How To Choose Curtains And Fabrics
Selecting curtains and fabrics is a very important part of completing your home’s interior. Curtains perform a wide range of functions including temperature regulation, filtering the light and protecting against UV damage. They add softness and dimension and they provide enormous aesthetic value with shape, texture, colour and weight. There’s much to consider!
At Nicholls Interiors, we understand the transformative power of high quality, visually impactful window treatments.
At our Brighton showroom, we stock a wide collection of luxurious curtains and fabrics. From opulent linens to sumptuous velvets, each high quality curtain fabric offers a truly bespoke aesthetic. In particular, linen, silk, and wool are first rate fabrics frequently chosen by interior designers when visiting Nicholls. These fabrics are derived from natural fibres (and often amplified with innovative technology and construction processes), ensuring an effective, durable and visually appealing result.
However, curtain fabrics are available in almost infinite compositions. Choosing curtain fabrics is made simpler by categorising them according to broadly similar characteristics. Here’s some tips on selecting curtains and fabrics.
Categories Of Curtains And Fabrics
Curtain fabrics generally fit into the following core categories:
1. Velvet: When it comes to luxury curtain fabrics, nothing compares to the richness of velvet. Perfect for blackout curtains, velvet adds an unparalleled touch of elegance to any room.
2. Cotton: Cotton is a popular option for its adaptability and simple upkeep. Known for its flexibility and easy maintenance, cotton curtains offer both functionality and style. Whether you prefer a relaxed, understated look or a more polished aesthetic, cotton fabrics are a great versatile option.
3. Linen: For a relaxed, understated elegant look, linen is very popular with many of our clients. Its classic, sophisticated charm is timeless.
4. Synthetic Fabrics: These include polyester, blends and nylon, renowned for their durability and affordability in Australia. A favourite of ours is a polyester/linen blend combining both the aesthetics of linen and durability of polyester. This composition makes it a very popular choice for exquisite drapery fabrics.
5. Viscose: a semi-synthetic fibre known for its lustrous finish is made from natural sources of regenerated cellulose, such as wood and related agricultural products. Its often used in a blended composition with linen and cotton. At Nicholls Interiors, we offer a range of high quality viscose blends.
Fabric Houses Stocked At Nicholls Interiors
Step into the our Brighton showroom and explore thousands of fabrics from renowned fabric houses such as Warwick, James Dunlop, Mokum, Clarke and Clarke, Romo, Harlequin, Sanderson, Wortley, Casadeco, The Textile Company, Slender Morris, Scion, Designers Guild, Kai, Studio G, Catherine Martin…….. the list is endless.
Here Are Five Of Our Favourite Fabrics
Mokum – Lino
Italian for linen, Lino is a 100% linen wide-width sheer with a divine softly tumbled handle. The multi-coloured yarn construction mixes sophisticated colour combinations harnessing dusty hues within its thoughtful and comprehensive colour palette.
Linea – Linesta
Natural, soft and stonewashed, LINESTA is a fusion of European finesse and pure linen fibre. Gentle in palette with an organically slubbed nature and an extended colour variety, this continuous wide-width drape will adorn an array of interiors with a casual, calm and sophisticated finish. The fibres are sourced from France and Italy and it has an organic matte texture.
Composition: 100% Linen
Catherine Martin – Bespoke Velvet
This divine textured velvet is the ultimate luxury velvet, one with both a linen velvet aesthetic and a soft and sumptuous handle. Bespoke has a viscose pile creating a lustrous, plush finish and antiqued surface.
Composition | 54% Viscose 34% Cotton12% Polyester
Catherine Martin – Grand Boucle
The development of Grande Bouclé textile was influenced by Mokum’s nostalgia for the eccentric glamour of the 1970s – an era synonymous with Italian designers like Mario Bellini and Tobia and Afra Scarpa.
As its name suggests, it is a dimensional bouclé fabric beloved for its luxurious weight and composition – a blend of natural fibres give the textile a soft handle while synthetic fibres increase its performance. Mokum’s Italian products are predominantly crafted in the northern regions of Prato and Tuscany which also produce fashion textiles, therefore the diverse variety of yarn development and finishing processes available further enhance Grande Bouclé.
Composition: 33% Acrylic, 32% Viscose, 16% Wool, 8% Polyester, 7% Cotton
Villa Nova Baltimore
This wide width, multidirectional fabric has the luxurious look of silk, but with a more durable composition. Made in the UK with high quality fibres, it is the perfect addition to a home that is looking for an elegant look with a classy level of sheen.
Composition: 67% Polyester, 33% Viscose (Rayon)
From classic designs to contemporary prints, we’ll help you find the perfect curtain fabric to transform your home. Contact the team at Nicholls Interiors, Brighton.