BLOCKOUTS THRIVE IN CURRENT CLIMATE

TEXSTYLE
The Gala Collection from Texstyle is described as “a new dimension in blockout colour with a bold, complementary colour palette that works together in a multitude of eye-catching colour combinations.”

Featuring a sophisticated design, the Australian made fabric is eco-friendly and PVC Free, and designed for roller, roman and panel blind applications.

“With 22 blockout colours, Gala has the most extensive colour palette in a jacquard woven fabric available in the Australian market. The market is becoming saturated with grey, beige and white colour palettes; The Gala Collection offers a refreshing change for designers and consumers looking to incorporate more sophistication into their living and working spaces.”

Meanwhile the Balmoral Collection offers three new colour options, aligning with the range’s “pure elegance with a premium design aesthetic.”

“Now available in 13 perfectly matched light filtering and blockout colours – privacy can be achieved in all light conditions. Eco-friendly and PVC Free, this fabric is suitable for roller, roman, panel blind and verticals (blockout only) applications.”

“Chrome, Platinum and Armour are new additions to the successful Balmoral Collection. The colours are available in both blockout and light filtering, and bring the new Balmoral Collection to 13 colours in both opacities. The new colours bring Copper and Blue Green elements to the range in line with prevailing trends and are perfect complements to the more traditional colours in this luxe design collection.”

THE SPECIALTY GROUP
Super Expo 2019 saw The Speciality Group showcasing its new Jacquard ranges, available as an exclusively licensed Designer blind fabric collection featuring Dulux technology. Fabrics are identically colour matched to Dulux Australia’s most popular selling paint colours and feature the signature paint names: Seagrass, Spinifex, Cobblestone, Arcadia, Ella Bay, Pebble and Fireworks. The new ranges are available in roller blind fabric (2800 mm width) and vertical blind fabric (127 mm width).

LUXAFLEX
Vera Meharg, Marketing Communications Manager, Luxaflex Window Fashions, comments:

“There is a long-standing belief that every room needs to feature the same window covering to ensure a consistent, uniform look. However, in today’s modern day, this is certainly not the case. The versatility of the Luxaflex product range and the extensive fabrics available means you can use the most suitable products per application without compromising on the overall finished look. Consistency can still be achieved through the use of different products, which allows for an individual room’s needs to be met whilst repeating the same fabric or colour to develop the desired sense of flow.”

“What is required in one room will almost certainly differ to what’s required in the next. This can include privacy, dual-action coverage, motorisation or style. Windows on south facing facades will need something very different to those on west facing facades, and the product most suitable to use over doors versus windows can also vary greatly. The most common need for alternative fabrics or products is for blocking out light. Keeping light out of the bedroom, whether from the street or earlymorning sun, is crucial to a restful night’s sleep, and also enables adequate privacy.”

“Room darkening fabrics may be described as blockout or blackout. This will infer the room is going to be completely black when the blind is shut; however, this often isn’t the case unless the blind style and fixing has been ensured to have no gaps or overlaps that light can reflect through. As such, it is important to do your research on the blockout product range. Luxaflex Duette Architella Shades are particularly good for bedrooms as they have minimal light gaps, and achieve the highest levels of light blockout through the blind. They also feature a patented cell-within-a-cell construction and can be used anywhere in the home where you are looking for superior insulation.”

“Roller Blinds are the perfect choice for a nursery or child’s room as they allow you to choose a different operating system to ensure maximum safety and functionality, from Standard Chain Drive to Linked and Dual Roller Blinds, as well as enclosed head boxes, side channels and more. They can also be operated using motorised technology, including our exclusive QMotion Battery Operated Roller Blind, or the revolutionary app-driven PowerView operating system. An eye-catching pattern can let your blind act as a modern variation of the ‘feature wall’ in a room. This is particularly appealing in children’s rooms where their tastes may change quite rapidly as they grow, as well as rental properties where there may be limitations on the redecorating you can do.”

“Perfect for children’s bedrooms are Luxaflex printed fabrics, offering a focus on fun prints that can be both subtle and bold.”

“The new collection of Kids Prints instantly provides the perfect backdrop for any nursery, bedroom or playroom and can work in an older style home just as well as a more modern home. A key consideration particularly for those with a young family is the ease of maintenance.”

“Four stunning, modern designs have been launched into the Luxaflex Window Fashions range to delight cheeky monkeys and big kids alike. The new collection includes a lively mix of animal block prints and striking motifs in a variety of colourways. Available in blockout and translucent opacities, the versatile ‘Jungle’, ‘Zebra’, ‘Elephant’ and ‘Hedgehog’ ranges are made to order as roller blinds, and designed with child safety in mind.”

“Living rooms and home entertainment rooms are great for family and friends to convene and enjoy time together, watching TV or a movie. To avoid pesky glare from the sunlight, blockout blinds can be used. Luxaflex’s take on Roman Shades are available in room darkening and blackout opacities, creating the wonderful atmosphere of a home cinema is achievable, whilst offering a timeless design which never goes out of style.”

TURNILS
Hunter Douglas window coverings components recently welcomed the Avila blockout fabric to the Turnils Collage internal fabric and screen collection. Avila features a contemporary colour palette of whites, greys and charcoals, with white foam backing or a grey backing option in selected colours.

This stylish and affordable plain blockout fabric is perfect for creating a private space coordinating with a wide range of interiors and is soft to the touch with an almost textured appearance.

Patricia Seoudi, Product Manager for Fabrics explains “Like with most of the fabric offering from Hunter Douglas, Avila blockout has been designed and manufactured in Australia. This also means it meets our stringent testing for high standards of lightfastness and quality.”

Seoudi adds that “the range was designed to coordinate with a wide variety of Mermet Performance Sunscreens making it perfect for dual roller blind applications.”

Avila is available in 3.0 metre widths and is suitable for roller blinds, panel glide and roman blind applications.

Avila is available through Hunter Douglas Window Coverings Components as part of the Turnils Collage internal fabric and screen collection for more information visit turnilscollage.com.au

THE SHANN GROUP
The Shann Group’s window fabric range includes blockout fabrics Porto and Castille. Described as a blockout blind fabric perfect for use with roller, panel and vertical blinds, Porto is available in an extensive range of colours that align with modern interior design. The fabric is manufactured from durable polyester and acrylic coated. Castille is described as “a subtly textured block out blind fabric ideal for use with roller, panel and roman blinds. Available in a range of designer colours, with coloured backing, Castille is manufactured from durable polyester and acrylic foam coated to provide a soft feel and superior blockout properties.

“SKIN SERVICE” FROM BLINDS BY BORONIA GROUP
Sales Manager Michelle Macready says blockout releases are evolving in line with trends, with a focus changing from plain traditional block out fabrics to “a more textured finish that really enhances consumers’ home décor.”

“During the Super Expo in June we saw every fabric wholesale company launch a new block out fabric adding to the vast ranges on offer.”

“The self-patterned and textured finishes on block out fabrics are not very noticeable during the day however as nightfall approaches and the blinds are lowered the textures and patterns reflect the light showing the detail in the designs.”

“While we are always keen to see new fabrics being launched, it can also be daunting for many manufacturers that assemble their own blinds. It can be hard to tell which fabrics the new big seller will be as you hit the road and show the new ranges to your customers. At Skins N More we understand these challenges and offer a skin service for these new ranges. This gives you the convenience of being able to sell the new ranges with confidence without having to order large quantities of stocks that may or may not sell.”