer that can cover such long drops can be difficult,” says West. “Our Antarctic Collection features four designs, across two colourways, all hanging at a tremendous 420cm drop! 

“It is conveniently half folded for easier use in the work room, and there are no permanent creases or dirt marks. Consumers and workrooms want to have more flexibility with the soft furnishings they are working with, and a drapery that can be used to this extreme definitely fills that gap.” 

“Our Antarctic Collection, at 420cm continuous, is the longest drop curtain sheer available on the Australasian market. Made in Europe from 100% polyester and designed for ease of sewing, it is durable and built to last on the window. 

“Shackleton, originally part of the collection, will be expanding its colour range in the coming months, which means you will have more design aesthetic options without sacrificing the extra-long drop.” 

Maurice Kain has also released Peter Rabbit Licensed Sheers for the children’s drapery market. 

“Peter Rabbit made his first appearance in 1902 in The Tale of Peter Rabbit. Since then, Peter Rabbit and his stories have grown in popularity, shaping childhoods and imaginations. The Peter Rabbit series has sold more than 151 million copies in 35 languages. 

“The illustrations, colours and characteristics appeal to diverse audiences of age and personalities, making it a marvelous choice as a drapery and upholstery adaptation,” says West, Maurice Kain.

The collection features two playful printed sheer prints at 300cm which have been carefully coordinated back to two solid prints for whimsical layering on the window. With such a variety of beautiful, licensed illustrations to choose from, our designers were spoilt for choice. 

“We love experimenting with various licensed prints and we see a massive gap in the market for a selection of contemporary kids’ sheer curtain drapery fabrics. There really is nothing like this currently on the market and we are thrilled to be able to offer such a fantastic sheer collection to our customers.” 

Meanwhile the Classic Layers Collection & Living Now represent an important release in blind and sheer curtain coordination. 

“Four classic Maurice Kain Sheer curtain fabrics have been carefully coordinated to Resene Origin Blind fabric by Four Families. Not all yarn types and not all dyeing methods are suited to effective fabric coordination. By adding the two parameters carefully, a seamless and harmonious coordination is achieved.” 

“Each Resene Origin Blind fabric colour has been thoughtfully paired to our bestselling Southport, Libretto, Supremo and Odin sheer drapery fabric by Maurice Kain, offering a well-rounded interior window furnishing option for the solution driven homeowner. Making it easier for consultants to get an add-on sale and much faster to match great coordinating colours.

“For the customer that wants more than a sheer curtain and blind fabric coordination, the Maurice Kain Living Now Collection offers 78 fabrics to choose from including a selection of colour coordinated roller blind fabric, coloured lining, blockout, sheer and uncoated curtain fabric stories. Our talented design team worked hard to bring together three unique collections that also suit an array of generalised interior styles. The pairing options present our bestselling colours, across our bestselling fabrics, they are completely endless.”

Earlier this year Maurice Kain released a sheer embroidery collection called Mayflower and Zala. 

“Mayflower is an exclusive – hand drawn by our talented team of artists – dandelion hand drawn embroidery design featured in five neutral colourways. 

“Zala demonstrates the art of conjuring subtly contrasting atmospheres using an embroidery technique. While understanding the practicalities of transforming one’s interior space drove the overarching brief, the magic that transforms this drapery fabric is the soul-salving oasis of elegant curves and sensory delight using subtle biophilic design and its connection to seasonality. 

“It evokes a feeling of elegant, faded grandeur. It is a real luxury to have a generous supply of embroidery designs in the market, and Zala now forms an integral part of this unique product offering.

“The fabrics offer a sense of flow and movement, while adding a touch of decorative interest to a sheer without being overwhelming on the window. The Maurice Kain team has always been so in love with embroidery drapery sheer fabrics, and if crafted well, can form an integral part of an interiors temperament, mood and energy. We have so many other beautiful sheer embroidery fabrics unlike what is currently available in the market, many designed exclusively in-house, for the interior lover to enjoy.” 

Sekers

Sekers has launched new collections designed to coordinate to Dunraven Sheer Linen, Maya Vivian, Sekers, tells WFA. 

“Sekers’ sheer 100% linen Dunraven, has been very much loved in the market since its original launch in 2020 and since then it has seemed only obvious to coordinate stunning print collections that can be matched back to the luxurious linen sheers. Two recently released print ranges from Maurice Kain and Sekers, Glasshouse and Estelle, have been specifically designed to coordinate harmoniously with our Sekers Dunraven sheer linen range. 

“Each colourway of these detailed and decorative prints has been carefully synchronised with Dunraven’s stunning range of colour diversity. 

“The linen-blend base cloths of each collection mesh marvellously together, and as the result is a beautiful decorative feature on the window.”

“Meanwhile Sekers’ Orla Kiely licensed sheers, introduced in 2019, has been dearly loved by our decorative customers. Our Woven collection features two beautiful sheer woven prints: Giant Stem and Climbing Daisy at 300cm wide. The prints take on a retro theme and suit an array of interior decorating schemes. Made from a unique Polyester/Viscose composition, they drape beautifully on the window and complement a diverse range of solids, including the entire Orla Kiely Print Collection.”

Filigree

“Function meets style in our new Easton Collection, which launched to the market just last month. Seasons are fleeting, but Easton is an all-year rounder boasting an on-trend neutral colour palette including a range of Silver, Linen, and Ash tones. Easton is crafted from a strong Polyester composition. 

“It bridges the gap in affordable curtain drapery for the fashion-forward household” – Wayne Leslie, Filigree.”

Warwick Fabrics

Cam Warwick of Warwick Fabrics tells WFA new releases in the company’s sheer drapery range include Mecca, Bronte, Tomasso, Gianna and Angelo.

“Mecca is a contemporary, open weave sheer with a dry, metallic finish. Piece dyed with a beautiful subtle sheen, Mecca is bound to bring a unique and sophisticated look and feel to any room it is featured in.

“Bronte is a yarn dyed, woven striped sheer that embodies a polyester and linen blend, creating a natural look with stability and subtle slub texture. Soft and continuous with a dry finish, Bronte features a classic mid-scale stripe that is suited to transitional interiors.

“Tomasso is a transitional, woven sheer that features a textural, two-toned appearance for a sumptuous aesthetic. Piece dyed with a subtle sheen for a lavish look and feel, Tomasso’s finish is refined and subtle, bringing sophistication and style to any room it is featured in.

Gianna is a plain weave, piece dyed sheer with a dry, yet soft finish. Continuous with a silky appearance, Gianna’s subtle texture is perfect for layering and brings a timeless, organic aesthetic to transitional spaces.

“Angelo is a woven, piece dyed sheer that uses cationic yarns to create a two-toned, textural appearance. Embodying a subtle metallic sheen for an elegant finish, its texture is refined, bringing sophisticated style to a myriad of settings.”

Mecca, Bronte, Tomasso, Gianna and Angelo are all continuous, wide width, contemporary sheers. These attributes give them suitability to wide range of residential and commercial spaces.

Individually these products, each offer a unique, trend driven aesthetic.

Warwick tells WFA “Drapery is not often updated seasonally, so you see a lot of neutrals traditionally, combined with soft touch textures and more recently open weaves such as Mecca to create some tactility and variation to a plain weave, while Brone adds a Hamptons feel with its striped soft colour palette. This category maintains a complementary colour palette that will be interchangeable with a variety of seasonal changes that you see within interior décor.”

Silent Gliss

Silent Gliss by Peter Meyer has added the semi-transparent Trevira CS Colorama 2 to its sheer fabric collection. 

“Colorama 2 is a less transparent and heavier version of the original Colorma 1 fabric that has had incredible success around the globe with total production since launch reaching approximately 50 million square metres. 

“Available for application on both curtains and Roller blinds, this fabric is truly impressive in its versatility and sophisticated technology. Woven from the original Trevira CS yarn and extended to offer further design and performance attributes including Multicolour, Acoustic, and Eco, Colorama 2 has an impressive width of 3.4 metres and is truly lovely to touch with a very stable weave. 

“It is also an acoustic fabric, with sound absorption of αw 0.40, is flame retardant, tear-resistant and can be recycled. The Colorama 2 range also has antibacterial and aluminium-backed versions available by indent – Colorama 2 Bioactive and Colorama 2 Alu. Colorama 2 Bioactive is made with fibres containing ionised silver. 

“Its lasting antimicrobial effect is useful in situations that have special hygiene requirements such as hospitals, nursing and retirement homes, and schools. Colorama 2 Alu has the addition of a resistant aluminium backing for higher reflection and lower transparency. This is a highly functional fabric with a textile appearance.

Managing Director Simon Meyers confirms the colour trends for sheer fabrics have had little change over the years with whites and creams reigning supreme.”

Shaw

Mark Lewis, Head of Division, at Shaw Performance Fabrics, tells WFA the company’s recently launched drapery sheers are 3200mm wide with eco beading and designed to co-ordinate with Shaw’s roller blind fabrics; Orora, Palm Beach and Linesque. 

“The program was specifically designed for customers seeking a quality, value for money sheer / roller blind solution. Shaw developed this range of sheers in collaboration with one of their valued manufacturing partners who are based in Europe and have over 100 years’ experience in weaving.”

“Shaw sheers are a superior quality product which handles and performs beautifully. Whether used ‘width for drop’ or joined for windows in excess of 3200mm, the S-fold shape is held from top to bottom, keeping the look, whatever the drop. 

The sheers are accredited with Greenguard and Greenguard Gold, and tested to AS1530 Part II & III. They are Oekotex accredited.

“Shaw’s sheer and blind fabric textures and colours match across the program, giving retailers the opportunity to sell the ‘layered look’ popular in current interior design, or to co-ordinate window dressing throughout the home, with the same colour and texture but with different light control attributes.”

Lewis says the sheer curtain market continues to grow, driven by interior design trends and the multi-functional use of residential living spaces.

“Shaw continuously monitors local and international design and colour trends. Currently we identify with several themes, which are reflected in our colour portfolios; Linesque for example has an organic linen look with a colour range from warm neutrals to earthy shades.

“In contrast, the classic black and white pairing is back in vogue, with fresh and airy bright white, contrasted with dramatic black and charcoal, achievable with Iluka drapery Liquorice, and Palm Beach blackout Quartz.

“The trend to take the inside out and vice versa continues, end users can use Shaw fabrics to give seamless colour transition from gentle greys of urban back yards, to soft aqua and blue tones, to enhance a coastal look. Shaw’s drapery sheers provide a solution for retailers to reflect the location of their customers’ homes.”

“Many organisations have adopted hybrid working hours and location, meaning that homework spaces are being given a makeover transforming thrown together work during the onslaught of Covid into comfortable, design driven muliti-functional rooms. Work area by day, TV / home entertainment room in the evening with a blackout blind paired with a sheer curtain.

“Those recovering from storm and flood damage are seeking a fresh start with a practical window covering. Those more fortunate are seeking a haven to escape bad weather with their window covering choices.”