Venetians update

Somfy

Nicki Beggs, Product Marketing Executive at Somfy Australia and New Zealand, indicates demand for motorisation solutions that support venetians remains strong. “The sleek, modern look of venetians continues to remain a popular choice, allowing users to keep their home cool in summer and warm in winter,” she says, adding that  Somfy’s range of motors and controls is suitable for all external venetian blind applications, with the convenience of integrating these motors with app control systems an added bonus.

“Somfy’s J4 WT motor is an easy, flexible and efficient solution, designed to drive all types of external Venetian blinds. The universal external motor is a compact design that fits either side of a headrail, through the use of a bi-directional (2D) mushroom. The mushroom works both in the up and down direction, which ensures the blind is protected in the event of false installation of the motor (where up and down direction are reversed).” 

To enable RTS control, users can pair a J4 WT motor with the Soliris MOD / VAR Slim Receiver RTS with a Hirschmann plug. Available in three torques (6, 10 and 18), there is a J4 WT motor to suit most external venetian applications. 

“Compatible with all types of control options, the motor can be linked to a range of RTS automation controls including Connexoon Window RTS and Somfy’s sun and wind sensors.”

“For the precise adjustment of tilting Venetian blinds, Somfy’s Situo Variation RTS range of 1 and 5 channel remote controls is the ideal solution for those looking to adjust their external Venetians effortlessly and remotely. “Our Situo Variation RTS is more than just a remote control,” says Beggs. “The innovative scroll wheel allows for easy and precise adjustment of tilting on Venetian blinds, giving users the power to adjust and control the amount of light entering the room with precision and convenience.”

“The ergonomic and sleek design also compliments the rest of our Situo control range, created to fit within most users’ homes and lifestyles.”

Blinds by Peter Meyer 

Blinds by Peter Meyer has introduced two new releases in its Venetians range; Habitus Plus and Simply Cedar. 

Habitus Plus is described as “a unique collection of economical Timber and Poly Venetians” that combine seven sustainable Basswood Habitus Timber colours with Poly colours Ivory and Pure.

“All nine on-trend colours are available in 50mm and 63mm slats that extend to 3000mm wide for the timber options and 2700mm in the Poly,” Managing Director Simon Meyer tells WFA. “The stylish 80mm valance creates a lovely finish for a modern aesthetic. The carefully curated colour spectrum has been chosen by colour specialists and the seven stunning timber colours have been chosen to suit the needs of today’s interior decor.”

“The new Simply Cedar range is sourced from Canadian government-regulated forests and is completely sustainable with each tree removed being replaced by three new trees. With full PEFC certification, the cedar is old-growth sustainable and has a fine grain with a consistent finish. 

“Blinds by Peter Meyer’s ability and expertise in custom staining and custom painting in-house solidifies the Simply Cedar range as the finest custom made natural Cedar Venetian blinds available in Australia. A more recent addition to the range includes light/medium and medium/dark oiled finishes. Available in 46mm, 60mm and 85mm slat widths, Blinds by Peter Meyer hand select every slat meticulously. The 4.2mm thick blades are assembled by hand and checked throughout the whole process.” 

“The past year has seen upward pressure on raw material pricing. Last year, we had to increase our aluminium venetian pricing by 15% due to what we hope is a relatively short-term aluminium and steel price fluctuation of up to 30%. We are not immune to this; I think everyone in the market is seeing these kinds of increases in raw materials costs over the past year and we have managed this as best we can – only passing on the pure cost without any additional margins.

“With the Poly Venetians, white and off-white will always trend. We have curated the Habitus Plus Timber range to pick the latest on-trend colours – White again and grey tones. Our most recent addition to the range is a very bright white tone, Glacier. 

“Although everything has opened up now, there is still the aftereffect of more people working from home and traveling less. With this in mind, we have continued to release new products and be inventive in getting our offering to trade and the end consumers. Our virtual showroom has also been a vital tool for ourselves and our trade customers in showing our product range in action without people having to travel in person to our showroom.

Blindware

Sally Gmaz from Blindware tells WFA the company has three innovative ranges of timber and timber-look-alike venetian systems, “each with a set of unique features making them perfect for their environment.” 

“Named after three famous cities or regions, each one of our venetian ranges embodies some of the flare and personality of its namesake. Designed here in Australia, for Australian conditions, the Blindware range of venetian products are simple to manufacture and look stunning on the window. We also worked with a leading colour expert to ensure each colour in our venetian range looks beautiful in Australian homes for years to come.”

“The Blindware signature range is the Paris Timber Venetian collection. These ultra-premium venetian components take a touch of style and luxury from their namesake city. A fashion statement, the timber slats are all-natural Basswood, and come in a range of 10 stunning colours, including all new Oak and Rosewood. 

“Available in 50mm and 63mm widths, and up to three metre lengths, ensuring even large windows can be beautifully styled with this classic look. The range also includes a 80mm flat valance and matched trapezoidal bottom rail in both 50mm and 63mm, ensuring minimal light bleed between blind and sill.”

“Straight to the point with sharp style and minimal fuss, our range of New York Venetians are a high quality polystyrene timber look-alike product. Sleek and refined, this two-colour range gets straight to the point. Slightly thicker at 3.2mm, these contemporary slats are available in 50mm and 63mm widths with a matching 85mm flat valance. Polystyrene materials have been proven over many years to provide the best long-term performance in Australian conditions compared to all other plastic slat systems, including for colour fastness and thermal stability. They are suitable for use in all areas of the home or office, including in wet areas like kitchens and bathrooms.”

“Like the beautiful region renowned for enjoying the simple life, our Tuscany Venetian Range is a foam-wood slat system that is simple and classic in style. Available in 50mm and 63mm widths, with matching fascia and bottom rail, Tuscany comes in a range of seven classic colours that complement the modern home. The unique combination of polymer co-extrusion and high temperature formulation ensure Tuscany performs reliably over a wider range of temperatures and other conditions than previous generations of PVC slat systems. Tuscany is suitable for use in all areas of the home or office, including wet areas.”

“Timber venetian products are often more cost effective than the trending plantation shutter, while still offering that clean and classic style. Oak and Rosewood, the two new colours in the Paris Timber venetian range, perfectly complement the emerging trends in Australia. These new colours move away from the bright whites and grey tones into softer, warmer palettes and natural textures.”