Sheer delight

JAMES DUNLOP TEXTILES

Annie Moir, James Dunlop Design Director – James Dunlop Textiles confirms the company is releasing the first two designs from its new Panoramic collection, titled Foreshore and Reservoir – part of a range of sheer drapery inspired by coastal environments, to be developed over the coming years.

“Historically, sheer drapes have been limited by the technical restraints of loom size, keeping to a current industry standard of 310mm-320mm wide. Our Panoramic collection, constructed in a durable polyester fibre, is based around the release of our 350mm extra wide sheer which we believe is an industry first, and is extremely excited to unveil.”

Moir says sheer drapes continue to attract strong demand through their ability to “let romantic soft light into the home and an increased sense of privacy, working particularly well in modern architectural and coastal homes, with high studs and expansive windows.”

“The 350mm extra wide sheer reduces the need to join seams, therefore taking nothing away from the ambience of a space.”

In terms of colour, texture trends in the current market, the “sanctuary trend” continues to promote a sense of self-care and ritual by bringing the uplifting power of light indoors, she says.

“Organic, or organic-looking, fibres such as linen remain popular with over-washed finishes in comforting neutral tones – from whites and greys to soft browns. Texture is becoming increasingly important and the nostalgia for handcrafts is incorporated into the home-sanctuary, noticeable in textiles constructed via traditional open weaves.”

The current pandemic climate has heightened interest in sheers, she says. “Interest in interior design has always been high, however, with many people working from home and the continued restrictions on local and global travel, people are acting on those impulses to put a little more love into the places they spend time in with their families.”

“Investing in turning those spaces into a reflection of their lifestyles and needs has become a priority at this time of global disruption.”

NORMAN AUSTRALIA

The Norman brand is renowned in Australia for its shutter programs, but the company also offers an extensive range of customer-made soft shades featuring sheer options in the Portrait Honeycomb Shades and PerfectSheer ranges.

“Portrait Honeycomb was initially developed for European and USA markets, featuring award-winning designs, exclusive model options, and industry-leading operating systems. By choosing our versatile dual shade you get privacy with the sheer fabric, allowing you to enjoy your view. By pairing with our Light Flitering or Room Darkening fabrics you can get complete privacy.”

“The Norman vertical sliding solution is a great alternative to traditional vertical blinds and a polished way to add style and insulation to patio doors, sliders and large windows. Norman’s vertical honeycomb is flexible enough to offer a sheer fabric option and when paired with a room darkening or light filtering fabric offers better privacy and light control than found in old fashioned vertical blinds. Portrait sheer fabrics offer 50-71% UV blockage.”

“With Norman’s PerfectSheer three dimensional layered soft shades, you can progressively change your view – transitioning from sheer to light filtering or room darkening, all at the simple pull of a cord. Available in a wide range of fabric textures and colours, PerfectSheer shades uplifts any décor to a new level of functionality, elegance and style.”

The fabric’s design incorporates two layers of sheer drapery connected by a soft light filtering or room darkening fabric vane. “This creates a luxurious soft window covering with the combined versatility of a venetian blind and roller shade…offering the best of both worlds all in one shade. PerfectSheer’s design and operating system also offer snug vane closure, meaning privacy and light control.”

“When the light becomes too bright, simply close the soft-fold vanes to provide superior insulation for your home reducing the heat, glare and damage from the sun’s harsh UV rays.”

“Most manufacturers join their fabrics by sewing, gluing or heat fusing. PerfectSheer‘s three layers of fabric are woven together to stay looking great under the harsh Australian sun. Choose from over 30 PerfectSheer luxury fabrics to match with or provide contrast with your existing décor.”

ZEPEL

Jannah Stevens, Product Developer, Zepel says new sheer release Happiness is a “chunky bouclé” fabric currently sought after “delightful to explore.”

“Tiny, wrinkled bouclette yarns of mixed composition come together to create this heavenly mesh weave. The construction of Happiness is reminiscent of the ‘70s aesthetic of weighty, highly textured drapery, and the historical practice of hand mesh weaving to create fishing nets and gathering bags.  Minimalist in approach with maximum impact, Happiness represents past functionality that’s evolved into decorative and textural magnificence.”

Another fabric in the range is Flash “a slubby, metallic mesh-sheer that offers a sophisticated element of depth, dimension that’s sumptuously soft to the touch.”

“This wide/continuous drapery collection offers a concise yet versatile selection of metallic neutrals that can be adapted in any existing or new interior space, whether it be commercial or residential.”

Meanwhile Alassio uses a play on shapes that blend with cooler neutral tones to enhance interest in a fun yet discrete way, she says. “This fresh, simple sheer fabric is digitally printed, and features a transitional Art Deco inspired geometric contrasted against the soft matte texture of this linen-look construction. Alassio is wide/continuous and can also be hung multi-directional for those higher window drops as required.”

A jacquard sheer, Triora is alight filtering fabric characterised by “subtle visual interest through the ‘fil coupe’ surface texture.”

Another fabric offering unique textual qualities along with a sustainably profile is Benu Net by Christian Fischbacher. A warp-knit fabric constructed using trademarked Seaqual Yarn, which is composed entirely from ‘upcycled marine plastic’ the fabric composition is based on two different colours twisted together to create each strand of yarn, resulting in a fabric “with a striking, melange appearance.”

Related fabric Benu Soul by Christian Fischbacher  combines jute-like, ‘eco’ Seaqual yarns with silver lurex to create an opulent and natural aesthetic. The fine, open warp gives the floor-to-ceiling curtain an incredibly soft drape.

“This suite of new designs from Zepel and Christian Fischbacher reveals the current focus for sheers to add an element of dimension and exaggerated texture. A sheer isn’t just a background presence and secondary to interior styling, but is rather chosen for its visual impact, daring texture, or reference to a nostalgic aesthetic.”

“There is also a focus on the addition of metallic flecks of colour across the surface of sheers which is very apparent in this collection of designs. This plays with light in the space by creating soft and strong reflections across the fabric throughout the day.”

“Overall,we have seen increased interest/trend in chunky bouclé mesh sheers and with great diversity in regards to weight, texture, and construction across Zepel and our two international brands, Fischbacher and Casamance. Definitely natural and neutral colourways are currently popular with added flecks of metallic across the fabric surface.”  

“Furnishings have been popular with consumers and commercial sector during this pandemic. As overseas travel has ceased, consumers and business owners are instead investing in refreshing their interiors. We have noticed that the recent popularity with sheers is also due to the growing desire for many to bring bounds of light into interiors to enhance positive energy, warmth, and optimism which the population is seeking during this stressful time.”

WARWICK

Recently released ‘Nelma’ by Warwick is described as a design of sheer tropical foliage with a modern touch.

“Influenced by nature, Nelma takes inspiration from tropical foliage to create a modern sheer drapery. Self-weighted with a continuous 300m width and featuring a tossed botanical design, Nelma is a contemporary floral that is ideal for creating serene and harmonious moods and relaxed and inviting spaces.”

The fabric features a two=tone effect with a marled yarn that gives it “a subtle, textured appearance adding to the natural aesthetic it provides to an interior. Dry and tactile, it offers and organic and raw finish with its clipped jacquard construction in harmonious neutral hues that create calming and ethereal spaces while still allowing light to filter through.”

Oeko-Tex certified and FR tested, Nelma is self-weighted and offers a generous 300cm continuous wide width which adds to its versatility, making easy to work with and perfect for large architectural windows.  The fabric’s colourways include six complementary neutral hues including Natural and White, Charcoal, Midnight, Pewter and Silver.

“With AS1530.2 fire rating and Oeko-Tex certification, Nelma’s range of colours and soft nature bring a sense of calm and serenity to modern residential and coastal commercial spaces.”

MAC WINDOW FASHIONS

Alex Lozanovski – Managing Director, MAC Window Fashions, says sheer curtains are in high demand at the moment “and don’t seem to be going out of fashion.”

“We are manufacturing thousands of metres every week and even through these Covid times, demand and production volume are rapidly growing.

“As we focus on supplying retailers with a complete curtain solution in our MAC Made range, we are forever looking to add new sheer fabrics that tick all our boxes.”

Lozanovski confirms the MAC Made range has now added a selection from Warwick’s Linea range of high-end linen fabrics.

“The introduction of the Warwick Linea range into our MAC Made range has given the end consumer great alternatives that speak for themselves. From a business perspective, dealing with Warwick fabrics as one of our key supply partners and the Linea range it just gives us confidence. We know the fabric is of a very high quality, great to work with and readily available to us.”

“The current market trend is all about sheer curtains and as time passes, we are seeing higher quality and higher category fabrics being in demand. It shows people want quality in their homes and projects.”

“In terms of a made-to-measure curtain solution such as our MAC Made program, having the ability to incorporate these high-end linen fabrics into a simple curtain system has really given us that point of difference and made our MAC brand very popular and in high demand.”

“Having one of the largest curtain manufacturing facilities in Victoria makes it really easy to identify what end consumers are buying. All it takes is to have one look over the entire factory and you can quickly identify what is on trend. At the moment it is a sea of light grey and natural tone linen and linen blend sheers. I would say 90% of what is in production at any one time falls into this category.”

BASFORD BRANDS

In recent months, “demand for sheer drapery products has compelled us to step out of the box and develop collections that not only tick the box for a variety of different interior design aesthetics, but that challenge the way these products can positively impact our environment,” says Michelle West, Associate Director, Basford Brands. 

“We achieved this with our new Lithgow collection, a smart combination of linen and polyester, which come together to form a beautiful light filtering semi-sheer base. The strength of the polyester gives the fabric its durability, yet we wanted to incorporate more of a sustainable aspect to the collection, hence the linen ingredient.”

Lithgow is offered in 15 colours and follows “a beautiful story of forest green and deep navy accents surrounded by natural and earth derived tones,” she says. “Our designers felt this colour story added to the overall vision of the fabric, emphasising the natural and earth-like nature of the fabric.”

Another new release is the Jupiter collection, described as a luxurious 100% Polyester Sheer drapery fabric with subtle texture and a crushed finish and offered in eight colourways.

“Jupiter suits an array of interior design styles and can be beautifully paired with a solid or liner to give it added depth and dimension on the window. At 320cm continuous, Jupiter is the perfect sheer solution for tall ceilings and wide window fixtures, creating a smart and charismatic, soft furnishing for your living environment.”

Aside from plain sheers, Basford Brands has also partnered up with the Hairy Maclary license team to develop and bring to life a coordinated sheer and solid collection based on the friendly tale of the first children’s book.

“Walkout, our sheer design, joins the party as a soft sheer partner to our Hairy Maclary solid collection. Crafted with 100% Polyester, Walk Out showcases a light and airy romantic drapery option for children’s rooms, that still encompasses our take on the much loved Hairy Maclary tale.”

“Our designers worked closely with the Hairy Maclary team to capture the perfect balance of colour and design, that we believe, truly brings the characters to life. A sheer drapery that can accompany your children’s windows. The fabrics work well together and come together to create a sophisticated yet playful children’s look.”

Basford Brands is also continuing its sustainability activities in terms of fabric development, says West.

“We began our recycled fabric journey when we released Rejuvenate. Featuring an abundance of sophisticated attributes, Rejuvenate represents 320cm of environmentally conscious luxury. Made out of luxurious recycled polyester, each metre of Rejuvenate fabric contains 81 one litre plastic bottles that have been recycled and prevented from entering landfill.”

“Rejuvenate boasts an on-trend colourline of warm and cool neutrals that represent the many shades that take form in our nature. Rejuvenate offers subtle texture with a hint of personality for any interior aesthetic. Now our customers can have both the look and the quality without the impact on the environment.”

Looking ahead, Basford Brands’ trends forecast for 2021-2022 reflects “reactions to the pandemic not only in the way we decorate our homes, but how we live in them and consumer purchasing habits,” says Maya Vivian, Lead Product Developer and Design, Decorative.

“For reasons we probably don’t need to explain, the past 18 months have not been the time for embracing ground-breaking design trends. Sure, we spent more time indoors than any other year on record, but this insularity was borne out of survival, and often tinged with emotions many of us would care to leave behind.

“But, as our calendars have now moved towards 2022 and beyond, it is giving many of us hope for a renewed sense of purpose and greater clarity on how we’d like to live at home.”

“Researching previous, current and future consumer mannerisms, interior design and product consumption, I was able to identify what I believe to be three major trends that will be present for us, and the remainder of the market over the coming years.”

The first, known as Grounded Trend, plays into the emotional value of our homes and reminds us that design is the keystone of the wellness movement, she says.

“Our homes become our sanctuaries, creating places where we can find emotional as well as physical comfort, and can endure unsettling world events and fill the void of uncertainty. Unsurprisingly, the desire for tranquillity within the home is high. With design being a response to human needs, we are placing value on instilling balance and calm in the living spaces, making it a place where one can switch off from work, technology, and endless notifications.”

“Design trends will seek to achieve calmness and serenity through natural textures, forms, colours, and aesthetics. Designers and owners are gravitating towards textiles that embrace flaws, natural textures, and subtle moments to add character to spaces.”

“The natural, earthy tones that have permeated our wardrobes for the last few seasons have hit our homes.  People are embracing calming colour palettes that create a refuge in their home. We will see soft, warm, and comforting tones and textures.”

“For the past decade, greys have ruled the design world, but beiges and browns are now gaining popularity. The new colour palette includes terracotta, earthy pinks, golden beige, moss green, soft olive and clay toned orange. We will embrace the imperfections of authentic natural materials and move away from sleek looking man-made surfaces. We want to see and feel materials with tactile fabrics like linen, boucle, open weaves, and matte velvets combined with wood and stone – the opposite of the screens we spend a lot of hours looking at.”

The second, Reset Trend is drawn from more focus on creating a productive home environment while maintaining elements of play, meaning a move away from  plain white walls. 

“We are amidst a colourful revolution in the design industry,” says Vivian. “During this time in the middle of a pandemic we feel uncertain and frankly, things have been looking a bit bleak. The last thing we want is for our homes to look dull and depressing especially as we’re spending more time than ever at home. We will be seeing interior trends move away from colourless shades of grey, black, and white that makes us feel nothing. More than ever, we need to feel optimistic, so we turn to colour.”

“By using uplifting colours and a bold sense of renewal we welcome the new normal with open arms. It’s time to renew ourselves by embracing unified colours, playful styling and retro influences. Yellow has been gaining influence for a few years now and was named the Pantone colour of the year for 2021.”

“It is a friendly colour that is happy and optimistic. Used the right way it gives a cheerful cosiness. From sophisticated ochre and mustard to blonde and warm beige and bold yellow, there are many tones of yellow that make it accessible to use at home.”

“Green is moving away from a fringe colour to hero, especially in hard surfaces such as cabinetry and tiles, and in bedlinen. A soothing grey tinged eucalyptus shade works well with our light, and shades of olive, deep forest and mint are also popular. Yellow pairs well with other trend colours such as olive greens as well as deep blues. Ultramarine blues paired with terracotta and rosy pinks are another key colour trend; burnt ochres, raw sun-baked tones, paired with smoky greys, and a return of true red, often paired with deep indigos and charred blacks.”

The third trend, Lean into Luxury is also about buoying emotions. “Consider how playful opulence and patterns lift an interior’s mood and why this has become so important for this new era. It’s a feeling of sumptuousness that redefines the home with all the comforts and refinements of boutique hotels.”

“The trend illustrates a focus on premium finishes with inspiration drawn from hotel design, art deco style and Viennese Modernism. With the growing desire to host elegant, intimate gatherings in the home over lavish public events comes a love for geometric shapes, luxury velvets, monochrome prints and cashmere throws.”

SILENT GLISS

Silent Gliss by Peter Meyer in Australia has recently added the Colorama 2 fabric to its collection. 

“Colorama 2 is a semi-transparent Trevira CS Blinds and Curtain fabric that provides privacy and shading, and can assist in the achievement of green building ratings,” says Simon Meyer – Managing Director of Silent Gliss owner Blinds by Peter Meyer.

“It is the most successful Silent Gliss fabric over the last 20 years and is also available as a roller blind fabric, says Meyer, who describes Colorama 2 as “a versatile and sophisticated Trevira CS fabric that has an extensive colour range.”

“The fabric is absolutely divine to touch with its stable weave, however, what is truly exciting about this collection is that it has a width up to 3.4m – the widest available blind fabric in the Australian market. As this fabric is being sold as a roller blind fabric on the new Silent Gliss Roller Blind Systems 4930 and 4970, this width is quite impressive. 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 are 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. With the increased need for hygiene due to Covid-19, Colorama 2 Bioactive would be worth a closer look. Colorama 2 Alu has the addition of a resistant aluminium backing for higher reflection and lower transparency; a highly functional fabric with a textile appearance.

SHAW

Mark Lewis confirms that in response to customer requests Shaw is entering the sheer drapery market, with a significant point of difference.

“The new sheers co-ordinate with our roller blind fabrics. We will be introducing three new sheer fabrics. Linesque and Orora initially, and then early in the new year Iluka, which co-ordinates with the our classic Palm Beach fabric.”

“The program’s key feature is the simplicity of being able to offer a one fabric solution with a drapery and roller blind combination to suit every aspect of the building, controlling the level of light, heat and privacy with the same fabric design and colour throughout the home.”

“Linesque drapery was specifically developed to co-ordinate with the popular Linesque blackout and light filtering roller fabric, in the same extensive contemporary on-trend colour palette.”

Shaw believes the sheer market is buoyant and growing for those suppliers who stay on top of current trends in colour and design.

As always Shaw will be monitoring and forecasting colour and interior trends locally and globally.

“The market is heading towards warmer colours and tones. Even blacks are warmer, moving towards deep brown blacks and charcoals.”

“There is a wealth of sheers on the market that are selling well, in particular those in the right colours with a point of difference, like co-ordinating with roller fabrics, or complementing other home furnishings.”

“Orora drapery fabric co-ordinates with Orora FR sheer roller fabric, supporting the trend for layering sheer-on-sheer fabric, giving decorative day time privacy. Orora drapery is supplied with quality eco-beading.”

“Linesque and Orora are high performance drapery fabrics, with superior handling in the work room including cutting, sewing and movement through the production process. Once manufactured, the finished curtain hangs beautifully.”

Both sheers are tested to AS1530 Part II & III, and are accredited with Greenguard certification.

“In developing these fabrics, we have listened to our customers’ requests for co-ordinating curtain and window blind fabric, with good handle, contemporary textures and on-trend colours.”

BM BLINDS

Maggie Tieu, Sales Representative – BM Blinds, tells WFA the company’s Veri Shades window product has driven demand for sheers.

“From the moment BM Blinds launched Veri Shades into our range the take up has been extremely positive. Available in a range of designs and a modern colour palette, they allow for both day and night privacy with a simple turn of a wand and are also available to be motorised with a rechargeable battery.”

“Made from 100% polyester they are very stable and less likely to fade and are a hand washable product that is easy to install.” 

“The ‘clever curtain’ is the perfect blend of curtain and blind, with the ability to walk through the billows either in the closed or open position. Having no cords or bottom weights, these are very child and pet-friendly.”

“With two new designs currently being added to our range, we are excited to launch these to our market. BM Blinds have also recently increased our manufacturing capabilities with state-of-the-art machinery and are ready to assist new and existing clients with swatching.”