Material World Blog

Roller blinds are one of the most popular window coverings in Australia. In this blog post, we take a look at 9 reasons why this is. Roller Blinds Are Budget Friendly Roller blinds are one of the most economical products available on the market to cover your windows with. Compared with other shades or curtains, they can often be half the price so they represent fantastic value. Designer Options Just because roller blinds are an affordable option doesn't mean that you have to compromise on style or design. Roller blinds these days come in a wide range of fabrics which gives you a choice of opacities and textures and can even come with a wide range of printed designs. Whether you need a colour matched blind to your walls at home or a custom branded roller blind for your shop or office, it is now possible - the limit is your imagination. Some of our designer printed options   Healthy Options Many blind fabrics are now Greenguard accredited. This means they have met strict requirements for low chemical emissions (VOCs). They are suitable for use in sensitive areas such as schools or healthcare facilities. This isn't the case with all blind fabrics so make sure to check when viewing your samples. Privacy and Reduced Glare Get day time privacy with a sunscreen or sheer roller blind. Sunscreens can typically cut up to 96% of UV transmissions and drastically reduce glare whilst maintaining your view. Sheer Roller Blind Flexiblity with dual rollers For night time privacy or to block out the light in a bedroom, you can use a blockout blind or even look at dual roller blinds. By combining a sunscreen roller blind with a blockout blind, you can have the best of both worlds to allow day and night light control and privacy. Dual roller blinds Ease of control Most people would be very familiar with the traditional chain control on a roller blind. You can use a spring booster inside the tube to allow you to operate heavier blinds easily. Roller blinds can also come with chain free options that are even more child friendly. You can operate the blinds simply by moving the bottom rail by hand or even motorising the roller blinds. Depending on the motor, you may be able add voice control or use it with your home automation system. Motorised roller blinds Versatile Roller blinds have one of the biggest size ranges available. Working equally well for smaller widths, they can also be done to significant widths over 3m wide using heavy duty hardware. They can be installed either inside a reveal or on the wall or ceiling. They can be either back rolled to either get closer to the window and block out more light, or front rolled to clear any window hardware and have a neater appearance. Durable and easy to clean At Material World we use either high quality Hunter Douglas, Norman, Peter Meyer or Silent Gliss hardware on most of our blinds. Whilst there are cheaper products out there, even with the higher quality hardware we use, our blinds are competitively priced and are sure to last the distance. With a roller blind, you only have 2 brackets holding a potentially very heavy blind in place, and a single gear drive operating the blinds so it is important to use good quality hardware. Most of our blinds are very easy to clean and whilst you can engage a professional blind cleaning firm to do an ultrasonic clean, in most cases you won't need to as by simply dusting your blinds occasionally and wiping with a damp cloth if required to spot clean, you should get many years of service out of your blinds. Co-ordinates well with other products A way to soften the look of any room is to combine a sheer curtain with a blockout roller blind. This gives you the light control of a roller blind with the elegance and sophisticated look that a sheer curtain can bring. Now you know all the benefits of using roller blinds, contact us to book a free measure & quote. Alternatively you can pop into our showrooms in the North Shore of Sydney or in the Central West region of Orange to check out the samples.

A lot of us remember Bouclé was a very popular fabric from the 1970s.  Bouclé however was invented in the late 1940s by Eero Saarinen on the request of American Architect Florence Knoll. It’s first incarnation was in the ‘Womb chair” designed by Saarinen. Grand Bouclé by Mokum Bouclé, derived from a French word is yarn with a looped or curled ply, or fabric woven from this yarn. Bouclé is very durable and is often seen in lighter tones reminding you of fleece with a nubby, fuzzy appearance. It’s now available in a myriad of colours suitable for many different applications. Fabio by Linea As an upholstery fabric it looks particularly good on curved furniture for instance rounded sofas, ottomans or occasional chairs. Miyabi by Designs of the time Used in accessories such as cushions and throws it has a lovely softness and adds a textural element to a space. In bed heads or bed spreads it is perfect as it is such a cosy textile that one just wants to curl up with a good book. Havana by Zepel Bouclé has the benefit of adding acoustic absorption as well as texture to lift a room when used in curtains. Seen as a new trend since last year Bouclé is here to stay and will stand the test of time in any home.

There is an elegance and opulence when using velvet fabric in curtains, sofas, armchairs and cushions. There are so many different velvets on the market at the moment and they are all very on trend. Some velvets have a crushed look to them whilst others are more mottled. Some are cut velvets with a pattern whilst others are smooth as silk. You can get printed velvets too so there really is something to tempt most. Bespoke by Catherine Martin by Mokum Velvets also come in a diverse range of beautiful neutrals, rich jewel like colours and soft pastels to suit most interiors. In winter they give a feeling of warmth yet in summer teamed with a sheer they can almost have a lightness about them. Once the bastion of a very formal room they can work just as well in a casual family home setting. The Textile Company “Oxford” range By definition velvet is a type of woven tufted fabric in which the cut threads are evenly distributed, with a short dense pile, giving it a distinctive soft feel. Velvet can be made from either natural or synthetic fibres. Zanzibar fabric by Warwick Fabrics is a printed velvet Drop in and see our ranges. Kuba Velvet by Mokum is a cut velvet

For a number of years now grey has been the neutral colour of choice be it a paint colour, upholstery fabric, curtain fabric or in the finishes of your home. Colour trends for curtain fabric and upholstery fabric are constantly evolving. They are a reflection of the current events in the world, be it political, economical, social or environmental. Therefore COVID-19 has had a huge impact to these trends as we spend more time at home.   Photos courtesy of James Dunlop Textiles showcases the use of warmer greys teamed with beige. There has been a shift to warmer greys with beiges increasing again in popularity. Greys haven’t disappeared as they are the most neutral of neutrals being a combination of black and white. We are seeing warmer earthy tones as they create a sense of calm and wellbeing. Often these neutrals are being combined with bold splashes of colour or more pastel shades to enliven your interiors. Ikigai by Mokum, note the soft pastels and light neutrals There will always be a place for greys as with whites but we are definitely moving on. If you would like to discuss the current colour trends, get in touch with one of our decorators. Architects by James Dunlop (now discontinued) adding a bold splash of colour.

At Material World, we have always loved our linen curtains. At the moment they are more popular than ever and for a few good reasons! Natural & Non-Allergenic Linen is made from the flax plant and is a natural fibre rather than man made like many polyester curtains these days. The flax plant produces no waste and has a range of by-products from linseed oil to flax seeds and paper pulp and linen actually uses less resources to produce than many other fibres so it is great for the environment. As linen is non-allergenic, linen curtains are a great choice for asthma and allergy sufferers. In the past, linen bandages were a go to choice for dressing wounds thanks to it's anti-bacterial properties as well. Nature's Thermostat Linen curtains make for a great window barrier to help control temperature. Thanks to it's natural weave it is thermoregulating. That means it will keep you cooler in summer and warmer in winter. Timeless and Elegant As modern and in demand as ever despite having been used for thousands of years, linen fabrics can be incredibly long lasting if cared for correctly. In fact, when the tomb of Tutankhamen was opened, the linen curtains were still intact! Linens are a great way to add a touch of class to any room and whilst there are many man made fabrics that attempt to replicate it, you just can't beat the natural slubby look and smooth feel of linen. Each time you wash it, Linen is one of the few fabrics out there that will continue to get softer.       Stunning range of 100% linen fabrics from Mokum Textiles including Eternal, Satori Stonewash & Ocean. Whats the catch? There's a few reasons we don't use linens everywhere (although linen does make for great bedding and upholstery fabrics as well!). The main reasons we would recommend caution and the right advice when using linen fabrics are: Linen curtains can move! Linens can hold around 20% of their weight in water and will often move by up to 3%. We have seen curtains move by 10cm literally overnight so we always recommend a puddling drape to avoid this issue. Linen curtains can be more expensive. This is a common belief out there but we have recently seen the introduction of much lower cost linen fabrics. Pure linen fabrics can start from well under $100 per meter and linen blends can be half of that. You need to protect Linen curtainsfrom the sun. The Australian sun can be tough on any fabric. We would always recommend lining your linen curtains to ensure you maximise their life span.

If you are looking for a cost effective way of finishing a window and for reducing the harshness of the summer suns glare, or for privacy from prying eyes, then roller blinds are a great choice. There are what I like to think of as 3 categories of roller blinds: Sunscreen Roller Blinds Sunscreen or sheer roller blinds are used to cut down UV rays whilst still enjoying the view. They don’t offer much in the way of privacy at night time. Light Filtering Roller Blinds Light filtering (or translucent) fabrics allow light to filter through whilst offering more privacy. Shadows are all one can see and you do need to be up close for even that. Blockout Roller Blinds   Blockout blind fabrics are perfect for a bedroom or media room situation where you want to reduce any light coming in. The only light that filters through these are at the small gaps at side and top so are great for sleeping or watching that movie on a lazy afternoon. These can be coupled with side channels or a headbox to reduce light even more. Often our clients will opt for dual blinds so they have the best of both worlds. You can commonly combine either blockout and sunscreen or blockout and translucent. Dual blinds come with special brackets so that they aren't overly bulky. Roller blinds aren’t always boring as they can be come in some lovely textured fabrics that give a softer more luxe look to any room and can be customised in a range of patterns and colours to fit any interior. We can even use your own design and have it custom printed onto the roller blind fabric! Roller blinds aren’t always boring because we can motorise them. You can easily retrofit motorisation as both hardwired and battery powered motor options are available. You can be as lazy as you please and add your blinds to your home automation system or voice assistant. We recommend Somfy motors and offer a range of motors from other providers as well. Great for the tech heads or those that just like convenience. At Material World we have also worked with a number of NDIS providers to assist with a motorised window furnishing solution for clients with a disability. Drop in and see the ranges or let one of our decorators come to you for a free measure and quote.

Soft roman blinds will decorate a window and are a great solution in windows where you have limited space for curtains. This could be because you have a piece of furniture against the window, like in this dining area below… Pictured: Roman blind in Posy Ink by Ashley Wilde Fabrics (discontinued) Or it could be because the windows are small and curtains might look out of place or it is a difficult window that doesn’t suit other window finishes. Pictured: Custom roman blind Soft roman blinds can be made in a huge number of curtain fabrics, they can be block out lined or cotton/poly lined to let light through. This means that they can also be made to match your curtains. This is a great option when you have a small window in the same space as a sliding door for example.  Pictured: Roman blind and curtains made in matching fabric Roman Blinds allow for most of the window to be exposed when opened, and have limited light bleed when closed. They can be a very elegant alternative to roller blinds. If coordinating with roller blinds though, another option is to make a roman blind using a roller blind fabric.   Pictured: Roman blind in On The Wire by James Dunlop Textiles

Many of us decorate our walls with art works where there is space. Many of us however only see curtain and upholstery fabrics as just serving a utilitarian purpose. Why not turn your windows into works of art? Are you brave enough to go beyond a plain or textured fabric and move into the realms of pattern? Get the benefits of curtains whilst injecting some colour and design into your home. From the more subdued abstract to brighter and bolder prints the choice really is endless. Here are just a few fabrics that could fire the imagination. Consider a watercolour effect to introduce some bright and funky colours… Pictured: Big Archie by Bluebellgrey Or bring nature inside with these stunning aviary designs…  Pictured: The Conservatory by James Dunlop Textiles Pictured: Blenheim by James Dunlop Textiles You can also get creative with sheer fabrics as seen below with Peninsula from Warwick Fabrics. This illustrates how you can introduce a pattern whilst keeping a neutral colour scheme for a very elegant look! Pictured: Peninsula by Warwick Fabrics Still not sure where to start? The decorators here at Material World can certainly recommend fabrics that will suit your home, furnishings and lifestyle.

With the advent of so many apartment blocks on both the Upper and Lower North Shore of Sydney we have had many clients need our assistance. Many of these apartments often have blinds to block out but so often I am asked if we can soften the space, give more blockout, reduce traffic noise or something with a bit more thermal quality especially during summer with hot west facing windows. Curtains have continued in popularity as they address all these issues. The most popular combination has been blockout blinds and then a lovely billowy sheer curtain to soften the room and they do this brilliantly. Pictured: Sheer s/wave curtains in Allusion bv Zepel Fabrics. There are a number of different curtain styles with s/wave still ever popular for its uniformity. You can also choose from the inverted box pleat for a neat finish, or knife pleat for a little less structured look. If heat, light or sound are also an issue, then a lined curtain works well to better insulate the room and reduce noise. Pictured: Sheer inverted box pleated curtains in Laconia Air bv James Dunlop Textiles. There are so many wonderful fabrics and accessories to choose from. Some of our favourites include “Timeless” – a beautiful art deco style embroidered sheer and “Linesta” – a stunning chunky Italian linen. Drop into the showroom and let us help you make a selection to fit your home and your budget. Whether you are on the upper or lower North Shore or in Orange, Material World can make sure you get the right, local advice for your windows. Pictured: Timeless by James Dunlop Textiles. Pictured: Linesta bv Warwick Fabrics.